12/02/10 The Catcher in the Rye
Bringing you America’s most popular loner teenager since 1951 The Catcher in the Rye
J(erome). D(avid). Salinger Born: January 1 st, 1919 in NYC Died: January 27, 2010 at 91 years old Grew up in NYC – Wrote 35 short stories Published Catcher in 1951 to instant success Hated public life Drawn to youth Considered one of the most influential writers in American literature
Overview of The Catcher in the Rye -Written in narrative of the experiences of Holden Caulfield -spans his three days of life on his own -describing his ideas on sex, drinking, social hypocrisy, rebellion, and the process of coming of age.
Why Holden? ✔ Considered an icon for teenage rebellion world wide ✔ Among the “100 best novels” written since 1925; over 250,000 copies sold each year ✔ One of the most banned books in the United States There's a boy who fogs his world and now he's getting lazy/There's no motivation and frustration makes him crazy/ He makes a plan to stand but always ends up sitting/Someone help him up or he's going to end up quitting.
Narration First Person Point of View Novel’s meaning and plot come from Holden’s thoughts and observations As readers, we play “psychoanalyst” Holden’s use of slang and profanity Key Question: IS HOLDEN A RELIABLE NARRATOR?
Key Theme Topics Innocence vs. Experience Coming of Age/Self-Discovery Hypocrisy and Phoniness Alienation and Isolation Love and Sex Rebellion
Literary Terms 12/02/10 Imagery using descriptive language to make a scene come to life Allegory a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning Symbolism- using an object or idea to represent a bigger concept Setting- where the story takes place Point of View- How the narrator is involved with the story
Literary Terms 12/02/10 Metaphor a phrase that compares two things that are not similar in a literal sense Conflict a struggle that a character faces, (internal or external) Flashback a past event that gets interjected into the story Tone the general character or attitude of a place Foreshadowing be a warning or indication of (a future event)