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The Catcher in the Rye
Jerome David Salinger wrote the novel, The Catcher in the Rye. Everyone knows him by J.D. Salinger. J.D was born in New York City on January 1,1919. He was the son of wealthy parents who lived in a fashionable neighborhood in Manhattan. He attended many different prep schools before his parents finally settled on the Valley Forge Military Academy in1936. While attending Columbia, J.D. took creative writing classes in which he did very well, finding out his interest in writing. His first short story was published in 1940. In 1951, Salinger published his only full-length novel, The Catcher in the Rye, which propelled him onto the national stage. “This Salinger, he’s a short story guy. And he knows how to write about kids. This book though, it’s too long. It gets too monotonous.”(James Stern, The New York Times p.5) This novel is known for his autobiographical details that are transplanted into a post-World War II setting. It was published at a time when American industrial economy made the nation prosperous and entertained the younger generation. “American novelist and short story writer, Salinger is recognized by critics and readers alike as one of the most popular and influential of contemporary writers.”(Peterson, New York Herald Tribune p.3) Salinger’s work is essentially autobiographical and based on his real life experiences. It is ironic, however, that Salinger suggests the need to connect with and understand one another in The Catcher In the Rye; yet in his private life, he sets himself apart from the world.
The characters in a book are the most important part in understanding a novel. There are many characters throughout the book. Holden Caulfield is by far one of the most significant characters in this book. He is identified as the protagonist and the narrator of the novel. “Mr. Salinger’s brilliant, funny, meaningful novel is written in the first person. Holden is made to tell his own story, in his own strange idiom. Holden is not a normal boy.” (Harvey Breit, In a Review of the Catcher in the Rye p.82) He is a sixteen-year-old junior who has just been expelled for academic failure from Pency Prep. Although he is described as intelligent and sensitive, he seems to find the ugliness of the world around him almost unbearable. He is uncomfortable with his own weaknesses, and at times displays a fakeness and meanness toward other people.
Ward Stradlater is Holden’s roommate at Pency Prep. He appears to be very handsome, and well liked by everyone. Holden thinks of him as a “secret snob”, because he appears well groomed, but his toiletries are disgustingly unclean. Stradlater also comes across as being very sexually active and quite experienced for a prep school boy. He tries to give himself a “jock” image to impress girls. There are times Holden doesn’t agree with him and finds him challenging to get along with which causes trouble throughout the novel.
A girl whom Holden spent a lot of time during the summer, while their families stayed in neighboring summer houses [next page]