J.D. Salinger,The Catcher in

the Rye, and the 1950s

Adapted from Mrs. Kucaj

J.D. Salinger• January 1, 1919 – January 27, 2010

• Jerome David Salinger was born in NYC to Sol & Miriam: father was Jewish, mother, Catholic.

• Served in WWII.

• Recognized as one of the most popular and influential authors of American fiction during the second half of the twentieth century.

• By his own choice, he remained out of the public eye for most of his life.

The Catcher in the Rye• Published in 1951

• Has sold over 65 million copies world wide!

• Despite its popular success, the critical response to The Catcher in the Rye was slow in getting underway.

• One of the most frequently challenged books in library history because of sex and vulgar language.

• Named one of the best novels of the 20th century by Time Magazine.

Reasons for Banning?

Until 2006, Until 2006, CatcherCatcher was one was one of the most frequently banned of the most frequently banned books. books. Mark David Chapman Mark David Chapman (assassin of John Lennon) and (assassin of John Lennon) and John Hinckley Jr. (attempted John Hinckley Jr. (attempted assassin of President Ronald assassin of President Ronald Reagan) both had copies of Reagan) both had copies of the book in their pockets when the book in their pockets when they were arrested. they were arrested.

The Catcher in the RyeBringing you America’s most popular

loner teenager since 1951

The Catcher in the Rye

• Tells the story of a teenager expelled from his high school and his journey across NYC in the 1950’s.

• Issues discussed in the book include: school, teachers, music, sex, alcohol, hypocrisy, family, and being a teenager.

• The story is about Holden Caulfield, the 16 year old protagonist of the novel, and his experiences in school and New York City.

Holden’s Character and Us

• Holden Caulfield = sketch of an American teenager • Nearly all readers identify with or see some of their

friends reflected in different aspects of Holden’s character.

• Young readers see in Holden Caulfield a little bit of what they are, while older readers see in Holden a bit of what they once were.

• Ultimately, we all know that is some way, Holden is one of us.

Point of View• First-person limited- we see this story only through Holden’s

eyes

• “You”- the psychoanalyst and the reader

• Stream of Consciousness; many digressions

• Dialect- Salinger perfected the dialect of the teenage boy– This language is the cause of much controversy over the

book– This creates a very believable character

Holden’s Quests• Holden is looking for THREE things:

– The Innocence of Childhood• Wants things to remain the same as when he was

younger

– Love

– Identity• What do I do with my life? What does this all mean?• How do I live up to expectations and still be an

individual?

The classic American family

Family roles were fairly traditional in Salinger’s day:•Dad was the sole provider and the head of the household•Mom was most often a homemaker – cooking, cleaning and taking care of her husband and kids

And the kids?

• Education was much less of a priority than it is today.

• If the kids finished high school, college was a relatively rare option.– Getting a job and getting married straight out

of high school were much more common.– How does this compare to your plans?

What changed?• After World War II ended (1945), the old-

school family structure and roles started to change a bit– Victorious war effort left the U.S. much more

financially stable…people had money again! Woohoo!

– And what do people do when they have money?

Spend it!

• In the late 1940s/early 50s, there were two consumer products that helped to create our modern concept of the teenager:– The television– The automobile

Hmmmm…

• So, how would an increase in TV and car purchases change American families?

• And more specifically, how would these purchases impact teenagers?– (insert brainstorm here)

TVs/Hollywood

• Advertising split Americans into demographics (men, women, old, young, teen, etc.)

• “Family time” changed• Different shows appealed to different ages• Attractive people – the pin-ups

1950s 2000s

Paris Hilton

Tom Brady

Marilyn Monroe

James Dean

1950s

Elvis Presley

2000s

Justin Timberlake

CarsMore accessible + more affordableDetract from familySense of freedomImages of “cool”Emergence of fast foodPossibilities for drinking + sex

The new teenager

• So all in all, the 1950s saw the birth of “the modern teenagers,” as we think of them

• Holden Caulfield, the narrator of The Catcher in the Rye, is arguably the first modern teenager of literature.

Key questions as we read Catcher:

• What are the pros, cons and responsibilities of each age group?

• Why does Holden have such a difficult time fitting in?• What makes Holden so relatable as a narrator?• Similarities/differences between Holden’s issues and

the issues of today’s teens?• What are Holden’s priorities? Why?• How does J.D. Salinger use symbolism to help develop

his themes over the course of the novel?