The CATCHER in the RYE A novel by j.d. salinger Genre: Fiction Powerpoint by: Samantha terrazas

Who is J.D. Salinger? Jerome David Salinger born January 1, 1919 was an American writer who won acclaim early in his life. He led a very private life for most of his career. His final publishing of original work was in 1965 until his death in January 27, Some of his published works were: Franny and Zooey Nine Stories Rise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour: An Introduction The Ocean Full of Bowling Balls Joyce Maynard The Catcher in the Rye

Setting The Catcher in the Rye is set in the late 1940’s early 1950’s ( Post- WWII era) With Holden Caulfield in a psychiatric hospital with and unnamed diagnosis looking back at his past to some of his past advetures. Starting with “Last December” while he was attending a private school called Pency Prep.

Holden Caulfield The Catcher in the Rye is based on the life of sixteen year-old Holden. He is 6 feet and 2 ½ inches, partially gray-haired, and very skinny. He is out of shape because he smokes extensively and his general health is poor. After losing his younger brother Allie (age 11) to cancer he looks at the world as full of “phonies” with a sense of isolation and disillusionment. Holden resents the adult world and fights against the entry into it however he has little choice since society and his own body are telling him it is time for him to change. The only intriguing concepts of adulthood to him is booze, cigarettes, and a kind of independence. But despises the loss of innocence, absence of integrity, and becoming artificial.

Struggling With Life Holden Caulfield struggles with his mental health. The conflict in the story is himself. Part of him wants to connect with people on an adult level, while the other part rejects the adult world and thinks of it as “phony”. He also finds it hard to deal with everyday life and feels everyone around his is fake and no longer original. This is a leading factor into his own mental breakdown. His internal conflicts lead him to seclude himself from the outside world.

Plot The plot of the story of Holden Caulfield recounting his days following his expoultion at Pency Prep. After getting into a fight with his old roommate Stradler he decides to leave school two days early and explore New York before having to return home interacting with nuns, teachers, prostitutes, pimps, an old girlfriend and his sister along the way.

Mood The mood of the Catcher in the Rye is mostly sad and filled with nostalgia since most of the story is entirely a flashback of part of Holden Caulfield’s life. You can sense as he speaks if certain events that happened he struggles and doesn’t know entirely how to deal with them.

Theme The major themes of the story that J.D. Salinger tries to describe in the book is innocence. Holden feels the need to protect the innocent especially children. He sees this as a primary virtue. It is closely related to his struggle with growing up. The people he admires all represent or protect innocence. Death is also another very consistent theme in the novel. It is implied by the presence of Allie, Holden’s younger brother. When Holden fears that he might disappear he begins to talk to Allie. He associates death with the mutability of time. He wishes everything could just stay the way it is. Holden rejects life itself he refuses to except change but soon discovers that Life IS Change. This is the meaning that J.D. Salinger tries to present, aging and mutability are inevitable.

My Opinion I felt as though the book was relatable to me in a since. It is based off and teenager who refuses to grow up and expect that he is changing and so is the world. I feel like most teenagers argue with the fact of growing up and excepting that the world around them is changing. The most memorable event in the book for me is when Holden is sleeping on the couch of his old English teacher Mr. Antolini and he wakes up to the feeling of him patting Holden’s head in the dark. Holden takes this a flitty advance and runs away.

Passage from the Catcher in the Rye “I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all. Thousands of little kids, and nobody’s around-nobody big, I mean- except me. And 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 off 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. I know it’s crazy, but that’s the only thing I’d really like to be. I know it’s crazy.” (Salinger 224)

Recommendation I would recommend this novel to adolescents because it contains very relatable themes to teenagers today and acts as a “coming of age” genre. I think many teens would find it intriguing to be inside the head of the strange, rebellious protagonist, Holden Caulfield.

The End Thank you for your attention and your time. If you have any questions please ask.