J . D . S A L I N G E R

THE CATCHER IN THE RYE

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THE CATCHER IN THE RYE

• Author: J.D. Salinger• Publication date: 1951, although Salinger was

working on the novel for the last half of the 1940s, after he returned from his service in World War II.• The events in the novel take place in

1946, only a year after the end of World War II.

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JEROME DAVID SALINGER

• Born: January 1st, 1919 in NYC• Died: January 27, 2010 at 91 years old

Grew up in NYC – Briefly went to NYU and Columbia University before serving in WWII

1940-1965 – Wrote 35 short stories

Published Catcher in 1951 to instant success

Hated public life – retired to New Hampshire, and refused all interviews

Continued to write, but stopped publishing

Drawn to youth – had several relationships with younger women

Considered one of the most influential writers in American literature

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THE CLASSIC AMERICAN FAMILY

• Family roles were fairly traditional in Salinger’s day:• Dad was the sole provider and the head of the

household• Mom was most often a homemaker – cooking,

cleaning and taking care of her husband and kids

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AND THE KIDS?

• Education was much less of a priority than it is today.• If the kids finished high school, college was a

relatively rare option.• Getting a job and getting married straight out of

high school were much more common.• How does this compare to your plans?

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WHAT CHANGED?

• After World War II ended (1945), the old-school family structure and roles started to change a bit• Victorious war effort left the U.S. much more financially

stable…people had money again! GDP more than doubled!

• And what do people do when they have money?

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SPEND IT!

• In the late 1940s/early 50s, there were two consumer products that helped to create our modern concept of the teenager:• The television• The automobile

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HOW?

• So, how would an increase in TV and car purchases change American families?

• And more specifically, how would these purchases impact teenagers?

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TVS/HOLLYWOOD

• Advertising split Americans into demographics (men, women, old, young, teen, etc.)• “Family time” changed• Different shows appealed to different ages• Attractive people – the pin-ups

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1950 NOW

Marilyn Monroe

James Dean

Elvis Presley

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CARS

• More accessible + more affordable• Detract from family• Sense of freedom• Images of “cool”• Emergence of fast food• Possibilities for drinking + sex

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THE NEW TEENAGER

• So all in all, the 1950s saw the birth of “the modern teenagers,” as we think of them• Holden Caulfield, the narrator of The Catcher in

the Rye, is arguably the first modern teenager of literature.

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NARRATIONFIRST PERSON POINT OF VIEW

Novel’s meaning and plot come from Holden’s thoughts and observations

As readers, we play “psychoanalyst”; we need to analyze them for their significance to Holden and to the novel as a whole.

Holden’s use of slang and profanity create a sense of realism and highlight his desire to rebel against social norms.

Key Question: IS HOLDEN A RELIABLE NARRATOR?

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PLOT OVERVIEW

• The novel is a narrative of the experiences of Holden Caulfield, a 16-year old, who heads into New York City after he is expelled from Pencey Preparatory School, a boarding school located in Pennsylvania. It spans his three days on his own in the city, describing his ideas on sex, drinking, social hypocrisy, rebellion, and the process of coming of age. He tells us, the reader, his story a year later as he is recovering from tuberculosis in a California rest home.

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KEY QUESTIONS AS WE READ CATCHER:

• What are the pros, cons and responsibilities of each age group?• Why does Holden have such a difficult time fitting

in?• What makes Holden so relatable as a

narrator?• Similarities/differences between Holden’s issues

and the issues of today’s teens?• What are Holden’s priorities? Why?• How does J.D. Salinger use symbolism to help

develop his themes over the course of the novel?