1. Salinger’s experiences in World War II was his “ghost in the machine” because the war with its horrors and lessons, would brand itself upon every aspect of Salinger’s personality and reverberate through his work, most importantly Holden Caulfield. When Salinger was initiated into combat on D-day he was carrying six chapters of the Catcher in the Rye it’s as if he needed those pages to help him survive. Salinger took part in various tragic, horrific moments in the war that would scar him for life and one would say that he might have even gone insane because of them. Salinger was part of the 4th Infantry Division which were the first Allied soldiers to hit the beaches of Normandy on D-day, June 6 1944 although they were able to liberate the
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Amid the Battle of Bulge the division were one of the first to liberate a concentration camp. A witness described it as being filled with piles and piles of starved naked bodies; some burned some moaning for help. Salinger beheld the desecration of humanity stating in his journal, “you never get the smell of burning flesh out of your nose” thus displaying that the war took a serious toll on his health. He admitted himself into Nuremberg Hospital where he suffered nervous breakdowns that caused continuous assaults on his body, physically, mentally, and spiritually. These experiences would become his inspiration to write the novels and short stories that would revolutionize America but it would also fuel the depression and pain that bleeds into his …show more content…
At first when I watched the documentary it was quite strange to see a middle aged Salinger around 30 years take interest in a 14 year old Jean Miller however when the stories unfolded I realized that there wasn’t anything sinister about his interests in younger women. I just thought he was looking for happiness in the wrong places. I think that Salinger in a way wants to cherish and relive the purity and innocence of his first love Oona O’Neill therefore he takes interest in women younger than him in that particular age group. Jean Miller who was interviewed later on described that Salinger “listened and wanted to know everything” when they took walks on that Daytona Beach where they met. Jean made Salinger joyful, took away his stress and melancholy she remembered him as always laughing when he was with her. However their relationship didn't last because Jean got between Salinger’s writing that he took very seriously. Claire Douglas a former wife of Salinger had a troubled past being in and out of foster homes and boarding schools much like Holden Caulfield. Claire and Salinger got married and had a daughter but the birth of the child changed his views of his wife and marriage. Salinger has an image of perfection of how people should behave and the fact that Claire changed, it ruined this image of how he portrayed her. Joyce Maynard another former lover of Salinger was sought out by the 54 year old author who warned her about the perils of publicity. Samuel Heath, who
Amid the Battle of Bulge the division were one of the first to liberate a concentration camp. A witness described it as being filled with piles and piles of starved naked bodies; some burned some moaning for help. Salinger beheld the desecration of humanity stating in his journal, “you never get the smell of burning flesh out of your nose” thus displaying that the war took a serious toll on his health. He admitted himself into Nuremberg Hospital where he suffered nervous breakdowns that caused continuous assaults on his body, physically, mentally, and spiritually. These experiences would become his inspiration to write the novels and short stories that would revolutionize America but it would also fuel the depression and pain that bleeds into his …show more content…
At first when I watched the documentary it was quite strange to see a middle aged Salinger around 30 years take interest in a 14 year old Jean Miller however when the stories unfolded I realized that there wasn’t anything sinister about his interests in younger women. I just thought he was looking for happiness in the wrong places. I think that Salinger in a way wants to cherish and relive the purity and innocence of his first love Oona O’Neill therefore he takes interest in women younger than him in that particular age group. Jean Miller who was interviewed later on described that Salinger “listened and wanted to know everything” when they took walks on that Daytona Beach where they met. Jean made Salinger joyful, took away his stress and melancholy she remembered him as always laughing when he was with her. However their relationship didn't last because Jean got between Salinger’s writing that he took very seriously. Claire Douglas a former wife of Salinger had a troubled past being in and out of foster homes and boarding schools much like Holden Caulfield. Claire and Salinger got married and had a daughter but the birth of the child changed his views of his wife and marriage. Salinger has an image of perfection of how people should behave and the fact that Claire changed, it ruined this image of how he portrayed her. Joyce Maynard another former lover of Salinger was sought out by the 54 year old author who warned her about the perils of publicity. Samuel Heath, who