Since its first publication in the year 1951, The Catcher in the Rye, by JD Salinger, has been the subject of controversy, debate and discernment. This astonishing novel centers on a boy, Holden, who writes his story within the confines of a mental hospital. During the story, Holden encounters serious obstacles that are difficult to face at 17 years old. With prostitutes, teenage sex, vulgarity and other irrational behavior, one would understand the debated opinions of the novel. What is not understood, however, is how the story itself can be derived. The Catcher in the Rye should not be censored because students can benefit from its deliberately emotional plot, the narrator's ability to identify with him, and his ability to discover the reality of the modern era. The Catcher in the Rye was deliberately written with an emotional plot. In the novel, Holden is a conflicted 17-year-old teenager who discriminates, has low self-esteem, and appears to be depressed. The way the author skillfully uses his words describes how Holden feels, purposely evoking emotions in the reader to understand the situation the character faces. “Then, all of a sudden, I started crying. I couldn't help it […] but once you start, you can't just stop on a damn dime” (Salinger, 179). The use of foul language in this quote is such that the reader realizes how conflicted Holden is about crying. It produces emotions in anyone who reads it. Students can learn from this storyline because it gives them the ability to feel what they are reading, to understand. This is not incorrect writing, nor is it intended to be offensive; is purely the goal of this form of literature – to present an artificial reality and engage...... middle of paper ......and controversial. These individuals did not recognize the sincerity of the novel and the potential it holds to change their view of life and other people. The novel is specially written so as to arouse feelings, help readers identify with the characters and reveal reality. The Catcher in the Rye has been studied in language arts in schools for years and should be continued, as it will be beneficial to students. Language Arts is undeniably an art, just as music is an art. One does not eliminate or replace the notes composed in a symphony simply because it has been perceived as fallacious. Similar to that symphony, the Catcher in the Rye was engraved with evocative words that make it as important as it has been to this day, and should remain unchanged forever. Works Cited Salinger, J.D. The Catcher in the Rye. Canada: Little, Brown and Company. 1951.