Got into a debate at my Portland book club over whether 'The Catcher in the Rye' is still relevant for teens today

Half the group said it's outdated and whiny, the other half said teens still feel that same isolation, so where do you land on a 70-year-old book about a kid who just can't fit in?

2 comments

2 Comments

henry_palmer245d ago

You ever known a kid who seemed to have everything but was miserable anyway? My buddy's nephew is a sophomore in high school. He's got 500 friends on Instagram, plays on the varsity soccer team, and his parents just bought him a brand new truck. Last spring he told my buddy he felt like he was standing behind a glass wall watching everyone else live their lives. Nobody knew because his posts were all smiles and sports highlights. That's Holden Caulfield in 2025. Different technology, same empty feeling.

mia_singh246d ago

Half the group said it's outdated and whiny" - that's the part that gets me. Cause sure, Holden can come off as a brat, but hasn't everyone felt that way at 16? The phone booths and payphones are dated, sure, but the feeling of being totally alone in a crowded world? That never goes away. What I keep coming back to is whether teens today even relate to that specific brand of aimless angst, or if they've got different battles now with social media and all that?