The Catcher In The Rye

J. D. Salinger

• Similarities with the main character.
• Inspiration to many famous writers.
• Drafted into WWII but still continued to write.
• Professor White Burnett changed his life.
• In 2013 a biography was published about him.

Summary

• Published in 1951
• Main Character: Holden Caufield
• Bildungsroman (coming-of-age novel)
• Setting: Pennsylvania and New York
• Holden's psyche

Themes

• Isolation/Loneliness
• Sexual Identity

"Well- take me to the Edmont then," I said. "Would you care to stop on the way to join me for a cocktail? On me. I'm loaded" (60).

"If you want to know the truth, I don't even know why I started all that stuff with her. I mean about going away somewhere, to Massachusetts and Vermont and all. I probably wouldn't've taken her even if she'd wanted to go with me. She wouldn't have been anybody to go with. The terrible part, though, is that I meant it when I asked her. That's the terrible part. I swear to God I'm a madman"(134).

"When I finally got down off the radiator and went out to the hat-check room, I was crying and all. I don't know why, but I was. I guess it was because I was feeling so damn depressed and lonesome...She kept telling me to go home and go to bed. I sort of tried to make a date with her for when she got through working, but wouldn't do it. She said she was old enough to be my mother and all" (153).

"Then something happened. I don't even like to talk about it. I woke up all of a sudden. I don't know what time it was or anything, but I woke up. I felt something on my head, some guy's hand. Boy, it really scared hell out of me. What it was, it was Mr. Antolini's hand. What he was doing was, he was sitting on the floor right next to the couch, in the dark and all, and he was sort of petting me or patting me on the goddam head. Boy, I'll bet I jumped about a thousand feet...I have to go, anyway," I said—boy, was I nervous! I started putting on my damn pants in the dark. I could hardly get them on I was so damn nervous. I know more damn perverts, at schools and all, than anybody you ever met, and they're always being perverty when I'm around" (191-192).

"In her late thirties? Yeah? You like that?" I asked him. "You like 'em that old?" The reason I was asking was because he really knew quite a bit about sex and all. He was one of the few guys I knew that did. He lost his virginity when he was only fourteen, in Nantucket. He really did..."Listen. Let's get one thing straight. I refuse to answer any typical Caulfield
questions tonight. When in hell are you going to grow up?" (145-146).

"Look," I said. "I don't feel very much like myself tonight. I've had a rough night. Honest to God. I'll pay you and all, but do you mind very much if we don't do it? Do you mind very much?" The trouble was, I just didn't want to do it. I felt more depressed than sexy, if you want to know the truth. She was depressing. Her green dress hanging in the closet and all. And besides, I don't think I could ever do it with somebody that sits in a stupid movie all day long. I really don't think I could (96).

"I oughta go down and at least say hello to her," I said. "Why don'tcha?" "I will, in a minute." He started parting his hair all over again. It took him about an hour to comb his hair. […] "Jane Gallagher. Jesus ... I couldn't get her off my mind. I really couldn't. "I oughta go down and say hello to her, at least." "Why the hell don'tcha, instead of keep saying it?" Stradlater said. I walked over to the window, but you couldn't see out of it, it was so steamy from all the heat in the can.. "I'm not in the mood right now," I said. I wasn't, either. You have to be in the mood for those things. […] I walked around the can for a little while. I didn't have anything else to do"(32-33).

American Identity

• Being a teenager/ Growing up
• Babyboom
• Coming of Age
• Nice lifestyle