The Catcher in the Rye

J.D. Salinger
 J.D. Salinger
 Catcher in the Rye, Salinger's first
and only known novel, took him
ten years to write, and became an
instant hit when the Book-of-the-
Month Club chose it as their main
selection in 1951. It has never
gone out of print, and as the
novel's popularity grew its author
became more and more reclusive.
He reportedly still writes, but only
for himself, not for publication.
 Controversial

 The Catcher in the Rye is a novel by

J. D. Salinger. First published in the
United States in 1951, the novel remains
controversial to this day for its liberal use of
profanity and portrayal of sexuality and
teenage anxiety; it was the thirteenth most
frequently challenged book of the 1990s
according to the
American Library Association.
 Fact: In 1960, a teacher was fired, and later
reinstated, for assigning the novel in class.
 Literary Merit

The novel has become one of the most

important literary works of the 20th
century, and a common part of
high school and college curricula
worldwide; it has been translated into
almost all of the world's major
languages. Around 250,000 copies are
sold each year, with total sales of more
than 60 million.
 Popularity
 The novel was chosen by TIME magazine
as one of the 100 best English-language
novels from 1923 to the present.
 The Catcher in the Rye
 The novel's protagonist,
Holden Caulfield, has become
an icon for teenage rebellion
and defiance. Written in the
first person, The Catcher in the
Rye follows Holden's
experiences in New York City in
the days following his expulsion
from Pencey Prep, a
college preparatory school.
 Salinger’s Style

 Salinger uses colloquial and street language

while allowing the protagonist to narrate the
story. This style, used throughout the novel,
refers to the use of seemingly disjointed ideas
and episodes used in an apparently random
medley, but in fact in a highly structured way,
that is used to illustrate a theme.
 Critical reviews agree that the novel accurately
reflects teenage colloquial speech of the time.
 Assassin’s Inspiration?
 Mark David Chapman, who
assassinated John Lennon (from The
Beatles), was carrying the book when
he was arrested immediately after the
murder and referred to it in his
statement to police shortly thereafter.

 John Hinckley, Jr., who attempted to

assassinate President Ronald Reagan
in 1981, was also reported to have been
obsessed with the book.
 Phoniness
 The word "phony" is used many times by the narrator,
Holden Caulfield. In fact, the book is full of this word
usage which really touches upon a deeper meaning than
is first seen.
 On one level, we see a young boy, Holden Caulfield,
confused about life and cutting down things that exist
around him. But on a deeper level we find that we are
really reading a story about a boy’s struggle with
adolescence and his transition into adulthood.
 Holden is a very perceptive boy. He is almost beyond
his years in his ability to recognize what he sees around
him – but he is still just a boy. So his thoughts on life are
simple. Either something is good or bad; true or false;
real or "phony".
 When Holden uses the word "phony", he seems to be
describing people that are prejudice, hypocritical, or
insincere.
 Independent Study
 You are to read this book on your own.
 The quiz pack is due by March 3rd .
 Take care of the books; they are from my personal
collection.
 You may use time at the end of class to read or work
on the packet.
 If you are having difficulty with the novel, you might
consider going to one of the following web-sites:
 http://www.cliffsnotes.com
 http://www.sparknotes.com
 http://www.bookrags.com
 Enjoy the novel!