THE 1950’S An introduction to The Catcher in the Rye

Entertainment  Television and Film  In 1956 the average American child watched 6 hours of television  The most popular shows were “I Love Lucy”, “American Bandstand”, “Dragnet”, “The Honeymooners”, and “The Twilight Zone”.  In 1952 the first 3-D movie Bwana Devil was released in movie theatres

I Love Lucy

American Bandstand

The Honeymooners

Music and Teen Idols Frankie Avalon- “If a miss wants to be kissed instead of cuddled, and to this you are in doubt what to say… when a girl changes from bobby socks to stockings, then she is old enough to give her heart away.

“A-well-a Splish Splash, I forgot about the bath I went and put my dancin’ shoes on, yah…” Bobby Darin

“And they call it puppy love just because we’re 17. Tell them all, oh, please tell them it isn’t fair to take away my only dream.” Paul Anka

Toys  1949-Silly Putty and Lego's  Matchbox Cars  Hula Hoops  Barbie Doll

Politics Civil Rights 1954 – Brown vs. Board of Education ended segregation in public schools  The Cold War  A military conflict with no actual violence  Diplomatic struggles between the US and a group of nations led by the Soviet Union  Fear of communism  Korean War- ended in a truce with the current border  By-product of the Cold War  1950 North Korea invaded South Korea  157,530 US casualties 1.3 mil. Korean

Fashion  As the 50’s continued, the average lifestyle improved steadily  After years of rationing, Americans were ready for lavish designs  Men’s formal and informal wear was very plain and basic  Women’s evening wear was extravagant  Daytime wear was elegant and simple After the warWomen vs. men

Day wear for men and women

Evening wear for men and women

J.D. Salinger  Jerome David Salinger was born in New York City on Jan. 1 st,  He had one sister, Doris, who was six years his senior.  His father was Jewish and his mother was Christian, so theology was never emphasized in his home.  His educational career was mediocre.  He attended the McBurney School, but flunked out and was sent to the Valley Forge Military Academy in PA.  While he was there, he became interested in writing.

J.D. Salinger  He briefly attended Ursinus College where he wrote a humorous column for the school newspaper.  His father took him out of college go to Vienna to learn the ham business as an apprentice.  When he returned to New York, he enrolled in a short-story writing class at Columbia University.  He was first published in The New Yorker in  In 1942, he was drafted in to the army. He was discharged in  The Catcher in the Rye, Salinger’s only novel, was published in  He published collections of short stories in 1953, 1961, and 1963.

J.D. Salinger  Upon his return from the army, he turned to oriental philosophy and began to follow the principals of Zen Buddhism.  He ultimately became a devoted student of Advaita Vendanta Hinduism which preaches the concept of the four stages of life: devotion to studies, household duties, meditation in the forest, and spirituallity.  In 1953, he met and married Claire Douglass.  They had two children, Matthew and Peggy.  Salinger settled in the Cornish Hills in New Hampshire and lived in almost total seclusion until his death. Religion and philosophyFamily

Write a reflection at the bottom of your Cornell notes. What is one thing you already knew? What are two new things you learned? What questions do you have now? J.D. Salinger