Could anyone summarize the main points of the book 'The catcher in the Rye' in around 100-200 words please?

Question

I would really appreciate it if you could, as I was supposed to read it over the holidays for my English GCSE, but I didn't get the time to do so.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Wikipedia has a summary:

The novel covers a few important days in the life of Holden Caulfield, a tall, skinny, highly critical and depressed teenager who academically flunked out of Pencey Prep, a boarding school.  It is revealed here that Holden has been expelled, and that he doesn't particularly care.

Holden talks with old acquaintances at school and ultimately leaves for New York City, electing to stay there. He considers hitchhiking out west and building a cabin away from everyone he knows. Through the course of the novel, he propositions an ex-girlfriend he doesn't particularly like to come with him, who declines.  Eventually he is nearly moved to tears with remorse, longing, and bittersweet happiness.

At this point in the book, he explains that he will be going to another school in the fall again and wonders whether he will apply himself. He mentions that he is being psychoanalyzed and finishes with the words, "Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody".

These links should help:

http://www.bellmore-merrick.k12.ny.us/ca...

http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/catcher/

http://www.gradesaver.com/classicnotes/t...

http://www.cummingsstudyguides.net/Guide...

http://www.allgreatquotes.com/catcher_in...

http://classiclit.about.com/od/catcherin...

Answer 2

You missed reading a really good book!