...The Catcher in the Rye is a 1951 novel by J. D. Salinger. Originally published for adults, it has since become popular with adolescent readers for its themes of teenage angst and alienation. 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 65 million books. The novel's protagonist Holden Caulfield has become an icon for teenage rebellion. The novel was included on Time's 2005 list of the 100 best English-language novels written since 1923, and it was named by Modern Library and its readers as one of the 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century. In 2003, it was listed at number 15 on the BBC's survey The Big Read. The novel also deals with complex issues of identity, belonging, connection, and alienation. Plot summary Holden begins his story at Pencey Prep, an exclusive private school in Agerstown, Pennsylvania, on the Saturday afternoon of the traditional football game with rival school Saxon Hall. Holden misses the game. As manager of the fencing team, he loses their equipment on a New York City subway train that morning, resulting in the cancellation of a match. He goes to the home of his History teacher named Mr. Spencer. Holden has been expelled and is not to return after Christmas break, which begins the following Wednesday. Spencer is a well-meaning but long-winded middle-aged man. To Holden's annoyance, Spencer reads aloud Holden's History paper, in which Holden...
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...“The Catcher in the Rye” is written by J.D Salinger which focuses on the reality of life through the eyes of a teenager who sees the world as a painful existence. The novel is written from the perspective of Holden who has been expelled from his fourth school. After a fight with his roommate, Holden leaves early to explore New York City alone. Holden battles with the reality of adulthood that has turn a different turn on his life. We get to this stage where we fear to grow up and see what will be coming for us next in the future. Salinger’s novel clearly displays the experience of being isolated from multiple activities which can lead to the theme of alienation, the creation of the character (Holden) and also the symbolism which can be unnoticed. Salinger tries to convey a message with his writing to also displaying human connection is a must. The theme of “The Catcher in the Rye” is alienation which connects to Holden (the protagonist)...
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...4141- 4141--- Cherished and Cursed:Towarda Social History of The Catcher in the Rye STEPHEN J. WHITFIELD THE plot is brief:in 1949 or perhaps 1950, over the course of three days during the Christmas season, a sixteen-yearold takes a picaresque journey to his New YorkCity home from the third private school to expel him. The narratorrecounts his experiences and opinions from a sanitarium in California. A heavy smoker, Holden Caulfield claims to be already six feet, two inches tall and to have wisps of grey hair; and he wonders what happens to the ducks when the ponds freeze in winter. The novel was published on 16 July 1951, sold for $3.00, and was a Book-of-the-Month Club selection. Within two weeks, it had been reprinted five times, the next month three more times-though by the third edition the jacket photographof the author had quietly disappeared. His book stayed on the bestseller list for thirty weeks, though never above fourth place.' Costing 75?, the Bantam paperback edition appeared in 1964. By 1981, when the same edition went for $2.50, sales still held steady, between twenty and thirty thousand copies per month, about a quarter of a million copies annually. In paperback the novel sold over three million copies between 1953 and 1964, climbed even higher by the 1980s, and continues to attract about as many buyers as it did in 1951. The durabilityof The author appreciates the invitationof Professors Marc Lee Raphaeland Robert A. Gross to present an early version...
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...efficient amount of times during these seminars, as I always try to express my ideas or questions when given the right time. Regarding the Socratic seminar that was held on January 15, students were given a video entitled, “American Masters: Edward Norton's Analysis of "The Catcher in the Rye" | Salinger | PBS”, and two articles, “Everyone has problems, don't they?”, written by editors...
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...difficult, we all experience change, and end up on the better side. The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, is a story of a young boy Holden Caulfield, who experiences depression but overcomes change throughout the book. Pleasantville, directed by Gary Ross, the story of a “perfect” T.V. show that all the characters wish to live in, and they all experience change by trying to achieve color. The Catcher in the Rye and Pleasantville both show that change can be hard, but is for the good. Although most people fear change for the worst, Change is for the better. In The Catcher in the Rye, Holden, the main character,...
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...Madrigal Professor Hendricks English Composition 2 1 December 2014 Bibliography Salinger, J.D. “The Catcher in the Rye” Little, Brown and Company. Boston: 1945. This source is the actual book The Catcher in the Rye which was written by J.D. Salinger. He writes of a boy, Holden Caulfield, the narrator of The Catcher in the Rye is a troubled teenager who switches between having a pompous attitude and feeling as if he is superior to others and then being aware of being alienated from his peers, to beginning to protect his innocence and that of other people. He begins to isolate himself from others because he doesn’t want to get hurt after losing a little brother, Allie. Other students looked down upon him and that is why he has possibly developed a dislike for other people. At first his isolation is more negative than positive. Holden is kicked out of the third school due to having poor grades. After being kicked out of school, he goes on a journey filled with various incidents that cause him to make grown up decisions. The story is narrated in first-person by Holden from a psychiatric hospital where Holden is for treatment. A quotation I will be using in the book is “I am always saying ‘Glad to've met you’ to somebody I'm not at all glad I met. If you want to stay alive, you have to say that stuff, though” (Salinger 87). Madrigal 2 “Catcher in the Rye the Alienation of Holden Caulfield” Humanities 360 Print. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2014. Humanities 360...
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...Multiple Critical Perspectives ™ Teaching J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye from Multiple Critical Perspectives by Stephanie Polukis ™ Multiple Critical Perspectives The Catcher in the Rye General Introduction to the Work Introduction to The Catcher in the Rye S ince The CaTCher in The rye was published in 1951, the book has received mixed reviews. While sev- eral critics commend Salinger’s thorough development of the narrator, the realistic use of vernacular in the narration, and the accurate portrayal of post-World War II teenage life, others feel that the novel is perverse and immoral. In fact, The Catcher in the Rye was on the public school’s banned book list for its use of profane language, depiction of underage drinking, and sexual allusions. However, regardless of the challenges to the novel, the book was a New York Times Bestseller for thirty weeks, and remains popular in the twenty-first century. While the novel in its present form is roughly 214 pages long, the story evolved from short stories published by J.D. Salinger in the 1940s. “I’m Crazy,” published by Collier’s magazine in 1945, developed into the conversation with Mr. Spencer in Chapter 2 and Holden’s visit to Phoebe in Chapters 22 and 23. While the story features Holden, the Spencers, and Phoebe, it also includes Jeanette—the housekeeper— and Viola—Holden’s youngest sister, who have both been omitted from the novel. Salinger’s “Slight Rebellion Off Madison...
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...Alexandra Small AP Language & Compositon The Catcher in the Rye and Impulse both have similarities between their narrators and characters. Impulse is a very powerful book with mature subject matters, but even so, it related very well to The Catcher in the Rye. The three characters in Impulse are all admitted into the Aspen Springs psychiatric hospital for all wanting to end their lives with different motives. Holden can relate to the three characters and mostly their lives before the psychiatric hospital. Through quotes, texts, songs and pictures The Catcher in the Rye and Impulse play out and compliment each other through similarities. In slide one, Tony and Holden are compared through their anger and outburst after losing a loved one. Tony, a character in Impulse was dating an older man named Philip. Philip became very sick and passed away. The only way for Tony to feel better was to turn to pills. He was hospitalized for trying to overdose and was put into the psychiatric hospital. Holden goes through a struggle when his brother Allie dies. When Allie died, Holden broke all the windows in his garage and had to be hospitalized. Holden ends up regretting this because he was still hospitalized during Allie’s funeral and couldn’t attend it. While Philip was alive he sent Tony a baseball glove and a ball for his birthday. This compares to The Catcher in the Rye because Allie had a baseball glove and he would write poems in green ink all over the glove...
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...Throughout The Catcher In The Rye JD Salinger is suggesting that even though you may not things to change; change is inevitably going to happen. In The Catcher In The Rye; Holden not only tries to protect others from change; he tries to protect himself. He is constantly trying to protect himself against the so called “danger” that comes along when you change. One example of Holden trying to protect himself from change is when Holden constantly fails out of school. "Well. . . they'll be pretty irritated about it," I said. "They really will. This is about the fourth school I've gone to." I shook my head. I shake my head quite a lot. "Boy!" I said. I also say "Boy!" quite a lot.’’( Salinger, J.D The Catcher In The Rye pg 9). This shows that Holden know he keeps failing out of school, and he dislikes it. Every time Holden has to change schools; he has to adapt and face a transitional change. Holden has to change as a person. Holden resists this change by just not going back to school. By not switching schools; he is allowing himself to be protected against the...
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...The novels the Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger and the perks of being a wallflower by Stephen Chbosky are both coming of age novels. The Catcher in the Rye is set around the 1950s and is narrated by sixteen year old Holden Caulfield. Holden is very judgemental, especially when it comes to people he has categorized as phony. The perk of being a wallflower is set in the 90s and is narrated by Charlie who is a freshman in high school. Charlie is quiet, keeps to himself, and does not enjoy being the center of attention. As most adolescents attempt to find their place in the world they often find mentors to help guide them through conflict. Both Holden and Charlie search for the meaning of their lives, go through conflict, and find someone to help guide them. Both novels are coming of age books because the main characters search for meaning in their life. Holden has trouble staying in one place for too long, for example he has been expelled from four schools. This is because he is constantly searching for his perfect world that has no phonies. While he is trying to find a place with no phonies or adults he says: I’m standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff – I mean if they’re running and they don’t look where they’re going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. That’s all I’d do all day. I’d just be the catcher in the rye and all. (Salinger 173) Holden is describing to his sister Phoebe...
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...Holden's obsession with innocence: In J.D.Salinger's the catcher in the rye Thinking childish in its simplicity can lead anyone to the path of innocence. The protection of innocence is something that holden searches for in J.D. Salinger's novel the catcher in the rye which shows that he believes that the innocence of childhood is very valuable and should be protected from the adult world. Holden is wanting to protect the innocence of those people who he thinks are really innocent. In addition, holden himself is innocent. As, he does many things that show that he is still not mature enough and should protect himself. Finally, he is willing to save his younger sister phoebe’s innocence from the world of phonies. Holden’s desire to save...
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...wonderful book and i just thought you should read it, If you liked Catcher In The Rye you will love great expectations by charles dickinson. Some of the similarities are that Great expectations is written in standard English with many colloquial and archaic words. As with catcher in the rye, written in American English and also has many colloquial words and is also written as if the main character is speaking (first person narrative) directly to you. Another similarity is that both are fictional autobiographies, narrated personally by the protagonists. Also Both novels are viewed as the protagonists revisiting their past experiences and passing them on to the reader. Some of the differences are the age difference between the two boys, Pip is 7-8 years of age while Holden is 15-16. Another big diffrenece is Great Expectations is a full life story, and you can tell by the very beginning, Pip starts by giving us a full background description of his self and his family, . Holden, on the other hand starts with the very quote " If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don't feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth."telling us he has no interest in telling us about his life history. in Catcher in the Rye, when Holden narrates his experiences he is only a few weeks...
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...Holden Caulfield, the protagonist from The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, consistently struggles throughout the novel. He lost his younger brother, Allie, and his parents sent him away to boarding school. Now, Holden is sick and writes the novel from a type of hospital though it is unclear his full diagnosis. J.D. Salinger’s personality is seen periodically in Holden and the people he meets. Salinger and Caulfield have many similarities seen during Salinger’s life and the novel. J.D. Salinger’s experience coping with World War II is reflected through the PTSD Holden developed due to the lack of attention he received from his parents after the death of his brother Allie. Holden Caulfield shows signs of PTSD throughout the entirety of the...
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...The Catcher In The Rye was an interesting read. This coming-of-age novel by J.D. Salinger was copyrighted in 1945, 1946, 1951, and renewed in 1979. This book kept me hooked in through all 234 pages. The story begins with Holden Caulfield explaining how Pencey Prep is the fourth school he has been kicked out of. He describes that he failed every class except for English. While everybody else in the boarding school is watching the football game, Holden decides to go see his former history teacher Mr. Spencer to say goodbye and also because Mr. Spencer sent Holden a note to see him before he left town. The visit starts out nice, but Holden cuts the meeting short when the conversation gets too serious. Mr. Spencer starts to lecture Holden about...
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...Catcher in the Rye: FLE In J.D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield expresses his love of innocence as he sees it in others, in numerous ways. He demonstrates this through the way he talks about others and the way he acts around them. We learn that Holden lost his own innocence at an early age after his “perverty” (193) encounter with Mr. Antolini. Because of this, he cherishes, and wants to protect innocence in others. This is really a reflection of his desire to be innocent himself. Allie is a paragon of innocence to Holden. I know he’s dead! Don’t you think I know that? I can still like him, though, can’t I? Just because somebody’s dead, you don’t just stop liking them, for God’s sake–especially if they were a thousand times nicer than the people you know that’re alive and all (171). Innocence is lost in adulthood. Since Allie never becomes an adult, he is for Holden the epitome of innocence, consequently, Holden’s love for him is very deep. Holden’s memories of Allie will always be of an innocent Allie. Holden says that he will not stop liking Allie just because he is dead. The other people he talks about are the adults that Holden sees around him. He does not like any of them because they are phony, and have lost their innocence. Mr. Spencer is one person in the book who definitely has lost his innocence, but Holden does not dislike him. Although Holden says he likes Mr. Spencer, he does imply that Mr. Spencer is a phony. There are other...
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