The Catcher in the Rye by J D

The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger A Brief Introduction

The Catcher in the Rye Take note of the setting in which Dead Poet’s Society takes place. Holden Caulfield has attended several schools that are similar. Be sure to notice the time, place and social climate in particular. Journal Responses: What would your ideal school schedule, experience and focus look like? Is that experience realistic or idealistic? That is, would that schedule logically lead toward your accomplishing your long term goals? How do you think you would feel if you attended a school like Welton Academy? Why? DPS 1 -6: 55 and 11: 24 -13: 22

Mr. Salinger

A little bit about the author… Born New Years Day, 1919 Went to public school in Manhattan Transferred to private school; failed out within a year • Then enrolled at Valley Forge Military Academy • Strongest subject was English • • •

A little bit about the author… • Enrolled at New York University for under a year before dropping out • Other than a semester at Ursinus College and an evening class at Columbia University, this is all the higher-education he received

A little bit about the author… • After the attack on Pearl Harbor, he was drafted into the army • Part of the army’s counter-intelligence agency • Possible post-traumatic stress disorder: “We may readily guess that the war was responsible for, or at least brought to the surface an alienation from modern existence…”

A little bit about the author… • During the war he managed to publish 10 short stories • In the five years following the war he published 10 more • While he sometimes questioned his own abilities as a writer, he would often refuse suggestions or changes made by editors • Fleeting, disappointing experience with Hollywood

The Catcher in the Rye

The Catcher in the Rye • Published in July 1951 • Original publisher asked for revisions to be made, Salinger refused and took the book to a smaller publisher, Little Brown • Sold over 15 million copies in the 15 years after its original publication • Continues to sell over 20, 000 copies a month. Do the math…

The Catcher in the Rye • Point of View: The book is written as if Holden is speaking out loud to someone else. Who might that person be? You? • Structure: There is flow to the seemingly disjointed ideas and episodes; digressions on details, sidestories • Critical reviews agree that the novel accurately reflected the teenage colloquial speech of the time

For chapters 1 and 2 due Friday… Keep in mind the ideas of: • Digression • Contradictions • Self-Awareness • Inference

The Catcher in the Rye Let’s Start Reading!

The Catcher in the Rye • The title comes from the protagonist Holden Caulfield’s mishearing of an old children’s song: “Gin a body meet a body Comin’ thro' the rye, Gin a body kiss a body, Need a body cry? ” Holden hears: "Gin a body catch a body/ comin’ through the rye. "

The Catcher in the Rye: Criticisms • Contains too much foul language and characters who are immoral • A truly great novel should reference historical, political or economic conditions of its time and “Catcher…” does none of these • Salinger’s opinions and voice are indistinguishable from the that of Holden’s • Holden’s expectation of perfect sincerity and purity of human motive is unrealistic