Since the beginning of time there have been billions of books written. From those books have come novels. From the novels have come masterpieces. From the masterpieces have come critically acclaimed titles. From those critically acclaimed titles have come classics. Classics represent the highest acknowledged standard of writing. The ingenuity of their literary elements is impeccable. A classic will inspire, intrigue, enlighten, and more importantly draw the reader into the world of the author. J. D. Salinger's The Catcher In The Rye provides an intimate glimpse into his life at the time of the story. The story portrays Holden Caulfield's trip to New York for three days, alone, at the age of sixteen. In essence, Holden Caulfield is J. D. Salinger whose peerless examples of mirrored characterization provide this glance. The purpose of this paper is to compare and evaluate literary criticisms pertaining to the theme and character of The Catcher In The Rye. Of the two literary elements open for criticism, theme is the least discussed, but most clearly delineated component. The critics agree on the single underlying theme found in The Catcher In The Rye. First, Mollie Sandock feels that the theme is Holden Caulfield's coming to terms with his inability to save his sister from " 'falling over the cliff' into the adult world, so much of which disgusts him" (Sandock 621). A second critic states that the theme of the novel is Holden's coming to terms with his inability to save all of the children from tumbling over the edge (French 515). For this classic, minimal discussion was able to convey the clarity of the theme for The Catcher In The Rye.The Catcher In The Rye certifies Sandock's and French's observations on the theme. Sandock and French are accurate in saying that the theme of the classic is Holden Caulfield's coming to terms with being unable to save his sister, Phoebe, or all the children, from "falling over the cli...
