The Catcher in the Rye

1. The Catcher in the Rye Written by J. D. Salinger (published 1951)

2. The Catcher in the Rye: • One of the most famous novels of the twentieth century among educated people • One of the finest examples of “stream of consciousness” writing of all time • Has the reputation for appealing to off-beat, flaky, or deranged individuals • Mark David Chapman (John Lennon’s assassin) was obsessed with Catcher.

3. Holden Caulfield: • Narrator and main character • A troubled sixteen-year-old • First adolescent to use profanity casually in an American novel • Through his struggles, readers learn how NOT to deal with problems

4. J. D. Salinger:1919-2010 • Won instant fame and fortune with publication of Catcher • Disliked fame, and has only granted a few interviews • Refused to be photographed or filmed • Never appeared on television • Lived reclusively in New Hampshire in a walled estate • Refused to have Catcher made into a film during his lifetime

5. Salinger, continued: • Married three times • First wife was a psychiatrist (he used his knowledge of psychiatry extensively in Catcher) • Last wife was nearly half his age • His daughter is a writer; his son is an actor • Attended military schools • Saw heavy combat in World War II • Published other novels and many short stories—none as famous or popular as Catcher

6. Novel begins: • With Holden in a mental institution in California, looking back on what led to his “breakdown.” Novel is a long “flashback.” • Reference to David Copperfield: David Copperfield, a novel by Charles Dickens, was required by most students in the 1940s through the 1970s (long, slow-moving book about a boy’s pitiful childhood). http://www.bookdrum.com/books/the-catcher-in-the-rye/9780140237504/bookmarks.html