The Catcher in the Rye – from Wikipedia
The Catcher and the Rye is a novel by J.D. Salinger. First published in the United States in
1951, the novel remains controversial to this day for its liberal use of profanity and portrayal of
sexuality and teenage angst; it was the thirteenth most frequently challenged book of the
1990’s according to the American library Association.
The novel has become one of the most important novel literary works of the 20 th
century, and a common part of high school and college curriculum worldwide; it has been
translated into almost all of the world’s major languages. Around 250,000 copies are sold each
year, with total sales of more than 60 million. The novel was chosen by TIME magazine as one
of the 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to the present.
The novel’s protagonist, Holden Caulfield, has become an icon for teenage alienation
and angst. Written in the first person, The Catcher and the Rye follows Holden’s experiences in
New York City in the days following his expulsion from Pencey Prep, a college preparatory
school.
Controversy
The Catcher and the Rye has been shrouded in controversy since its publication. Reasons
for banning the book have been 1) the use of offensive language 2) premarital sex 3) alcohol
abuse and 4) prostitution.
Mark David Chapman, who assassinated John Lennon, was carrying the book when he
was arrested immediately after the murder and referred to it in his statement to police shortly
thereafter. John Hinckley Jr., who attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan in 1981
was also reported to have been obsessed with the book.
Thirty years after its first publication in 1951, The catcher and the Rye was both the
most banned book in the United States as well as the second most taught book in public
schools.
It was number thirteen on the American Library Association’s list of most frequently
challenged books from 1990-2000. It was one of the ten most challenged books in 2005.
Jerome David Salinger
Born January 1, 1919 to the family of a
wealthy food dealer, Salinger had one
sister. He was educated in New York City
except for his last two years of high school.
These final years were spent at Valley Forge
military School in Pennsylvania. Drafted in
1942 and trained in England, Salinger
participated in the D-Day invasion. After the
war Salinger moved to New Hampshire and
lived as a recluse. Mostly, Salinger is a short
story writer. The success of this novel The
Catcher and the Rye brought him unwanted
attention; he did everything possible to stay
out of the public eye. When he did get
cornered by the public he was known to
make up false information about himself to
throw people off. In 1955 he married an
English woman, but later divorced. The only
method of communicating to the world was
through his works of fiction.
It is said that the main character in
The Catcher and the Rye is modeled after
J.D. Salinger himself.
Major Themes
Alienation (as a form of protection)
The Catcher in the Rye is a novel
who’s main character notices the hypocrisy,
injustice lack of love, and artificiality that
exists in society and as a result he suffers
and becomes alienated.
Childhood Vs. Adulthood
One of the saving graces in the
corrupt world that Holden sees around him
is the purity of childhood. As a result,
Holden spends much of his time trying to
remain in the innocent and pure state of
childhood and avoiding the maturation
process and rejecting adulthood.
Other themes: Painfulness of growing up,
Loneliness and Phoniness
Setting
Holden’s story begins on the Saturday
following the end of classes at the Pencey
prep school in Agerstown, Pennsylvania.
After leaving Pencey ha takes a train to new
York City and checks himself into a hotel
where he spends the remainder of the
novel. He travels to many parts of the city
wandering around as well as visiting people
from his past.
December 8th 1980: John Lennon was assassinated
The forty year old poet and singer was shot several times as he entered the Dakota (his
luxury apartment building on Manhattan’s Upper West Side) opposite Central Park. He was
rushed in a police car to St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital Centre, where he was pronounced dead.
His wife, Yoko Ono, who is understood to have witnessed the attack, was with him.
John Lennon’s assassin, Mark Chapman, asked the former Beatle to sign a copy of “The
Catcher and the Rye” earlier in the morning of the day that he murdered Lennon. Police found
the book in his possession upon apprehending the psychologically disturbed Chapman.
However, the book itself contains nothing that could be attributed with leading
Chapman to act as he did. Media speculated wildly about the novel’s connection to the death of
John Lennon as it is a novel about the psychological breakdown of a young man. This gave the
book even more notoriety.
Holden Caulfield:
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Ackley:
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Stratlater:
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Phoebe Caulfield:
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Allie Caulfield:
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D.B. Caulfield:
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Sally Hayes:
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Mr. Spencer:
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Carl Luce:
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Mr. Antolini:
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Maurice:
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Sunny:
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Chapters 1-4
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Who is Holden Caulfield?
Where is Holden as he narrates the story?
Why wasn’t Holden at the big football game?
Why wouldn’t Holden be back to Pencey after Christmas vacation?
What “dirty trick” did Mr. Spencer pull on holden?
Who was Robert Ackley?
Who was Stradlater?
Identify Jane Gallagher.
Chapter 5-9
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
About what did Holden write Stradlater’s composition?
Why did Holden tear up the composition he had written for Stradlater?
Why did Stradlater hit Holden?
Where did Holden decide to go?
Who did Holden meet on his train ride? Why did Holden lie to her about Ernie?
Chapters 10-13
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Who is Phoebe?
Identify Bernice, Marty and Laverne.
Describe Holden’s relationship with Jane Gallagher.
Why did Holden have to leave Ernie’s?
What do we learn about Holden from his diversion about his gloves being stolen at
Pencey?
6. What was the “big mess” Holden got into when he got back to the hotel after being at
Ernie’s?
Chapters 14-17
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Why did Maurice hit Holden?
Holden said he felt like committing suicide, Why didn’t he?
Identify Sally Hayes.
Why did Holden check out of the hotel, and where did he go?
Who did Holden meet at the “little sandwich bar” after he locked his bags at the
station? What did they talk about?
6. What made Holden “not so depressed anymore” on his way to the record store?
7. Why didn’t Holden like actors?
8. Why did Holden like the museum so much?
9. How did Holden’s feelings for Sally change from the beginning of the date to the end?
Chapters 18-21
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What did Holden think of the show at Radio City?
Why did Holden call Carl Luce even though he didn’t like him much?
What did Holden and Luce discuss?
Why did Holden go home so early (before Wednesday)?
What was Phoebe’s reaction when she first saw Holden? What was he reaction when
she found out he had been expelled?
Chapters 22-26
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Why did Holden go to Mr. Antolini’s house?
Why did Holden leave Mr. Antolini’s home before morning?
What advice did Mr. Antoini give Holden?
How did Phoebe surprise Holden? What was Holden’s reaction?
Why did Holden sit on the bench in the rain even though it was coming down in
buckets?
6. How did Holden explain his catcher in the rye dream?
The significance of the title – page 172
Holden says that he would stand at the edge of a field of rye, where his job would be to
catch any children who started to go over the side of the cliff. The field represents childhood,
innocence, and freedom. The bottom of the cliff represents phoniness, adulthood, and
responsibility.
This means that he wants to save all children from the phony world of adulthood. He
believes that children are innocent and true; if he could stop them from becoming tainted than
the world would be a better place. This idea relates to how Holden is rejecting his own
maturation (the Peter Pan syndrome of not wanting to grow up as he is afraid of what it will
bring).