People Never Notice Anything

Catcher In The Rye

I. About The AuthorA. J.D. Salinger – 1919 – 2010

B. Grew up in New York city; went to public schools and then to McBurney private school, where he showed a talent for acting but had trouble fitting in

C. Drafted to WWII1. Fought on D-Day2. Was among first soldiers to enter a

concentration camp3. Talked to prisoners of war

D. Emotionally scarred by time in war; hospitalized for possible PTSD

D. Wrote numerous short stories, became famous for Catcher in the Rye (his only novel)

E. Became a Buddhist and escaped fame, not writing another book after 1960

“I'm sick of not having the courage to be an absolute

nobody.”

A Novel With A Tainted LegacyJohn Lennon Mark David Chapman

“Dear Holden

Caulfield, From Holden

Caulfield, This is my

statement”

Reportedly, before shooting Lennon, Chapman visited NY and tried to re-enact scenes from the novel.After shooting him, he sat near the scene of the crime and read the book until police arrested him.

II. Theme

A. Salinger reflects on the pain of growing up by presenting a protagonist disillusioned by the adult world.

1. All adults are “phonies.”2. Phoebe’s innocence is Holden’s inspiration.

B. Holden longs to be a “catcher in the rye,” protecting children from doom

Like this?

“I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all. Thousands of little kids, and nobody’s around – nobody big, I mean – except me. And I’m standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff – I mean if they’re running and they don’t look where they’re going, I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. That’s all I’d do all day. I’d just be the catcher in the rye and all. I know it’s crazy, but that’s the only thing I’d really like to be.” (225).

Ironically, inexperienced/good-hearted Holden gets this idea from

a poem called “Comin’ Thro The Rye,” which includes sexual

innuendo that only the more experienced/corrupted would

understand.

Listen To This!

III. Salinger’s narrative explores the themes of disillusionment and lost innocence

through use of symbolism.A. “Catcher in the Rye” = desire to protect innocenceB. “Secret Goldfish” and the ducks in Central Park = fear of

growing oldC. Wounds = emotional scarsD. Red Hat = individuality

And Numerous Others

IV. Major Influences on HoldenA. Phoebe

What does Phoebe represent for Holden?B. Allie

What effect does Allie’s fate have on Holden? C. Mr. Antolini

In one of the novel’s most controversial scenes, what does Mr. Antolini come to symbolize for Holden?

V. Elements of ModernismA. Holden is a modernist hero:

1. Life events feel disconnected and overpowering, lead him to partial breakdown…2. He fights back anyways.3. Like the Romantics, fiercely individualistic and rejects society—but seeks his own

answers to questions of identity and purpose (not God’s, or Nature’s, etc.)4. Like the Romantics, wishes to be natural and not conventional/artificial—but is

interested in psychology (not religion, spirituality, or a sense of communion with the natural world)

B. Language is simple and direct, but also full of meaning C. Ending is ambiguous; reader is left with unanswered questions about Holden. For

example: If being a good person means being a good model for others, then doesn’t Holden learn

that being a good person requires society? If Holden is in society and chooses to continue to be in society, then isn’t it inevitable that

he will fall victim to some of its pitfalls, including the pitfall of being hypocritical? How do the two questions above combine to create a contradiction? Can you resolve the

into a paradox instead?

Does Holden remind you of Huck? Both individualists Both desire to be natural Both are first person narrators who sometimes address the reader Both use conversational language Both have strong “voices,” opinions, and personalities Both are growing morally and wrestling with complex dilemmas, esp. regarding their

allegiances to other people Both must make a choice about whether or not to escape society by going “west”

How are the two different?

ConclusionHolden is sometimes overwhelmingly hopeful, at other times darkly pessimistic.

He wavers between irrational love and unrelenting abhorrence.

He doesn’t want to grow up and resents adults as “phonies” who don’t understand him.

What Does It Mean?

He is just like most modern American

teenagers!