J. D. Salinger

2. J. D. Salinger

3. Childhood(“…all that David Copperfield kind of crap”) Born Jerome David (Sonny) Salinger on Jan. 1, 1919, in New York City Grew up near Central Park in upper Manhattan Son of a Jewish father (foods wholesaler and importer) and Christian mother Upper-middle class family

4. Molding Salinger into a “Splendid, Clear-thinking Young Man” Attended two private schools First was Manhattan’s McBurney School Drama, journalism, manager of fencing team Flunked out Next attended Valley Forge Military Academy in Wayne, PA Began writing stories Graduated in 1936

5. College Attended New York University for one month in 1936 Was called “the worst English student in the history of the college” by one of his professors Quit school at father’s request to go to Austria and Poland to learn meat and cheese business (venture failed) Attended Ursinus College (PA), but quit to study fiction at Columbia University

6. Military Service Drafted in 1942 Served with Counter Intelligence Corps Saw action at Utah Beach, Normandy on “D-Day,” and at Battle of the Bulge Met and corresponded with Ernest Hemingway

7. Adult Life After war lived with parents in New York and associated with bohemians in Greenwich Village By 1950 moved to Cornish, New Hampshire Married; fathered two children

8. Writing Career 35 stories, 1 novel, and 4 novellas The Catcher in the Rye (1951) Reputation rests largely on this novel: It took 10 years to write Franny and Zooey, Nine Stories, Raise High the Roofbeam Carpenters, and Seymour: An Introduction Many of his works revolve around a fictional family of geniuses

9. A Recluse and a Loner • Stopped communicating with outsiders • In 1967 he stopped publishing and obtained a divorce • Last interview in 1974 • Died Jan. 27, 2010 Did not publish any new work since 1960s Deeply into Zen mysticism In 1965, Salinger further withdrew from society and put a 6-foot fence around his property

10. The Catcher in the Rye Published in 1951 Initially reviewed as a “rare miracle of fiction” Generally received as a literary sensation Dissenting opinion gradually arose, in part due to use of profanity Banned and condemned by some communities and school boards – it was the 13th most frequently challenged book of the 1990s The action is not vital; the psychological state of narrator is much more important Book covers a time span of four days Principle setting is New York City, which plays such an important part that it can almost be considered another character in the story

11. Back Page Preview (1951)(Possibly written by Salinger) The hero-narrator of The Catcher in the Rye is an ancient child of sixteen, a native New Yorker named Holden Caulfield. Through circumstances that tend to preclude adult, secondhand description, he leaves his prep school in Pennsylvania and goes underground in New York City for three days. The boy himself is at once too simple and too complex for us to make any final comment about him or his story. Perhaps the safest thing we can say about Holden is that he was born in the world not just strongly attracted to beauty but, almost, hopelessly impaled on it. There are many voices in this novel: children's voices, adult voices, underground voices – but Holden's voice is the most eloquent of all. Transcending his own vernacular, yet remaining marvelously faithful to it, he issues a perfectly articulated cry of mixed pain and pleasure. However, like most lovers and clowns and poets of the higher orders, he keeps most of the pain to, and for, himself. The pleasure he gives away, or sets aside, with all his heart. It is there for the reader who can handle it to keep.

12. So Far: Chapters 1-6 Two crucial points Holden’s feelings and actions are those of a very troubled person who deserves our sympathy more often than our praise. However, a close look at Holden reveals that he possesses very strong moral, compassionate instincts. He is a good but confused person.

13. So Far: Chapters 1-6 The issues Profanity The way Holden expresses himself reflects his state of mind: Because he is troubled, his language is often profane, demonstrating his negativism. He tempers the negativity a bit: the lower case “g” in “goddamn” indicates he clearly does not intend to take the Lord’s name in vain. He seems to limit his obscenities to those which are essentially meaningless (we learn later, for example, that he hates the “F” word.)

14. So Far: Chapters 1-6 The issues Lying/dishonesty Holden’s admission of being a terrific liar also reflects his troubled mind. He lies for many reasons. The need to escape boredom; create excitement. To please others and/or prevent hurt feelings. But Holden’s lies only serve to intensify his alienation from others. His falsehoods are often humorous, but they are more often pathetic, reminding us of his tragic isolation.

15. So Far: Chapters 1-6 The issues Sexual promiscuity Holden is confused but moral: He admits to having sexual desires and even submits somewhat to society’s demands that men be sexually proficient. Holden thinks a prostitute might provide him with the “practice” he needs for marriage: He is clearly a virgin. But guiding all of this is a clear sense of right and wrong. We learn that when a girl says “stop,” he stops. And he clearly believes that sex without love is improper. He simply can’t stand the thought of Stradlater “getting sexy” with Jane.

16. Thoughts: Chapters 1-6 Themes and motifs • We will frame our reading and discussion within the following themes, motifs, etc: • Alienation as a form of self-protection • The pain of growing up • Phoniness • Relationships, sexuality • Loneliness • Symbols

17. Thoughts: Chapters 1-6 • Alienation as a form of self-protection • It’s ironic that Holden doesn’t turn the microscope on himself (introspection): He may see that he and Ackley have much in common. • Pencey is not a healthy environment for Holden: Stradlater completely disses Holden’s essay about Allie’s baseball glove then later beats Holden up. Ackley is insensitive to Holden’s needs.

18. Thoughts: Chapters 1-6 • Pain of growing up • Holden seems to fear growing older. Remember his physical description of Spencer. • Allie’s death weighs on Holden more than Holden lets on. Holden’s reaction to Allie’s death was violent and extreme: He smashed out the windows in the garage. He didn’t attend the funeral because he was hospitalized. (Holden also instantly recalls the exact day Allie died.) • Holden obviously revered his little brother, who sounds intelligent and unique. He kept Allie’s glove and took it to school with him.

19. Thoughts: Chapters 1-6 • Phoniness • Holden hates “phonies.” He thinks D.B. has prostituted himself in Hollywood; he hates movies (although he apparently has seen a lot of them); Pencey seems populated by the very phonies Holden suppposedly despises, from the teachers to Stradlater. • Yet, Holden’s kindness toward these people shows through when he talks Brossard into letting Ackley come to the movies with them, and Holden agrees to write Stradlater’s essay for him.

20. Thoughts: Chapters 1-6 • Relationships, sexuality • Jane obviously means a lot to Holden. He gets really nervous thinking that Stradlater (who doesn’t even get her name right) might make a move on her in the back seat of a car. (Remember, Stradlater seems to be pretty experienced at such things: He’s a “sexy guy.”)

21. Thoughts: Chapters 1-6 • Loneliness • That Holden seeks Ackley’s company before Holden leaves Pencey shows how desperate Holden is for companionship.

22. Thoughts: Chapters 1-6 • Symbols • Holden’s red hunting hat: He pretends he doesn’t care what people think of his appearance (although there seems to be some insecurity over his height, weight, and gray hair), but he takes it off when he wants to downplay his uniqueness (at the football game; Spencer’s, etc.) • Allie’s baseball mitt: It’s left-handed, making it somewhat unique, like Allie. Holden keeps the glove to himself (although he shows it to Jane) – a symbol of innocence and childhood (in turn, represented by Allie).