The Catcher Of The Rye By F. Salinger - 1386 Words

As a â€Å"gateway drug for a generation of teenagers,† Jerome David Salinger’s novel, The Catcher in the Rye, is a world-renowned phenomenon (Teicholz). On the surface it highlights a teenager’s mentally challenging journey of painfully trying to transition into adulthood, while also wanting to reject the adult world and seek refuge in his idealistic childhood recollections. However, these ideas can be analyzed on a deeper level, not only to better understand the protagonist, Holden Caulfield, but also to acknowledge the repressed or latent feelings of the book’s reclusive author, J.D. Salinger. A fictitious character is more than a figment of the author’s imagination; the character is a â€Å"product of the author’s experiences† (Polukis 4-5). Since a character in a work of fiction is a cumulative representation of the author’s experiences, readers can use the pretentious character of Holden to scrutinize the unvented ideas of the author, J.D Salinger. In fact, Salinger mirrors many elements of his real life in The Catcher in the Rye and bases several characteristics of Holden off of himself. Similarities include that Salinger was born in New York City, had unstable school conditions, left one or more schools due to academic troubles, attended the McBurney School alluded to in The Catcher in the Rye, was atypical, valued innocence, and wished to be isolated from society (Ducharme). Furthermore, in an article recognizing Salinger’s death, it states, â€Å"Holden is dead. Long LiveShow MoreRelatedThe Catcher Of The Rye, By F. Salinger1635 Words   |  7 PagesIn the novel Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, Holden Caulfield, our protagonist, makes a mental journey in relation to dealing and coping with the grief accompanied with the death of his brother, and we are able to see how his mental status changes and how he needs guidance from loved ones. In this journey, he learns about how to make co nnections and that staying close to the people he loves can improve his outlook on life and overall mood. During the book, he isolated himself from others andRead MoreF. D. Salinger s Catcher Of The Rye1721 Words   |  7 PagesJ. D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye features a complex narrative surrounding a troubled young student, Holden Caulfield. Difficulties he faces throughout the story force Holden to confront his fears of adulthood and maturation and the responsibilities therein through the difficulties he faces throughout the story. Academic controversy surrounds whether Holden learns from these confrontations and adjust accordingly, maturing throughout the story. While initially this seems rather subjective, a thoroughRead MoreF. Salinger s The Catcher Of The Rye1121 Words   |  5 Pagesnovels in English-speaking countries, J.D Salinger’s Catcher In The Rye deals with Holden Caulfield’s past trauma which is the triggering factor in his depression, anxie ty and alienation. Holden tells an unnamed person what has happened in the three days prior to his mental breakdown. Through Holden’s relatable characteristics and Salinger’s narrative treatment, the book continues to engage audiences across generations. The way that Salinger writes gives the audience a very personal and insightfulRead MoreThe Catcher Of The Rye By F. D. Salinger1795 Words   |  8 Pagesunderwent a tremendous change in structure as well as philosophy. J. D. Salinger’s book The Catcher in the Rye helped contribute to this revolution by highlighting new philosophies in literature. This is evident in pre-1950 writing as well as the changes that persisted through the remaining part of the decade, especially in the writing style popularized during the Great Depression. The Catcher in the Rye also contributed to a change in conflict. This conflict started as an external object to overcomeRead MoreF. Salinger s The Catcher Of The Rye1343 Words   |  6 PagesOften, Authors use specific objects, ideas, or characters to express larger meanings in the book, or in real life. In The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, Salinger uses many symbols in his novel to show the difficulties of Holden’s life. By includi ng the symbols of Holden’s red hunting hat, death, windows, James Castle, and the ducks, Salinger explores many of Holden’s inner thoughts and difficulties of growing up, especially with the loss of loved ones. The Red Hunting Hat that Holden wearsRead MoreThe Catcher Of The Rye, By F. D. Salinger1795 Words   |  8 Pagesunderwent a tremendous change in structure as well as philosophy. J. D. Salinger’s book The Catcher in the Rye helped contribute to this revolution by highlighting new philosophies in literature. This is evident in pre-1950 writing as well as the changes that persisted through the remaining part of the decade, especially in the writing style popularized during the Great Depression. The Catcher in the Rye also contributed to a change in conflict. This conflict started as an external object to overcomeRead MoreF. Salinger s The Catcher s The Rye 1614 Words   |  7 Pagesshelves, also the best novel read in class. The Catcher in the Rye is a novel commonly found on psychopaths’ shelves and no one has ever found out why. It is a remarkable novel that has been banned in the past but is also studied today in schools around the world. In Mr. Capilongo’s grade 9 AP English class, three novels were read following the theme of â€Å"The teen experience†: To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, and The Chrysalids, by John Wyndham. The classRead MoreF. Salinger s The Catcher s The Rye 1709 Words   |  7 Pagescertain thoughts or actions from the eyes of others. Society tends to look down towards others who doesn’t follow in the majority’s footsteps. In The Catcher in the Rye, Holden struggles to make sense of his thoughts. Many times, he makes judgements or vocalizes his thoughts which leads to many judgments placed upon him. In The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger uses society’s reactions to Holden’s struggle t o place himself within the society, in a light that emphasizes his behavior as irrational or in madnessRead MoreEssay about The Catcher in the Rye Should be Included in the Curriculum1083 Words   |  5 Pagesabout the inclusion of The Cather in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger in the high school english curriculum. This is such due to the inappropriate and adult oriented themes within If considered, many times within the novel the main character will face situations in which that the negative and vulgar themes will blossom into something meaningful that the reader can benefit from as a person and as a student. While the vulgarity and adult themes in The Catcher in the Rye are indeed inappropriate for adolescentRead MoreJD Salinger Research Paper1671 Words   |  7 Pages Jerome David Salinger, also known as J. D. Salinger, is a fascinating author best known for his novel, Catcher in the Rye. Although Salinger only published one novel, he wrote several short stories for magazines like The New Yorker and Story. A large number of these stories went on to be compiled into books such as Nine Stories, Franny and Zooey, and Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour: An Introduction. Despite the fact Salinger has not published any stories in over 45 years, his reputation