In high school, I was depressed. No further details are needed. I mean, I was in high school for four whole years. Of course, I was depressed. So when I was an angst-ridden teenager, I read The Catcher in the Rye. And it meant the world to me. While angst-ridden and teenager should be synonyms for each other, no other book captures that sentiment quite like The Catcher in the Rye. So thank you, J.D Salinger. For making me feel like someone got it. May you rest in peace.
The New York Times asked several experts and writers if “The Catcher in the Rye” is still relevant to today’s teenagers. They asked, “Does the Holden Caulfield version of alienation speak to a generation of Facebook?” As if, Facebook can prevent alienation. Facebook is mighty, but it’s no match against alienation.
Elizabeth Wurtzel, writer of “Prozac Nation,” essentially claims that today’s teenagers aren’t really teenagers. That they’re either complete trainwrecks or goody-two shoes, and there is nothing in between that would glean something from “The Catcher in the Rye.” She also refers to them as “Twitter Tribes.” Since teenagers don’t use Twitter, I’m guessing she understands teenagers as well as she did when she wrote “Prozac Nation.” Which is to say, not at all.
But, if today’s teenagers can’t find commonality with Holden Caufield when it comes to angst, I hope they can find it with Angela Chase, the Holden Caufield of my generation.
