Furkan Eref Yaln 20900971 ENG 102-42 Final Draft of Research Paper Richard Fisher

02.01.2012

The controversy surrounding The Catcher in the Rye: Should it be censored in high schools and libraries or should it be taught in high schools? The Catcher in the Rye is one of the sensational books in American literature in the last century without a doubt and so there were and still are many controversies about it. The book is written in 1951 by J.D Salinger, who was an American author and it is about a teenager, Holden Caulfield, who leaves the school at Christmas Eve and his adventures in New York, which is lasted couple of days. He encounters with several complications in extremely bad ways. He hangs out in bars, which there are many drunk and smokers and he is beaten by a pimp. He believes that adults live in a phony world; he does not enjoy to accompany with them and says I thought what I'd do was, I'd pretend I was one of those deaf-mutes. That way I wouldn't have to have any goddam stupid useless conversations with anybody. In addition, he often curses them. Some concerned (Pamela Hunt Steinle, 73) citizens thinks that the book should be censored because of its content, which is full of bad language use, sexuality and stimulate alcohol and tobacco use and they also think that it is definitely not allowed to be taught in schools by teachers. Rest of the people argues that with all the vice in it, the book is an opportunity for teenagers to discover themselves and flash a glance to the actual face of the real world. In fact the content of the book is as immoral as everyone may see in television, cinema or video games; so there is no need to try to keep adolescents away from the real world in a bell jar, because they are mostly aware of how the real world is like. This book is like a window to experience for teenagers to see the phoniness side of world of adults without actually and physically live it. Even tough The Catcher in the Rye is one of the bestseller books of all time and one of the most recommended books in high schools in the US; there are

Furkan Eref Yaln 20900971 ENG 102-42 Final Draft of Research Paper Richard Fisher

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always controversies about censoring it. Although The Catcher in the Rye frequently challenged to censor by the reasons of profanity, sexuality and promoting alcohol and tobacco use, actually it has to be kept to be taught in schools because there are numerous life lessons for teenagers so that they would be able identify themselves and see the real world of adulthood.

The ones who support to censor the book have several arguments and those are very hard to but it is impossible to stand against. One of the main reasons of censoring the book is its intensive us of offensive language. From the first page through last page of the book, swearwords are all over it. Pamela Hunt Steinle who is the writer of In Cold Fear, mentions in her book that there are 237 goddamns, 58 bastards, 31 Chirssakes, and 1 fart (3) and so it is obvious that the book is far away from being like a heavenly book but even though this situation, in mid-1950s it became most thought books in US college campuses (4) as Sylvia Andrychuk points out in her article, A History of J.D Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye. Then high school teachers were attracted by reputation of the book and they began to taught the book in their classrooms to their students. Surprisingly 1960, a teacher was fired because of teaching the book. From 1961 to 1982, the book was the most censored book in high schools and libraries in the United States (In Cold Fear, 73). There were and still are particular parents or concerned citizens who attempts to censor the book. On the other hand, in their living rooms, as the rest of the contemporary society, also these very people have TVs, which are maybe the main and biggest sources of offensive language. Besides movies are another origin of use of offensive language and yet parents and concerned citizens do not take it as a problem. Actually if it is observed

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objectively, the content of the book is much more harmless rather than the content of television and movies. They blindly let their children to be poisoned in front of TV. It is rational to confess that it is hypocrisy what they are doing: attempt to censor the book while they do almost nothing to protect their children from the malice of TV and movies.

Although not as intense as use of offensive language, another reason of censoring the book is its sexual content. Holden Caulfield, who is the main character, experiences several adventures that might be labeled as sexual content. While he leaves school, he wants to stop by and say good-bye to one of his teacher, Mr. Antolini. At some point, he falls asleep and he notices that his teacher gently pats his head, suddenly Caulfield gets angry and leaves his house and thinks that his teacher has some homosexual tendency. Caulfields behavior might be accepted as disrespectful and against homosexuality. In the book, he says In my mind, I'm probably the biggest sex maniac you ever saw (62) and Sex is something I really don't understand too hot. You never know where the hell you are. I keep making up these sex rules for myself, and then I break them right away (63) these sentences exactly gives a clue about content of the book and shows that he does not act by his brain and he thinks and worries about sex too much. Another incident that he involves is dealing with a prostitute who is practically at his age and fighting with a pimp. Sylvia Andrychuk mentions that All of the censorship cases since the early 1960s have been tied to Holden's references to sexuality (5) so that these events sound extremely traumatic even for adults. Nevertheless, when a TV is opened, the content is not better, even worse sometimes. Music channels might be the worst, whether nearly nude girls sing

Furkan Eref Yaln 20900971 ENG 102-42 Final Draft of Research Paper Richard Fisher

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songs or they dance with the singer. Pimps are another story; they are introduced as coolest dudes and they sing their so-called songs with pride and joy with their almost naked mademoiselles. Parents have no control on their children to keep them away from this immorality. Internet is another serious problem. Even there are decent ways to keep away teenagers from sexual content; most of the parents simply ignore it or even worse they are not aware the danger. So it not fair to try to ban a book because of its sexuality while allowing it in other platforms such as TV or Internet.

Besides offensive language and sexual content, another reason to attempt censoring the book is promoting alcohol and tobacco use. It can be witnessed that Holden Caulfield, his friends in school and some other characters often smoke cigarettes; sometimes just because they are happy or sometimes because they are upset and it gives a subliminal message that cigarette is always a very good companion. After he leaves school, he goes to New York and hangs out in bars so that he could get a chance to drink some alcohol. He says There isn't any night club in the world you can sit in for a long time unless you can at least buy some liquor and get drunk (76) and he gets drunk couple of times and he witnesses some ugly situation that drunk people behave badly such as cursing. It would be bias to say that the book does not prompting alcohol and tobacco use, but the book becomes less harmful when contemporary world is truly observed. There is a concept as Marlboro Man who is always presented by a handsome and cool looking guy. It gives a subliminal message that the top requirement of being cool is consuming tobacco; at least the book does not do this. Advertisements is actually a very serious problem; when anybody mentions about Ferrari it comes into mind Marlboro and the unofficial color of it,

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which is red, thanks to multi million worth sponsorship deals between Ferrari and Marlboro. Johnnie Walker and McLaren is closely same story. The Catcher in the Rye is practically seemed innocent while with all these deceptions. Parents, concerned citizens and governments simply beat the air by trying to censor a great book while they do nothing to about such advertisements, because if their purpose is preventing to promote alcohol and tobacco use, this is not the right way to do so.

Despite all relatively negative characteristics, The Catcher in the Rye should be taught in high schools. It is very clear that The Catcher in the Rye is nothing like a holly book and it is full of immorality, which is just a reflection of the real world. However, it is also a chance for teenagers to get to know the adult world and identify themselves in this universe so that they can create their solid characters and become physically and mentally healthy individuals. What is needed for them is guidance, who might be qualified high school teachers, so that they assist to their students to find the life lessons, which is hidden between the lines in the book. Also Holden Caulfield has a good teacher who is Mr. Antolini. He warns Caulfield by saying I have a feeling that you're riding for some kind of a terrible, terrible fall. But I don't honestly know what kind It may be the kind where, at the age of thirty, you sit in some bar hating everybody (24), he tries to say that this kind of behavior, such as use of offensive language, to be obsessed with sex, alcohol and tobacco use, is far away from living a good life. He also says Among other things, you'll find that you're not the first person who was ever confused and frightened and even sickened by human behavior. You're by no means alone on that score, you'll be excited and stimulated to know. Many, many men have been just as troubled morally and spiritually as you are right

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now (24) and by this he tries to send a message to readers that you, as many others, might think same but you do not have to act like Holden Caulfield. These life lessons can be earned by the assist of the high school teachers. Rather then firing them, they should be encouraged to teach the book in their classes.

The controversy surrounding The Cather in the Rye lasts about sixty years. It is hard to believe that even in 2009, the book ranked at sixth place in top ten most frequently challenged books list of 2009 by ALA (American Library Association). It is no secret that the books content includes profanity, sexuality and promoting alcohol and tobacco use, but it is not worse than the content of contemporary media such as TV, movies and Internet. Besides all the negativities, there are also life lessons, which are waiting to be found in the book. Citizens and governments look like fools, because they do not attempt to do anything about contemporary media while they side against The Catcher in the Rye. It is needed to encourage teachers and let hem righteously teach the book to their students so that these students get to know the adult world and find their places in this world.

Furkan Eref Yaln 20900971 ENG 102-42 Final Draft of Research Paper Richard Fisher

02.01.2012

References List Andrychuk, Sylvia. "A History of J.D Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye." (2004): n. page. Web. 12 Dec. 2011. <http://rhsweb.org/library/PDF/history_catcher_in_the_rye.pdf>. Illinois. American Library Association. Top ten most frequently challenged books of 2009. Chicago: , 2009. Web. <http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/frequentlychallenged/21stcenturychal lenged/2009/index.cfm>. Steinle, Pamela Hunt. In Cold Fear. Columbus: Ohio State University, 2000. Print.