The Catcher in the Rye

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, published in 1951, follows the disillusioned teenage protagonist Holden Caulfield, who narrates his aimless wanderings through New York City after being expelled from yet another prep school. Cynical and alienated, Holden rails against the phoniness of adults and society while grappling with grief over his late brother Allie, loneliness, and a desperate urge to preserve innocence, fantasizing about being the catcher in the rye who saves children from falling off a cliff. Encounters with old friends, his sister Phoebe, and teachers expose his emotional turmoil, culminating in a breakdown that lands him in a mental institution, from where he reflects on his odyssey of rebellion and self-discovery.