What are the differences between how adults and teenagers think when they read the book?
I believe there are substantial differences between the reactions of adults and teenagers when reading The Catcher in the Rye. The tale of a disaffected teenager desperately trying to find his place in the world, while also bucking authority at every turn, reads as different things to different generations. This, perhaps, might be at the crux of the argument regarding censorship and banning of the book; adults either do not understand the book’s message or believes it glorifies Holden’s behavior, while teenagers may find Holden’s lack of identity and adolescent confusion relatable.
When teenagers read The ...