Am I the Only One?

The people that like the book are the people that relate to the character and his depression. Otherwise, I can see why somebody would not like it. I love it because it brilliantly portrays the characters thoughts and philosophies. It also is very good at finding depressing aspects of non depressing things.

Hello

I loved it so much because I read it at a time in my life where I was a very pessimistic SOB, and Holden put things into perspective. I also love that he's actually a pretty smart kid, he just can't articulate any of his thoughts to real people. Also, it has some great scenes in it, and the book as a whole is f'in hilarious.

Because it doesn't confuse pseudo-homophones.

I loved this book because J.D. Salinger is an amazing writer who can really form connections with readers. If you don't think Holden is a good, familiar character, you probably don't understand this book. Holden is afraid of difference and change. He thinks adulthood and maturity completely invalidate people; he wants youth to be forever so people can stay real. He wishes life was like the displays in the Natural History Museum; still, and unchanging.

We all deserve to die. Even you, Mrs. Lovett, even I.

Honestly, I didn't like it at all until I got to chapter 6. There's nothing special about that chapter but until that point, I've been forcing myself to read it because it's a 'classic'. I dog-eared the corner where I stopped out of my pure disrespect for the book (I don't care if other people dog-ear their books, but I never do it, whatever.) and I didn't read it anymore until I had to for an assignment a month later.

ANYWAY I disliked the book because it felt like Salinger was trying way too hard to sound like your 'average' teen. Me being a high schooler, I felt like he was being a hypocrite every time he wrote the word 'phony,' so to speak. However, I think I like it, or at least dislike it a lot less, because I got used to the idea of it being its own creation, like not a creation of some middle-aged author, but that maybe Holden did exist and this is his story. The stream of conscienceness-type writing sounded like a person's random thoughts as he related his story to you. This made the book bearable to me, finally, when I got used to it post-dog-ear.

I almost always initially dislike extremely informal writing and stay disliking it, especially if it's about angsty teens ("Speak", for example), but I guess a book can grow on you.

By the way, the last chapter felt like Salinger couldn't think of a way to finish the book properly, and was too lazy to write more. _In my opinion_ I don't think the book is deserving of its acclaim, but to each their own, I suppose.

Oh Gob, you could charm the black off a telegram boy!

I think that the word you are looking for is "drivel".