Context
Author: JD Salinger (1919 - 2010)
Although The Catcher in the Rye caused considerable controversy when it was first published in 1951, the book—the account of three disoriented days in the life of a troubled sixteen-year-old boy—was an instant hit. Within two weeks after its release, it was listed number one on The New York Times best-seller list, and it stayed there for thirty weeks. It remained immensely popular for many years, especially among teenagers and young adults, largely because of its fresh, brash style and anti-establishment attitudes—typical attributes of many people emerging from the physical and psychological turmoil of adolescence.
It also was the irritation of many parents, who objected to the main character's obscene language, erratic behavior, and antisocial attitudes. Responding to the irate protests, numerous school and public libraries and bookstores removed the book from their shelves. Holden simply was not a good role model for the youth of the 1950s, in the view of many conservative adults. Said J. D. Salinger himself, in a rare published comment, "I'm aware that many of my friends will be saddened and shocked, or shock-saddened, over some of the chapters in The Catcher in the Rye. It's almost unbearable for me to realize that my book will be kept on a shelf out of their reach." The clamor over the book undoubtedly contributed to its popularity among the young: It became the forbidden fruit in the garden of literature. For some reason—perhaps because of the swirling controversies over his written works—Salinger retreated from the New York literary scene in the 1960s to a bucolic New Hampshire community called Cornish, where he lived a very private life and avidly avoided the press. Despite the fact that he has granted few interviews, there is a substantial body of critical and biographical works about Salinger and his all-too-brief list of literary creations.
Synopsis
Holden Caulfield, the main character, is an emotionally disturbed 16 year old boy who is often viewed as a “victim of society.” The entire story covers Holden’s flashback of the 3 days following his expulsion from Pency Prep when he sets out to find a fixed reality free of adult phonies. His main complaint is towards the number of “phonies” in the world – including his brother whom he feels had sold out to Hollywood.
- He attended public school in Manhattan. His grades were average (Arithmetic was his worst subject)
- He flunked out of school at 13 years old, so his parents enrolled him in a military academy.
- He wrote short stories here and there of which one was first published in 1940.
- In 1942 Salinger was drafted into the army and he worked in the Intelligence division during WW2.
- In the 40’s and 50’s he began to withdraw from the world. Part of his modern day legend is based upon his isolation and his conscious and intentional separation of himself from his society.
- He was married and divorced… then married again in 1955 before having 2 kids.
Although The Catcher in the Rye caused considerable controversy when it was first published in 1951, the book—the account of three disoriented days in the life of a troubled sixteen-year-old boy—was an instant hit. Within two weeks after its release, it was listed number one on The New York Times best-seller list, and it stayed there for thirty weeks. It remained immensely popular for many years, especially among teenagers and young adults, largely because of its fresh, brash style and anti-establishment attitudes—typical attributes of many people emerging from the physical and psychological turmoil of adolescence.
It also was the irritation of many parents, who objected to the main character's obscene language, erratic behavior, and antisocial attitudes. Responding to the irate protests, numerous school and public libraries and bookstores removed the book from their shelves. Holden simply was not a good role model for the youth of the 1950s, in the view of many conservative adults. Said J. D. Salinger himself, in a rare published comment, "I'm aware that many of my friends will be saddened and shocked, or shock-saddened, over some of the chapters in The Catcher in the Rye. It's almost unbearable for me to realize that my book will be kept on a shelf out of their reach." The clamor over the book undoubtedly contributed to its popularity among the young: It became the forbidden fruit in the garden of literature. For some reason—perhaps because of the swirling controversies over his written works—Salinger retreated from the New York literary scene in the 1960s to a bucolic New Hampshire community called Cornish, where he lived a very private life and avidly avoided the press. Despite the fact that he has granted few interviews, there is a substantial body of critical and biographical works about Salinger and his all-too-brief list of literary creations.
Synopsis
Holden Caulfield, the main character, is an emotionally disturbed 16 year old boy who is often viewed as a “victim of society.” The entire story covers Holden’s flashback of the 3 days following his expulsion from Pency Prep when he sets out to find a fixed reality free of adult phonies. His main complaint is towards the number of “phonies” in the world – including his brother whom he feels had sold out to Hollywood.
