I Hate to Disagree, But...

This editorial in the New York Times argues that Holden Caulfield, the hero of The Catcher in the Rye, is an eternally young character whose timelessness will outweigh the attempt to "update" his image by a lackluster, derivative writer. In my experience, I don't think there are any timeless characters. Holden's transgressions already seem mild after years and years of adolescent rebels getting into more and more trouble on cable outlets ranging from Nickelodeon to HBO. The kids I knew from teaching high school were more jaded than Holden on his worst day. The way I remember the novel, it was a good read, but I don't think Holden will survive another decade of decadence in our entertainment culture. Just my thoughts...