Catcher in the Rye Reading and Discussion Notes

Catcher in the Rye Reading and Discussion Notes

J (Jerome) D (David) Salinger • Born in NYC in 1919 – Son of a wealthy importer—child of privilege, just like Holden • Shuttled between various prep schools until he was finally sent to military school • Attended a number of colleges but never graduated – While at Columbia University, he took a class in creative writing; rekindled his interest in a writing career – First short story published in 1940 – Published Catcher in 1951: only novel he ever wrote – Continued to write short stories for the next 10 years, but withdrew from public life completely in 1965

Catcher in the Rye—social impact • Novel is a coming-of-age story • Articulated the feelings of youth struggling against the conformist adult society of the 1950’s and 1960’s • Use of slang, profanity, and because he discussed adolescent sexuality in a complex and open way led to controversy and censorship

Plot Overview • SETTING – 1950’s • Starts at Pencey Prep School in Penn. • Moves to NYC – December—a week before Christmas Break: book spans a three day period in Holden’s life • Frame Story – Outside framework: Holden is in a “rest home”/rehab like facility in Ch. 1 and 26 – Inside framework: Story of 3 days that led up to Holden’s stay in the rest home • Style: stream on consciousness—we are hearing Holden’s story from his point of view, as he remembers the events and his free association of ideas

Plot Overview • Narrator – Holden Caulfield— 16 years old • Flunked out of Pencey and numerous other prep schools • Comes from affluent family • Has older brother, DB; sister, Phoebe; younger brother, Allie, died a few years prior of leukemia • Story is told from Holden’s perspective looking back on the past – Where is he now?

Plot Overview • Ch. 1 -8: Leaving Pencey – Holden failed 4 out of 5 subjects and is not invited back after Christmas Break – Says goodbye to his favorite teacher, Mr. Spencer • Admonishes Holden that he must learn to “play the game” – Game of Life—How does Holden see life as a game? Is it a fair game? Who has the advantage? – Encounters his roommate (Stradlater) and neighbor (Ackley); both are slobs and phonies

Plot Overview • Ch. 1 -8: Leaving Pencey – Favor for Stradlater—who went on a date with Holden’s friend, Jane Gallagher—lets reader know about the death of Allie and Holden’s reaction to it • Importance of Jane Gallagher? Who is she to Holden? What’s the deal with her kings in the back row? – When Stradlater returns from date, he and Holden fight about Jane – Holden packs up and leaves Pencey after fight • Heads to Manhattan to relax in a hotel for 3 days before returning to his parents’ apartment • On the train—incident with Mrs. Morrow

Symbols and Motifs so far… • • • Ducks in Central Park The red hunting hat Holden’s gray hair Jane’s kings in the back row Phonies

Title Origins • Based on a poem by Scottish poet, Robert Burns – O Jenny is all wet, poor body, Jenny is seldom dry: She draggled all her petticoats, Coming through the rye! – Coming through the rye, poor body, Coming through the rye, She draggled all her petticoats, Coming through the rye! – Should a body meet a body Coming through the rye, Should a body kiss a body, Need a body cry? – Should a body meet a body Coming through the glen, Should a body kiss a body, Need the world know? – Should a body meet a body Coming through the grain, Should a body kiss a body, The thing is a body's own.

Title Origins • What does the poem mean? What is Jenny doing in the rye? – She has had a sexual encounter and is wrestling with feelings of guilt, shame, and excitement • What, then, does it mean to be the “catcher” in the rye? What would the “catcher” do? – Literally: to stop or catch people before they have sex in the fields – Metaphorically: Protect people from losing their “innocence” • How does this relate to Holden? How does he feel about sex? Romantic love? – He wants to protect innocent people (children, Jane) from being taken advantage of • How does this relate to the little boy who Holden hears singing the poem while he walks along the sidewalk with his parents? – Kid is on the curb, about to fall into the dangerous city street…parents are not watching, but Holden is.

Plot Overview • Ch. 9 -22: NYC – Stays at Edmont Hotel • Watches others in their hotel rooms • Calls hooker/stripper Faith Cavendish – Refuses to meet him so late • Goes to bar: Lavender Room – Can’t get served drinks – Hits on 3 older women » They use him to buy them drinks and then leave

Plot Overview • Ch. 9 -22: NYC – After leaving the bar, Holden thinks about Jane • Met on vacation in Maine – Played checkers, went to movies, kissed once – Leaves hotel to go to Jazz Bar: Ernie’s • For the third time in the novel, he wonders where the ducks in Central Park go in the winter – Back at the hotel, the elevator man (Maurice) offers to get Holden a hooker • When Sunny comes to his room, he decides he just wants to talk, then he pays her and asks her to leave • Maurice shows up demanding more money; Holden refuses and gets beat up by Maurice

Plot Overview • Ch. 9 -22: NYC – NYC Day 2 • • Calls former girlfriend Sally Hayes—makes a date for the afternoon Calls Jane Gallagher—not home Goes to Central Park to try and find his sister Calls Carl Luce, student advisor from Whooton – Meet at a bar, where Holden proceeds to act extremely immature and offends Luce, who leaves – Holden stays at bar and gets drunk • Drunk, he heads first to Central Park to see the ducks, then home to his parents’ apartment to see Phoebe

Plot Overview • Ch. 9 -22: NYC – Admits to Phoebe he’s kicked out – Tells her he wants to be a “catcher in the rye” • Based on a Robert Burns poem – Person who rescues little kids from a cliff – Phoebe corrects him and tells him that he’s got the poem all wrong » Holden’s version “IF A BODY CATCH A BODY” » Phoebe’s correction “IF A BODY MEET A BODY”

Plot Overview • Ch. 23 -end – Leaves parents’ apartment to see former English teacher Mr. Antolini • Falls asleep on his couch • Wakes up to Antolini stroking his forehead – Holden thinks he is trying to molest him, so he leaves – NYC Day 3: Goes to Phoebe’s school • Leaves her a note that he is running away and to meet him at the museum at lunch • Phoebe comes with her suitcase—she wants to go with him • He refuses, takes her to ride the carousel, which makes him very happy – What is significant about the carousel ride—What does Holden say that might show evidence that he is maturing just a bit? – Story ends with Holden saying that he doesn’t want to tell about going home or where he is; says he is starting new school in fall—WILL HE BE SUCCESSFUL THIS TIME?

Themes • Alienation to protect ourselves – Holden alienates himself from everyone as a result of Allie’s death • If you don’t care about anyone or anything, then nothing can hurt you • Painfulness of Growing up – This book isn’t really about anything happening; it is about Holden growing up and maturing • Holden tries to resist growing up as much as possible • Phoniness of the Adult World – All adults are phonies and they can’t see their phoniness • Phony: superficial, hypocrite, shallow

Symbols • The “Catcher in the Rye” – Based on poem by Robert Burns • Childhood=field of rye • Catcher rescues the children from the cliff • Cliff=adulthood • Red Hunting Hat – Symbol of his uniqueness and individuality • Hat is red—same color as Phoebe and Allie’s hair

Symbols • Museum of Natural History – Everything is frozen and unchanging • Holden would like to freeze his life—he is confused by the adult world and would like to stay a kid • Ducks – Symbolize Holden’s still youthful curiosity – Symbolize that sometimes things/people leave, but they do come back (unlike Allie)