Why was Catcher in the Rye banned?

December 22, 2003 8:36 PM

Why was Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger on a banned list? I bought mine at Barnes and Noble during a "banned book" sale a few months ago, and I didn't think there was anything in the book that would make it banned, other than swearing. Can anyone give me a little insight?
posted by Keyser Soze to Society & Culture (8 answers total)

Well, although this website has a disclaimer, the information found here is basically what I have heard about that particular title.
posted by bradth27 at 8:42 PM on December 22, 2003

Why was Catcher in the Rye banned?
posted by mathowie at 8:42 PM on December 22, 2003

Definitely one of those questions for which one must know the answer beforehand to have the knowledge to ask it. ;-P
posted by mischief at 8:44 PM on December 22, 2003

Response by poster: I did google it! Im just stupid, thats all.
posted by Keyser Soze at 8:48 PM on December 22, 2003

blasphemy wasn't it? that and the swearwords.
posted by dabitch at 11:36 AM on December 23, 2003

I believe the main character spends a night (or part) with a prostitute at one point. That was enough to goose the religious right into action.

Not that the Bible isn't full of equally racy stuff.
posted by scarabic at 4:00 PM on December 23, 2003

I thought it was seen as rebellious and anti-obedience--putting ideas into young minds, as well as the swearing and blashpheming.

This is a good resource for Banned Books, and it links to the gutenberg texts of some of them too and don't ever let me see you call yourself stupid again, keyser--i mean it : >
posted by amberglow at 4:20 PM on December 23, 2003

It's ironic that Christians want to ban it because it's really a book about a pure and innocent kid who is trying hard as he can to stay squeaky clean and innocent by maintaining disgust at the fallen adult world. That's a Christian kind of sentiment.
posted by dydecker at 5:23 PM on December 23, 2003