The Catcher in the Rye

Throughout the course of the novel, it is apparent that Caulfield is struggling from some type of “internal clash” (Gaynor 88) that causes him to feel the amount of resentment toward society that he does. Many critics argue that Salinger’s depiction of the painful transition through adolescence in The Catcher in the Rye closely resembles his own life journey. Wan Roselezam Wan Yahya and Ruzbeh Babaee, two professors at University Putra Malaysia, discuss this connection in their 2014 critical essay, “Salinger’s Depiction of Trauma in The Catcher in the Rye.” J.D. Salinger served in World War II and his experiences in the military may have heavily influenced his writing, especially The Catcher in the Rye. Yahya and Ruzbeh argue that Salinger’s…

In The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, Salinger tries to give the readers a life lesson, or theme. He is very good at conveying those themes in the story and by the end of the book, the reader understood those themes. The two most important themes that Salinger uses are “innocence should be valued”, and “death is inevitable”. Readers of The Catcher in the Rye may see these themes as important life lessons. “Innocence should be valued” is a theme in The Catcher in the Rye. The protection of…

The Catcher In The Rye The Catcher In The Rye by J.D. Salinger ( who wrote the first six chapters during a war) should be banned from a high school curriculum because it is inappropriate (curse words and sex talk), it is corrupt (promotes prostitution), and some teenagers are not mature enough for books like this. Books are banned because of racial themes, sex and profanity, violence, negativity, witchcraft, and unpopular religious or political view. The Catcher In The Rye should be banned…

Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye has the same mentality: he does not want to grow up. His bias towards innocence and fear of adulthood leaves him with one purpose in life: to save those from enduring the pain of maturing. Due to a mishearing of Robert Burn’s poem “Comin Thro’ the Rye,” Holden envisions himself as the hero at the end of the cliff, catching innocent kids coming through the rye. He wants to become a catcher in the rye. In J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, Holden’s…

if they just flew away.” Title/Author: The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger Explanation: The recurring mystery of what happens to the ducks is mentioned…

The symbolic images connect to Holden’s desire throughout the novel to be the catcher in the rye. Holden interprets scene discrete to his imagination of falling. In the sequence of the events, in Chapter 16, the song that was sung by the little boy was misinterpreted from “If a body meet a body coming through the rye” to “If a body catch a body.” Therefore, a concept of an imagination of “all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all” (p. 173) was created. His job was…

The Catcher in The Rye is one of the most taught books in North America. Although, it has always been heavily critiqued, it still holds a special place in the hearts of many students. Ever since has been published in 1951, it is debated if The Catcher in The Rye deserves such standing as a common novel to be taught to high school students. In my opinion, this timeless piece by J.D Salinger deserves to be recognized and taught across the continent. First, the story is told using a writing…

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is a story about childhood, and of finding one’s self in society. It is the story of Holden Caulfield and his everyday encounters and problems with other people in society. The story depicts a week in the life of Holden, a week full of events and encounters that permanently change his life forever. In the Catcher in the Rye J.D. Salinger uses the character of Holden Caulfield, conflict, and setting to convey the theme that although the world may seem to be…

Caulfield, the sixteen-year-old narrator in the book The Catcher in the Rye written by J.D. Salinger, is protecting himself from reality and creating a “fantasy realm” for himself to dwell in. He is lost in the thoughts of growing up and having to conform to society, becoming something he hates, a phony. We learn more about the untrustworthy narrator as the story, told from his perspective, is played out in a jaded moreover, rebellious viewpoint of his life after he gets kicked out of school for…

Authorial/ Contextual Notes The Catcher in the Rye’s author, J.D. Salinger, grew up in New York city during the 1920s, and attended surrounding boarding schools in the area. Salinger drew upon his time growing up in New York to develop the characters, plot, and theme of his main novel, The Catcher in the Rye. J.D Salinger reflected upon his time in the Upper West side elite boarding schools, and used his experiences to develop the groundbreaking novel, The Catcher in the Rye. Salinger, similar…