In 1960 a teacher was fired for assigning the novel in class; he was later reinstated. But between 1961 and 1982, The Catcher in the Rye was the most censored book in high schools and libraries in the United States. In 1981, it was both the most censored book and the second most taught book in public schools in the United States. Shelley Keller-Gage, a high school teacher who faced objections after assigning the novel in her class, noted that the challengers "are being just like Holden... They are trying to be catchers in the rye."
From: WikipediaJust an interesting fact and this is nothing you should feel obliged to answer, but why? And what does Shelley Keller-Gage mean by her comment?
In the book there is a lot of swearing. It shows some of the darker sides of an the otherwise happy upper class. It shows a boy who is depressed and with some issues, a boy who is drinking before he is legally allowed, he is talking to prositutes and lying. It tells a story about suicide, and also about the boy who jumped out of the window.
ReplyDeleteI think that Shelley Keller-Gage means that those who do not want the book in the public school, are trying to keep the truth from the kids. They do not wish to let the children know that the world sometimes is cruel and unfair. They are trying to stop them becoming adults, just like Holden, who doesn't want to grow up.