THE CATCHER IN THE RYE

J.D. SALINGER

J.D. Salinger• 1919-2010

• Grew up in Manhattan

• Much like his protagonist, he struggled with grades

• Drafted for World War II and participated in the Normandy Invasion

• Published The Catcher in the Rye in 1951

• Known for being a recluse (no interviews since 1980, not seen in public since 1965, not photographed since 1950s)

• Other works: “Nine Stories” (1953), Franny and Zooey (1961)

The Title• Holden associates the

poem with childhood innocence, but the song itself is about sexuality

• Ironically (and tragically), Holden tries to preserve innocence in a world steeped in sexuality

• The title comes from a poem by Robert Burns (1796)

• Holden overhears a child singing this song, and it makes him feel momentarily less depressed

The Catcher in the Rye

• Holden Caulfield famously misinterprets the lines of the poem to “if a body catch a body,” which reveals great insight into his personality and his view on responsibility. He wants to be the “catcher in the rye” and preserve childhood innocence.

“I know it’s crazy, but that’s the only thing I’d really like to be. I know it’s crazy.”

The protagonist• Holden Caulfield

– 17 years old when the story begins

– 16 years old when the story takes place

– Narrative occurs over two days in December, 1949, about a week before Christmas

– Holden is kicked out of school (Pencey Prep) and decides to spend two days in New York City by himself before telling his family

The protagonist• Holden Caulfield

– Antihero

– Iconic symbol of teenage rebellion

– Incredibly human

– Flawed, but likable (not too unlike Huckleberry Finn…)

– He just wants to be “caught” and to “catch” others

Areas of focus

• Characterization

• Diction

• Author’s purpose

• Postmodernism

• Voice and style

• Bildungsroman: genre which focuses on the psychological and moral growth of the protagonist from youth to adulthood

• Themes and relevance to today’s society

ControversyThe Catcher in the Rye is very controversial novel. 1. Along with Huck Finn, it is always one of the

top banned books in American high schools (yet recently voted the second most often taught book in American high schools)

2. Profanity3. Themes of alienation4. Holden is a compulsive liar - and he is so funny

doing it that lying appears glamorous

Controversy5. Holden smokes “like a fiend” and drinks, often

using a fake ID6. Holden hires a prostitute7. Numerous sexual references8. The aura of the book

- The Mark David Chapman connection…

• Mark David Chapman is the man who shot and killed former Beatle, John Lennon.

• At the time of his arrest, he was found clutching a copy of Salinger’s novel.

“Why does Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye still resonate”?Why people like it:

• Captures existential teen angst

• Complex central character

• Accessible conversational style

Why people don’t like it:

• Use of 1940’s New York vernacular

• Self-obsessed central character

• Too much whining

Expository Reading

• New York Times article “Get a Life, Holden Caulfield”– Do you agree with the author’s assertion? Why

or why not? – What are your first impressions of the novel?