There has been many controversies over The Catcher in the Rye and whether it should be banned from schools due to complaints of the content not being appropriate, such as such as, language and sexual references. I believe that all these issues contribute to the ultimate message of this novel. Holden is a very opinionated individual, and he expresses himself through these situations. If one looks deeper into the reasons why these situations are present in this novel, understanding of the positive intentions behind these controversial issues will come more clearly. The ways these issues are presented convey an impression that is far more beneficial than it is harmful.
             In the past, The Catcher in the Rye has been one of the most problematic books in the school curriculums; it was the book most banned from school reading lists from 1966 to 1975. In 1960, a teacher was fired for assigning it. Even though she was appealed and given back her job, the book remained banned. The question of its "racial and obscene" content has been disputed alongside with Brave New World and To Kill a Mockingbird. In 1970, parents of Pittsgrove Township, New Jersey opposed a project involving The Catcher in the Rye because of the profanity and sexual issues discussed in the book. The eventual outcome was that it now can be read in the Advanced Placement class for messages, not for profanity. It was ruled that parents have the power to justify whether or not they allow their children to read it. Through the years to present day, it has been objected to and banned on many occurrences, but most school policies now give English teachers the freedom to decide the appropriateness of the novel themselves but that students may peruse alternate books or do an alternate assignment if they oppose it.
             In Catcher in the Rye, Holden's major pet peeve is phonies, people who are not true to themselves and live to please others. This illustrates ...