the catcher in the rye

THE CATCHER IN THE RYE

INTRO NOTES

J.D. SALINGER

• PUBLISHED NOVEL IN 1951

• WELL KNOWN AUTHOR AND RECLUSE

• WANTED TO BE LEFT ALONE

• NOVEL NEVER WAS, AND NEVER WILL BE, ADAPTED INTO A MOVIE

PLOT

• SET IN THE 1950S

• NARRATOR—HOLDEN CAULFIELD

• TELLING THE STORY AFTER THE FACT—METANARRATIVE

• WHAT IS HIS DEAL?

• WHY IS HE TELLING HIS STORY?

• WHERE IS HE?

• NO SPECIFIC LOCATION

CHARACTERS• HOLDEN

• HIGH SCHOOL JUNIOR

• 17 YEARS OLD

• EXPELLED FROM PENCEY PREP

• CYNICAL

• ACKLEY

• NEIGHBOR

• BAD COMPLEXION AND POOR HYGIENE

• TYPICAL ANNOYING NEIGHBOR

• DOESN’T UNDERSTAND CONTEXT

CHARACTERS• STRADLATER

• ROOMMATE

• GOOD LOOKING, POPULAR

• TOGETHER

• JANE

• FEMALE FRIEND

• VERY IMPORTANT TO HOLDEN

• NEVER ACTUALLY APPEARS IN THE NOVEL

• SALLY

• HOLDEN’S SOMETIMES GIRLFRIEND

FAMILY• PHOEBE

• TEN YEAR OLD SISTER

• OPPOSITE OF HOLDEN IN ALMOST EVERY WAY

• RED HAIR

• D.B.

• OLDER BROTHER

• SUCCESSFUL WRITER WHO LIVES IN HOLLYWOOD

• ADMIRED BY HOLDEN—SORT OF

• ALLIE

• YOUNGER BROTHER

• DIED OF LEUKEMIA THREE YEARS BEFORE THE NOVEL

THEMES

• ALIENATION

• LONELINESS

• PHONINESS OF ADULTS

• BILDUNGSROMAN

SYMBOLS

• TITLE OF THE NOVEL

• RED HUNTING HAT

• HISTORY MUSEUM

• DUCKS IN CENTRAL PARK