The Catcher In the Rye (Coming of Age)

Salinger, J. D. The catcher in the rye. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, (1951).

Annotation: Now that he’s kicked out of yet another boring school, Holden has to find out what to do with the week before he’s SUPPOSED to go home for Christmas… and maybe also the rest of his life.

Justification for Rejection: Just as often as any particular book is placed upon a literary pedestal due to its longstanding position as a “classic” work, others are just as quick to denounce it on the same merits. I had never read this novel in middle school when it was assigned; perhaps I was too similar to the protagonist Holden regarding schoolwork. However, due to its lingering location on so many of my friends’ “favorite books” lists, I have wanted to read it to find out what I was missing out on. As a whole, I was underwhelmed. Even though the main character is constantly on the move, it was almost as if nothing happened in the story whatsoever. For a “Coming of Age” story, Holden never went anywhere. The people, places, and things he does are just one long week of him moping around, and I didn’t feel there was any character development to enjoy, which is essential for me to feel like the protagonist has truly matured. The supporting characters also felt flat and 2-dimensional, which is easy when comparing them to the manic depressive Holden. His bouncing back and forth between “bored” and acting like a “madman” wore me down, but I can actually see some resonance in my own attitudes I held as an adolescent. One trouble for me was my inability to pin down Holden’s age, so my mental picture of his bipolar character was foggy. Words I have heard used to describe this book are “funny” and “dramatic”, but I didn’t find it to be either.

Fortunately, one enormous strength in this book is the narrative voice. It is so vibrant and dynamic, I am certain any reader would form a lasting impression of it. Salinger has Holden calling out each disturbingly intense feeling by name, which felt heavy-handed to me, but the mood and style of the writing easily carried the narration. Perhaps this book was more approachable and significant to a different generation, but I don't think it would be necessary or even advisable for every teenager to try this novel. In the end, I am of the opinion that every book should be somewhat fulfilling to read, if not honestly satisfying in some way. The Catcher In The Rye was neither for me, so I would unfortunately not recommend it for receiving Commendations.

The Watchmen (Graphic Novel)

Moore, Alan, and Dave Gibbons. Watchmen. New York: DC Comics Inc, 1987.

Annotation: A disbanded group of washed up superheroes start mysteriously disappearing. The remaining members must unravel the conspiracy that may result in a global apocalypse.

Reason for Nomination: Adolescence is a period of high sensitivity to visual stimulation, and as such the Watchmen graphic novel is a gripping format in which to base this alternate history of the world. If masked crusaders actually did rise up to fight injustice, what would the world think of them, and at the end of the day what would they think about themselves? This concept parallels adolescent identity generation, in which teens will try on multiple ever-changing masks just like the protagonist Rorschach’s physically changing mask, which looks different every time he puts it on. The reader is required to make their own decisions about right and wrong in order to separate the heroes from the antiheroes, and the shades of grey that make up us all. As each character ponders their own development, readers will feel a resonance in their own maturation experience, every moment of camaraderie or loss of innocence. This compelling story is an excellent example of a moral quest that any teen reader will get drawn deeper into, with the superb artwork only reinforcing their urge to continue delving into this rich dystopian world.

One unique aspect of the book required me to read more carefully, which I believe most teen readers would be thrilled by. Frequently during Watchmen there are multiple stories being told, often in the same frame. A particular story is simply a comic book that is being read by a boy in the street for the duration of the main plot. This multi-tasking could be very engaging to the fast paced teenage mind, although others may find it to be distracting. However, Moore uses metaphors that link the narration together between these crossed paths, which are often clever and poetic. One other feature I noticed was the clock illustration at the beginning of each chapter, which continually got closer to midnight, or the “final judgment”. This device provided a feeling of constant momentum towards the resolution, which encouraged the rising tension even when the plot did not feel as if it was reaching the inevitable end.

This graphic novel was written in the 1980’s, but as evidenced by the successful film adaptation earlier this year, as well as continued re-issues that come out frequently, Watchmen is still as approachable and significant as ever. Due to the illustrations of violence and sexuality, some may suggest it isn’t appropriate for young adult readership. However, nothing comes across as overly vulgar or meaningless, as it is needed for the story. Regardless, Moore paints a startlingly vivid picture of these characters in “masks”, reflecting that within everyone there is both good and evil. For respecting the reader and letting them make their own decisions about who is wrong and right, I nominate Watchmen for young adult enthusiasts.