Catcher in the Rye1 The Catcher in the Rye -- J.D. Salinger

Catcher in the Rye2 Death of John Lennon Former Beatle John Lennon was shot and killed by Mark Chapman Chapman took a book out from his overcoat pocket and read several pages while waiting for the police

Catcher in the Rye3 President Reagan assassination attempt John Hinckley had a copy of The Catcher in the Rye in his hotel room It was found after he fired six bullets at President Reagan

Catcher in the Rye4 Author -- J.D. Salinger Born in New York City, Jan. 1, 1919 Published The Catcher in the Rye in 1951 Catcher was banned in America after its first publication in 1951

Catcher in the Rye5 Salinger’s main character, Holden Caulfield, epitomizes the growing pains of an entire generation of high school students.

Catcher in the Rye6 Setting: New York City Holden is from a wealthy area of New York City Story is told over a three day period in December of the early 1950s Holden was kicked out of Pencey Prep

Catcher in the Rye7 What’s in a name? Hold-On Caul-field A “caul” is a membrane that covers the head of a fetus during birth. Thus, the caul in his name may symbolize the blindness of childhood or the inability of the child to see the complexity of the adult world. Holden’s full name might be read as Hold- on Caul-field: he wants to hold on to what he sees as his innocence, which is really his blindness.

Catcher in the Rye8 Characters Holden Caulfield Phoebe Caulfield Allie Caulfield Ackley Stradlater Jane Gallagher

Catcher in the Rye9 Holden Caulfield Protagonist and narrator Sixteen-year-old junior Just expelled for academic failure Extremely negative and judgmental Views the adult world as “Phony”

Catcher in the Rye10 Phoebe Caulfield  Holden's ten-year- old sister  Her childish innocence is one of Holden's only consistent sources of happiness  Phoebe seems to recognize that Holden is his own worst enemy

Catcher in the Rye11 Allie Caulfield Holden's younger brother Dies of leukemia three years before the start of the novel Holden carries around a baseball glove, which Allie used to write poems in green ink

Catcher in the Rye12 Ackley Holden's next-door neighbor in his dorm at Pencey Prep Pimply, insecure boy with terrible dental hygiene Often barges into Holden's room and acts completely oblivious to Holden's hints that he should leave

Catcher in the Rye13 Stradlater Holden's roommate at Pencey Prep Stradlater is sexually active and experienced for a prep school student Holden calls him a “sexy bastard”

Catcher in the Rye14 Jane Gallagher Girl with whom Holden spent a lot of time one summer Jane never actually appears in novel Extremely important to Holden because she is one of the few girls whom he both respects and finds attractive

Catcher in the Rye15 Symbols The “Catcher in the Rye” Holden’s Red Hunting Hat Museum

Catcher in the Rye16 More Symbols Ducks Baseball Mitt Carrousel

Catcher in the Rye17 Themes Belonging and Isolation Growing Up/Coming-of- Age Questioning Authenticity

Catcher in the Rye18 Belonging and Isolation Holden seems to be excluded from and victimized by the world around him Feels trapped on “the other side” of life Continually attempts to find his way in a world in which he feels he doesn’t belong

Catcher in the Rye19 Growing Up/Coming-of-Age Holden’s growth into maturity His central goal is to resist the process of maturity itself Tries to hold on to the innocence of childhood

Catcher in the Rye20 Questioning Authenticity “Phoniness” is one of Holden’s favorite concepts He believes that people in the world around him are: superficial, hypocritical, pretentious, and shallow Phoniness provides an excuse for Holden to withdraw into his cynical isolation

Catcher in the Rye21 Motifs Loneliness Relationships, intimacy, and sexuality Lying and Deception

Catcher in the Rye22 Loneliness: A driving force throughout the book Almost manic quest for companionship Holden darts from one meaningless human encounter to another

Catcher in the Rye23 Relationships, Intimacy, and Sexuality: Related to the larger theme of belonging and isolation Both physical and emotional relationships offer Holden opportunity to break out of his isolation Also represent what he fears most about the adult world: complexity, unpredictability, and potential for conflict and change

Catcher in the Rye24 Lying and Deception: Holden scorns people who think that they are something they are not or who refuse to acknowledge their own weaknesses He believes that lying to others is also a kind of phoniness Holden is guilty of both these crimes His random and repeated lying highlights his own self-deception