Since its original publication in 1945, J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye has been subjected to much controversy concerning its vulgar and profane content. According to Herbert N. Foerstel's Banned in the U.S.A., Salinger's book ranks third on the list of books most frequently banned by schools and public libraries. To these governing bodies, be they misguided school boards, parent-teacher organizations, or librarians, the pervasive rawness in The Catcher in the Rye lies not only in its language, but its violence, sexuality, preponderance of underage alcohol and tobacco abuse, and the generally rebellious main character, Holden Caulfield, a sixteen-year old male pariah. Such governing groups fear that the precious youth of their communities will adopt the offensive behaviors of Salinger's characters, seek the unseemly environments that he depicts, and consequently experience complete nervous breakdowns. This pandemic belief in censorship was further exacerbated in 1980 when John Lennon was assassinated by a mentally unstable young man who carried a copy of Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye. However, those who believe in the censorship of this book do not understand that Salinger uses excessive blasphemy and inappropriate behavior to capture the frustrated world of his main character.
             From the fifth sentence of chapter one, Salinger reveals Caulfield's cynical attitude toward his surrounding world through his abusive language: "Besides, I'm not going to tell you my whole goddam autobiography or anything" (1). This first use of profanity exposes both the arrogance and pessimism of the adolescent main character, but it also serves to forewarn the reader that this character sees the baseness of the world as it truly is and shares it with his audience. Caulfield's swearing is not a front for macho-type behavior, but rather Salinger uses it as a tool to represent the alienation,...