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J.D. Salinger 1919-2010 “I am a kind of paranoiac in reverse. I suspect people of plotting to make me happy.”

J.D. Salinger 1919-2010 “I am a kind of paranoiac in reverse. I suspect people of plotting to make me happy.”

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Page 1: J.D. Salinger 1919-2010 “I am a kind of paranoiac in reverse. I suspect people of plotting to make me happy.”

J.D. Salinger1919-2010

“I am a kind of paranoiac in reverse. I suspect people of plotting to make me happy.”

Page 2: J.D. Salinger 1919-2010 “I am a kind of paranoiac in reverse. I suspect people of plotting to make me happy.”

Seeds of Discontent• 1919: Jerome David

Salinger was born in New York City on January 1.

• 1932: The Salinger Family moved to Park Avenue. JD was enrolled in the McBurney School, a private high school where he was captain of the fencing team.

• 1942: Salinger entered the US Army

• 1944: Salinger participated in the D-Day invasion

Page 3: J.D. Salinger 1919-2010 “I am a kind of paranoiac in reverse. I suspect people of plotting to make me happy.”

Creating Holden• 1946: Salinger returned

to the United States. He finished and submitted original version of The Catcher in the Rye as a 90 page novella. Dissatisfied, he withdrew the book and began to rework it.

• 1951: The Catcher in the Rye was published. The novel quickly topped The New York Times Bestseller list

Page 4: J.D. Salinger 1919-2010 “I am a kind of paranoiac in reverse. I suspect people of plotting to make me happy.”

The Catcher Controversy• Since its publication, The

Catcher in the Rye has been a favorite target of censors.

• As early as 1963, a delegation of parents of high school students in Columbus, Ohio asked the school board to ban the novel for being “anti-white” and “obscene.”

• As recently as 2001, the book was removed by a school district in South Caroling because it "is a filthy, filthy book."

Page 5: J.D. Salinger 1919-2010 “I am a kind of paranoiac in reverse. I suspect people of plotting to make me happy.”

“The Last Private Person in America”

• During the 1950s and 1960s Salinger was one of the most widely discussed and influential authors in the US. But as his celebrity grew, he withdrew from the limelight.

• Growing increasingly hostile to the New York publishing world, in 1953 Salinger moved to the small New Hampshire village of Cornish where he lived until his death in 2010.

• Salinger did not publish any other books since 1963, but many wonder if he spent the last 45 years of his life writing.

Page 6: J.D. Salinger 1919-2010 “I am a kind of paranoiac in reverse. I suspect people of plotting to make me happy.”

What the novel’s about…

• Set a few years after WWII, the novel begins with Holden Caulfield failing out of yet another prep school. He decides to leave school a few days early before his parents know he’s been kicked out again, so he heads to his hometown of NYC and spends a few days hanging out, traveling around, and meeting new people…

Page 7: J.D. Salinger 1919-2010 “I am a kind of paranoiac in reverse. I suspect people of plotting to make me happy.”
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Page 9: J.D. Salinger 1919-2010 “I am a kind of paranoiac in reverse. I suspect people of plotting to make me happy.”
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But it’s not quote that simple

• Ostensibly just about Holden (who whines and complains a lot) in NYC, but this isn’t just another journey story. It quickly becomes clear that Holden is awash with emotions: anger, sadness, and moments of joy.

• As he tells his story it’s revealed that a lot of his pain and confusion stem from the recent death of his younger brother, Allie.

Page 11: J.D. Salinger 1919-2010 “I am a kind of paranoiac in reverse. I suspect people of plotting to make me happy.”
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Important places in NYC & the novel…

Page 13: J.D. Salinger 1919-2010 “I am a kind of paranoiac in reverse. I suspect people of plotting to make me happy.”
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Page 15: J.D. Salinger 1919-2010 “I am a kind of paranoiac in reverse. I suspect people of plotting to make me happy.”
Page 16: J.D. Salinger 1919-2010 “I am a kind of paranoiac in reverse. I suspect people of plotting to make me happy.”

Holden on the Brink

• He’s struggling with a lot…on the edge between being a child and being an adult, Holden is having a hard time understanding why it’s worth growing up.

• Like all of us he questions the point of life and why people act the way they do…

• Look at his mood swings, musings, fixations, and try to figure out what is wrong and what is right with Holden Caulfield.

Page 17: J.D. Salinger 1919-2010 “I am a kind of paranoiac in reverse. I suspect people of plotting to make me happy.”