Analisis Respon Pemabaca: Interpretasi Remaja dan Dewasa terhadap Novel The Catcher in The Rye Karya Salinger = A Reader Response Analysis: Teens and Adults Interpretations of Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye

This study explores how teenage and adult readers interpret The Catcher in the Rye differently, using Louise Rosenblatt’s Reader-Response Theory as the theoretical framework. The research aims to understand how age, life experience, and maturity influence readers’ emotional and intellectual engagement with literature. A comparative qualitative method was employed, involving 30 participants: 15 teenagers (aged 13–19) and 15 adults (aged 20 and above) who have read the novel. Data were collected through interviews and questionnaires. The findings reveal that teenagers tend to respond to Holden Caulfield’s story on a personal and emotional level (aesthetic), often seeing their own struggles reflected in his experiences. In contrast, adult readers typically respond with greater distance and reflection (efferent), shaped by their personal growth and life lessons. Three key themes were consistently identified by both groups: the search for identity, societal phoniness, and the desire to protect innocence. The study concludes that literary understanding is influenced not only by age, but also by emotional maturity and the ability to reflect deeply on life experiences. Some teenagers, particularly those who read frequently and think critically, demonstrated insights comparable to those of adult readers. These findings highlight the evolving nature of our relationship with literature. A book read in adolescence may carry an entirely different meaning when revisited in adulthood, emphasizing that literature grows with us and serves as a mirror of personal development.

Keyword : Reader Response Theory, Teenager, Adults, The Catcher in The Rye, Age, Life Experience, Maturity