The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger

My Review: 5/5

This is one of those books I wish I had written instead. I wasted many precious minutes now and then thinking and asking myself why I didn't read this book before and then realised instead of wasting all those precious time thinking why I didn't read, I should have spent it reading. You see that's the problem with small brain. When I say small brain doesn't mean I am stupid or so. I am talking about age. I didn't read it because this book is for adults only. At least I wouldn't let my children read it until they are 18. Oh please, when I say this book is for adults only, don't bring dirty thoughts into your mind. Its nothing like that. Its just that I am more concerned about the languages used in this book. So, now since I am adult or so (mentally), this book came in perfect time. You know someone said the way its meant to be. Normally, things don't happen if they don't want to happen. I think this time, it wanted to happen. Boy, this is crazy life. I think I am going mad here. I tell you beforehand, I am a madwoman.

When I write this review and you read it, I assume that you all are adults and that means you have all experienced your teenage life and you know what I am talking about. Now lets all go back to our teenage time. Do you remember when things were better and you were smarter? when I say that, it doesn't mean I mean to say you are not smart and things are not better now. You are but there are times when you think you are smart even though you are not. You believe you know everything. You are annoyed with people around you. You make rules for yourself. You want to be rebellious. You may or may not be wrong but even if you are wrong, you don't care. We have all been there and we have all seen that sort of things. 

So, this book talks about the mind of teenage people. Holden Caulfield, our main character has just been expelled from a school. He has his own meaning of life but the thing is he doesn't know what to do with his life. He decides to leave home for change but later changes his mind to stay home just for his little sister. Holden is very protective of his younger sister even though he himself is bit careless about the life. He is worried about her future. That certainly reminded me of my teenage time. I don't remember much about my teenage time apart from some things such as I was always worried about my future. I was always nervous about it but when I was not nervous, I used to get nervous thinking why I was not nervous. I tell you what, teenage people are the most vulnerable people. When you become parents, you have to make sure to handle your teenage child well. Wish there was some formula on how to do that, where you can just substitute something and find the value of 'x' and you know what to do like 'tadaaa'. I had a bunch of close friends I used to hang out with all the time. You see this was the thing, some of my close friends had elder brothers and sisters. When I read about Holden and his sister, I remembered them. Whenever we wanted to go out, we either couldn't go out or even if we did, we had to come home early just because my friends were scared of their elder siblings and because they were scared, I was scared too. Boy did that annoy me. Thank God, I don't have elder siblings. Oh may be its bit harsh. To tell you the truth, there were some times when I wished I had elder sister or brother, specially those times when I needed guidance in my career and those times when I needed a family talk about my problems. You can't discuss everything with your parents. Most of the time, you are scared you will be grounded. The funny thing is, I totally understand those siblings of my friends because I am also an elder sister of two brothers. I tell you what, one of my brothers is already married but I still worry about him. I swear even when we reach to the age when I can't walk on my own, I would still worry about them. Its hard to be an eldest child. Parents always blame you for your siblings' mistake. Once in a while, I went crazy and wished I had elder siblings just so that I could blame them for all my and my brothers' mistake. Boy, am I madwoman.

Once I was asked a question, "how do you decide what is wrong and what is right?". Boy do I know that answer or does anyone know that answer. You see the way I see is, we have our one life, and in this life, there are so many ups and downs. Sometimes you have to be strong but sometimes you have to let it go even though you are strong. Sometimes you have to be harsh but sometimes, you know one of those times when you don't want to do anything but sit by the river and stare at it flowing or sit on bench in the park and watch people passing by? Just let your life pass it like that. Sometimes, we make decision ourselves but sometimes we make decision based on our surrounding. Its not a sin to be rebellious. Specially in the place where humans are ruled by the society, where you have to think about the society before you think about yourself. But what I don't understand is, some crap man made rule just because it was convenient for him that way, now everyone has to suffer for that. I mean obviously I don't mean to go against everything. There are obviously things which are good but there are also bad things. The funny thing here is, the things I find bad may not be bad for other people and vice-versa. I don't mean to sit here and give lecture on what the societies should be, the thing is you have to first think about yourself and families, then society because you make the society not the other way round. But the problem here is, people make the rules but they don't obey themselves. What I say is, no one knows your life better than yourself. You have to work on it yourself. You have to decide what is wrong and what is right yourself. When I say this, I didn't mean to disobey our parents. Family is important. I am just talking about general things here.  

I was meant to write a book review but I think I got carried away. Boy, was I bored. Just don't sit here reading my hopeless crap. Go and get this book! I warned you right? I am a madwoman. I mean it and I mean it when I mean it.