The Catcher in the Rye Ch. 2: Why Do Good Kids Get Punished? | Why Books Get Banned

Holden Caulfield climbs a freezing hill to say goodbye to his sick 70-year-old teacher, Mr. Spencer. What does he get for his kindness? A lecture, a humiliating public reading of his failing essay, and the question "what's the matter with you?" Sometimes being polite doesn't protect you from cruelty.

Banned Camp is a comedy podcast where we read banned books chapter by chapter—we don't read ahead, so you're discovering the story with us.

Things To Listen For:

• Dan and Jennifer debate whether people actually worked into their 70s in the 1950s (spoiler: teachers did because they weren't paid enough)
• Holden's complex feelings about old people getting joy from buying blankets
• The moment Spencer reads Holden's terrible essay out loud while sitting in a bathrobe
• Dan pointing out that Trump just told an American "F you" at a Ford plant, but Holden gets banned for saying "damn"
• Jennifer noticing that Holden is actually a respectful, polite kid who visits sick teachers

Why was The Catcher in the Rye banned? This chapter shows exactly why—Holden swears while being more respectful than most adults, questions authority figures, and refuses to pretend institutions are working when he can clearly see they're not.

If this is your first episode, you're fine starting here. Our fact-checking Robot catches you up fast, then we read the next chapter (spoilers).

Banworthy to Bingeworthy :

• Rachel Maddow Presents: Burn Order - A deep dive into when the US military was deployed on American streets, targeting whole communities for removal, and the burn order issued to cover it all up. A stain on this country we said we'd never repeat.

• Good News for Lefties - Beowulf Rochlen brings you the positive news on the progressive front that mainstream media won't cover. This week: New Mexico following California's lead to ban libraries from banning books.

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Disclaimer Banned Camp features readings and discussions of banned books for the purpose of criticism, commentary, education, and entertainment, in accordance with fair use guidelines.

The material used from the book The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is shared under these principles, with the intent of provoking thought and discussion about literature, censorship, and societal issues. The original work remains fully owned by its copyright holders, and we strongly encourage listeners to purchase a copy here to experience the book in its entirety.

This podcast is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to J.D. Salinger, his estate, or the publishers of The Catcher in the Rye. Any monetization of the podcast is separate from the copyrighted material discussed.

Topics Covered: The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger, Chapter 2, Holden Caulfield, Mr. Spencer, Mrs. Spencer, ageism, institutional failure, respect vs cruelty, banned books, banned books podcast, book banning, censorship, literary analysis, comedy podcast