The Catcher in the Rye

Background 1950’s

1950’s Slang Back Seat Bingo Bad News Big Daddy Cranked Cruisin’ for a Bruisin’ Fake Out Get With It Pooper Razz My Berries Making out in a car Depressing person Older person Excited Looking for trouble Bad date Understand No fun at all Excite or impress me

Background 1950’s Homogenous Society “Nuclear family” Father as dominant role Mother as subservient Conforming to what is socially acceptable Unrealistic perception

Background 1950’s Post WWII America Economy in upswing after WWII Start of Hollywood prominence Full length films, news clips Films were escape from reality

Background 1950’s: Television I Love Lucy Happy Days Westerns Leave it to Beaver Encouraged father as head of household, breadwinner Presents life free from problems

Background 1950’s: Fashion Women Poodle skirts Saddle shoes Pedal pushers Cashmere sweaters Men Black leather jacket Sweater vests Rolled white t- shirts “Peg legs”

1950’s Clothing: Women

1950’s Clothing: Men

1950’s The Cost of Living 1958 House Income Gas Stamp New Ford car $30,000 $4,650 $.24 $.04 $1967-$3629

1950’s Music Elvis Buddy Holly Perry Como Frank Sinatra

1950’s Culture 1950’s Home Economic Book “Have dinner ready. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal on time. This is a way of letting him know that you have been thinking of him and are concerned about his needs.” “Prepare yourself. Take fifteen minutes to rest so that you will be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your makeup, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh looking. He has just been with a lot of work weary people. Be a little gay and a little more interesting. His boring day might need a lift.”

1950’s Culture “Some Dont’s: Don’t greet him with problems or complaints. Don’t complain if he is late for dinner. Count this as minor compared to what he might have gone through that day. Make him comfortable. Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or suggest that he lie down in the bedroom. Have a cool drink ready for him. Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a low, soft soothing pleasant voice. Allow him to relax and unwind.” “Make the evening his: Never complain if he does not take you out to dinner or to other pleasant entertainment. Instead try to understand his world of strain and pressure, his need to unwind and relax.”

J.D. Salinger 1919- 2010 Dropped out of college Dad sent him to Austria to learn sausage making Left only 1 month before Hitler took over Jewish Served in the military- WWII D-Day, concentration camps 3 brief marriages- 1 daughter and 1 son grew up in a wealthy family- New York, Manhattan attended many prep schools, graduated from Valley Forge Military Academy Father was Jewish, mom changed name to pass as Jewish Didn’t find out until after his Bar Mitzvah In Military was present on D-Day and one of first soldiers to liberate concentration camps Dated Oona O’Neill while in military – she married Charlie Chaplin Married Sylvia and then Claire whom he had daughter Margaret with

J.D. Salinger Little known about him Practiced Zen Buddhism & other obscure branches of Hinduism Unwanted information published about him Said to have suffered from post traumatic stress syndrome from the war Lives as a recluse Strictly adhered to Buddhism and Hinduism- obscure sects eventually Christian Science Gave reading lists to dates Sect that practiced celibacy and detachment from society One practiced fasting and vomiting to remove impurities Made 2nd Wife, Claire, drop out of school 4 months before she would graduate she became frustrated with isolation and his constant changing beliefs According to Margaret, her mother admitted to her years later that she went "over the edge" in the winter of 1957 and had made plans to murder her thirteen-month-old infant and then commit suicide. Claire had intended to do it during a trip to New York City with Salinger, but she instead acted on a sudden impulse to take Margaret from the hotel and run away. had long-term relationship when 53 with 18 year old ended when she wanted kids and he thought he was too old

J.D. Salinger Published short story in the New Yorker “Slight Rebellion of Madison” Short story spawned Holden Caulfield and The Catcher in the Rye Refusal to sign rights for film adaptation “Nine Stories” 1953

J.D. Salinger Published 1951 Immediately successful- 30 weeks best seller list Somewhat autobiographical Most frequently banned book from 1966-75 language and content parents and religious groups Said to corrupt youth 237 "goddamn," 58 "bastards,” 31 "Chrissakes," and 6 "fuck”. 1970’s teacher fired for teaching it

The Catcher in the Rye Bildungsroman Novel of education; moral, psychological or social development and growth of the main character, usually from childhood to maturity Huckleberry Finn, To Kill a Mockingbird, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

The Catcher in the Rye Praised for capturing the voice of an adolescent prep school boy Voice of depressed and isolated teen Holden: idealist, moralist, romantic

Background 48 hours in life of Holden Fails out of Pency Prep - leaves for NY city His disgust with the social norms of society How easily man accepts vulgar environment 1948-1949