Set in the 1950's we begin with the main character is called Holden Caufield, a seventeen-year-old boy with a lot attitude, explaining to us "this madman stuff" that has come to pass last Christmas.
We begin at Pencey Prep School of Pennsylvania, where Holden has been kicked out for failing all of his classes apart from English. However, throughout the book he explains that being kicked out of school is not something new to him, and that the Prep School in Pennsylvania is in fact his fourth school.Holden is informed that he is to leave the school and that he is to pack his things and leave. However, he was only due back to Manhattan on Wednesday.
Other than having many problems, and having problems of being calm when he is provoked, Holden seems to have shared quite a troubled past.
Throughout the book he shows his character when he writes about his younger brother, that passed away three years earlier from leukaemia. Holden shows his anger, and explains that on the night of his brother's passing he broke all the windows in his garage with his bare hands.
I will not continue to explain anything more about this book, (as not to spoil). However, as I have read Perks of being a Wallflower, i find that Charlie is a more sensitive, and misunderstood teenager in a very depressed way. A way that makes the reader feel pity and sadness for Charlie, while Holden is an aggressive teenage boy that is also misunderstood, however he has a grand attitude and quite a stereotypical view of how a relationship with a girl is, while Charlie sees it as a very soothing and calming thing.
Comparing these two books actually helped me understand both of them in a greater depth, comparing the two boys, and showing that even though they have different personalities, they are more than similar. Even though the book is quite old, being published in 1951, seeing the two present day and early 20th century meet made the book very interesting.
Even though this book might have been originally published for adults, it became very popular with teenagers all over the world. I found out about the book from 'Perks of being a Wallflower', because Charlie related himself to Holden in his own way. However, many people have been talking about the book, and I was very curious to read it myself. Personally, I wish that I had read this book first, and then read the other one, because my idea of Holden in the beginning was a little influenced by the character from the other book. Later on, I managed to make a difference between the two.
The book was very engaging, and I found it a very good read. Even though it is the second book I read talking about a boy's troubled life, it was very interesting, and I find it something that people should read.
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