The Catcher in The Rye

Could someone please tell me about Catcher in the Rye. I'm British, and I feel that I am either an utter dullwit unable to see a shining gem in front of me, or all of American culture is completely inaccessible to me.

What I took away from this book was: A guy is intelligent but an utter slacker, he gets kicked out school. He spends a few days in New York, then he stays with his favourite teacher who may (or may not) attempt to Paedophile him.

Then he goes chats with his sister and then it ends.

So, I am left wondering what life-lessons I skimmed passed in this incredibly popular book. From what I read, if this is the Great American Novel, then the American Dream must be that one where you get chased around your bedroom by your lamp.

>>23
stolen stolen
Perhaps if you adopted a more mature view toward ownership of things you write, you'd stop saying this so much. You seem to have a wholly irrational belief (fostered no doubt by the legislative machinations of Disney et. al. with regard to copyright terms) that any idea you have is yours, yours, yours, and anything anybody does with it needs your approval. It's never been like that, and it never will be.

We need to move past an economy founded on a control-freakish desire to steer our intellecutal investments, toward one founded on a reasonable expectation of respect from others of our investment.