Argumentative Essay On Catcher In The Rye

Once banned for the profanity alone and just for Holden’s story, J.D. Salinger's novel, The Catcher in the Rye, is one of the many controversial books that are in some schools today. This novel gives us an “up close” look into Holden Caulfield's life and his perspective, specifically a certain time in his life as he mourns his brother. Throughout the novel, we see Holden's experience in an unstable mindset and patterns along with changes over time. Because of its realistic insight of a teen’s life, many teens today are able to relate to the novel because of Holden's emotional state and change.
It is believed that Holden is in a state of depression as he feels that he is in fake world and at the time is also feeling for the loss of his brother.

Holden states,“I felt so lonesome, all of a sudden. I almost wished I was dead.” Holden tends to say things that bring the mood down but it’s exactly how he feels at the time. Salinger doesn’t shy away from the real and honest view on life. Throughout the story, Holden expresses how he feels about the “phony” adult world. He tries to go along with the transition into adulthood but fails when he encounters a “phony” or finds something that he considers to be “phony.” He has every reason to find the adult world as “phony” because of the superficial aspects in life. He sees the fake in the way people act and make the world as they see it.
As many teens experience a state of depression study has shown that an average of 20 percent of teens have experienced depression before they reach adulthood. Not only that, study has also shown that 10 to 15 percent experience symptoms also causing suicide, which is the third leading cause of death for young people. For example, Holden says, “What I really felt like, though, was committing suicide. I felt like jumping out the window. I probably would’ve done it, too, if I’d been sure somebody’d cover me up as soon as I landed. I didn’t want a bunch of stupid rubbernecks looking at me when I was all gory.” Clarifying that Holden is in an unhealthy state of mind. In this situation, it would be better for Holden to ask for help but, like other teens Holden believes that he is perfectly fine and ignores it.
With the growing effort to support and bring awareness to mental health,
teens are encouraged to ask for advice and to reach out to others. Even after over 60 years, Holden’s experiences and emotions are still relatable. Throughout a person's stage of teen years, it is known for that teen to be emotional and have new experiences. When teens read this novel, they may see that they are not alone, there are many other people who have experienced the same journey of change. When teens then see that they’re not alone it may encourage them to ask for help, for example, they can possibly get therapy or talk to their parents about the situation and in that will get the assistance that is needed.
Even though its setting is in the 1950s, the emotional change and mental struggle of a teenager is something that hasn’t changed. It’s something that some of today’s teens can admire about Salinger’s novel. It is a novel that teens relate to in a way that they can say they are not alone in the experiences of emotion and coming of age.