A Short Biography of J.D. Salinger

In the book, “The Catcher in the Rye”, Holden Caulfield has many conflicts and life lessons. Throughout the story the author, J.D. Salinger, creates events that make the main character realize that in life people change and grow. The message behind the story is let children grab the “gold ring” and you can’t always be the catcher in the rye. All of the things that make Holden who he is have many resemblances to the life of the author, J.D. Salinger.

  J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye is a remarkable book that gives readers a unique and perhaps gloomy perspective of the 1950's through Holden Caulfield, a cynical and peculiar teenager. Through The Catcher in the Rye Salinger describes important aspects of the 1950's. Salinger emphasizes several key characteristics of the 50's and criticizes them through Holden. In addition, Holden Caulfield is a very interesting character with several traits that put him at odds with society.

The historical background of any novel is very important while studying it. The Catcher in the Rye has been written in a literary style similar to prose, which was enhanced by the teenage slang of the 1950 's. It is a widespread belief that much of Holden Caulfield 's candid outlook on life reflected issues relevant to the youth, and thus the novel continues to be used as an educational resource in high schools throughout the nation.

During the novel, The Catcher in the Rye, author J.D. Salinger brings Holden’s pessimistic, antisocial personality to life through what he says, how he says it, and through the characters he meets. Salinger bases Holden’s expressions off of the culture of the 1950’s, his own personal dialect, and the everyday occurrences of Holden’s life in mind. J.D. Salinger manipulates the diction, uses syntax to criticize others, and controls the character interaction and dialogue in order to create the protagonist, Holden Caulfield.

The Catcher in the Rye has always been a book of controversy. Schools have banned it due to its vivid description of how a teeneger observes the world. Holden who is The protagonist’s sees the world as very morbid place for young people. Many people believe the book brings up controversial topics that should not be discussed among minors such as Holden Caulfield. Most of the topics expressed in the book could be acceptable in today's society but it caused many concerns and issues around the time it was released, 1951. In my opinion however this book has one of the greatest qualities in literature and thats relating to the reader. It should not be banned because adolescents have been able to identify with Holden’s

Salinger uses the characterization of Holden Caulfield to send a message regarding the problems children face growing up, such as struggling to find one’s identity and failure to properly interact with other people, can create a permanent effect on their life making a connection to the real world, and everyone in it, nearly impossible.

The Catcher in the Rye was banned and discriminated for multiple reasons, but the prime reason was the containment of “excessive use of amateur swearing and coarse language” and “overt sexuality” (“And Holden” Online; Kerr 49). Critics found the novel to be “wholly repellent in its mingled vulgarity, naïveté, and sly perversion” (“And Holden” Online).

Early in Salinger's life, he faced one the cultural illnesses widespread in the North Eastern states of America.  It was the virulent disease of anti-Semitism.  Salinger lived in New York City, where he was raised as the son of Jewish parents.  The 1920's and 1930's were a time in America when Anti-Semitism was written into the policies of many institutions.  His heritage automatically deprived him from attending the best colleges: Harvard, Yale, and Dartmouth.  He was prevented from belonging to certain social clubs, from certain professions, and from the rank of officer in the U. S. Military.

In the words of Louis L’Amour, “When a man is one of a kind, he will be lonely wherever he is.” I ask you this, wasn’t Holden Caulfield notorious for being lonesome? It was because he was such a uniquely complex character, people could never completely understand him. J.D Salinger created a persona that was entirely emblematic and unalike the majority. The novel, The Catcher in the Rye, written by J.D. Salinger touches upon issues that adolescence commonly experience, which allows the novel to remain pertinent. Albeit, the protagonist’s extreme reactions to themes such as identity, dealing with mental health and growing up fail to perfectly capture the teenage voice or mentality. In the 1950’s teenagers had yet to be stereotyped as hormonal,

Jerome David Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, is a work of fiction and a

Catcher in the Rye was written by J.D Salinger in 1951, at a time when American values had forced an entire generation of kids to conform to the standards set by a society that strongly castigated diversity. It stirred up a lot of controversy and criticism because it discussed taboo topics such as adolescent sexuality and rebelling against societal norms. After World War II, America had become extremely prosperous due to it’s industrial advancement, but the growth of the economy also came with strict social rules that taught people how to dress, who to date, and how to face the reality of adulthood. With the threat of the Cold War and the terror of the Red Scare, people conformed to have some continuity in their lives. They were taught

J.D. Salinger (Jerome Davis Salinger) was said by some people to be one of the best American Authors of past century. Salinger’s works reflects the many experiences he had as a child. One of the more common focuses tends to be his fascination with protecting the innocence in children.

Jerome David Salinger’s only novel, The Catcher in the Rye, is based on the life events shaping main character, Holden Caulfield, into the troubled teen that is telling the story in 1950. The theme of the story is one of emotional disconnection felt by the alienated teenagers of this time period. The quote, “ I didn’t know anyone there that was splendid and clear thinking and all” (Salinger 4) sets the tone that Holden cannot find a connection with anyone around him and that he is on a lonely endeavor in pursuit of identity, acceptance and legitimacy. The trials and failures that Holden faces on his journey to find himself in total shed light on Holden’s archenemy, himself.

Salinger, J(erome) D(avid) (1919- ), American novelist and short story writer, known for his stories dealing with the intellectual and emotional struggles of adolescents who are alienated from the empty, materialistic world of their parents. Salinger's work is marked by a profound sense of craftsmanship, a keen ear for dialogue, and a deep awareness of the frustrations of life in America after World War II (1939-1945).

     J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye has captured the spirit of adolescence, dramatizing Holden Caulfield's vulgar language and melodramatic reactions. Written as the autobiographical account of a fictional teenage prep school student named Holden Caulfield, The Catcher in the Rye deals with material that is socially scandalous for the time (Gwynn, 1958). As an emotional, intelligent, and sensitive young man, Holden puts his inner world to the test through the sexual mores of his peers and elders, the teachings of his education, and his own emerging sense of self. Throughout the years, the language of the story has startled readers. Salinger's control of Holden's easy,