The Catcher in the Rye - That The Novel Justifies the Murder of John Lennon

... The Catcher in the Rye: Essay By James Hogan, 9S On the evening of December 8, 1980, Mark David Chapman calmly approached John Lennon outside of his apartment, pulled out a gun and fired five steady shots, four of which hit their mark. As the former Beatle, semi-conscious, lay on the ground haemorrhaging, Chapman pulled out his copy of The Catcher in the Rye and began to read. He later explained that he saw himself as an incarnation of the novel's main character, Holden Caulfield. On the inside cover, below the inscription, "This is my statement," Chapman signed the name Holden Caulfield. Chapman has claimed that his reasons and justification for the murder were contained in the book. This essay will prove that justification for the murder can be derived from the novel and the themes within. First, Holden's criticism towards what he refers to as "phonies" is

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