Catcher+in+the+Rye

From Tian Liu, your future Eagle

//**The Catcher in the Rye**// is a novel by J.D. Salinger. The novel is a bildungsroman in which the protagonists embarks in a journey of growth. The content of the story was originally intended for adult audiences. Today, this has become a major component of high school and college English curriculum.

Author

Jerome David Salinger was born on January 1, 1919 in New York City. He was the second child of Sol Salinger and Marie Jilich. As a child, he lived in the West Side of Manhattan and attended public schools. In 1934, his father sent him to the Valley Forge Military Academy in Pennsylv ania, where Salinger proved to be an active student. Before graduating in 1936, he participated in numerous extracurricular activties, contributed to the scho o l's literary magazine, and wrote the school's anthem.

In 1938, Salinger enrolled in Ursinus College, where he only stayed for one semester because of his dislike for formal education. His feelings toward academics are often reflected in his literary works, such as The Catcher in the Rye. Salinger joined the military in 1941 and served until the end of World War II. During his military campaign, he continued to write, carrying a portable typewriter wherever he went. After returning to the United States, Salinger began his career as a fiction writer. In 1951, The Catcher in the Rye was published. The struggles of the rebellious adolescent Holden Caulfield quickly quickly gained national recognition among young people.

Today, Salinger enjoys his private, undisturbed life in New Hamphire, awaiting his death.

Plot

On a Saturday evening, Holden Caulfield receives a notice of expulsion at Pencey Prep, the fourth school he has failed. Later that night, Holden starts an argument with his roomate, Stradlater, who comes back after a date with Holden's ex-girlfriend, Jane Gallagher. Their argument becomes physical and Stradlater gives Holdena bloody nose. Fed up with Pencey, Holden decides to travel back home to Manhattan three days earlier.

In his first night, Holden takes a train to New York and rides a cab to a hotel. In his hotel room, Holden observes the people living in the building opposite from him through his window. After being aroused by a couple spitting drinks at each other, he calls a girl who he believes to be a stripper. When the girl tries to set up a meeting in the morning, Holden hangs up. Holden takes a cab to a club, where he runs into his brother's ex-girlfriend. He decides to walk back to the hotel where he has an unfortunate evening with the elevator operator and his prostitute.

The next morning, Holden arranges a meeting with Sally, a girl he used to date. He takes a cab to Central Park to look for his little sister, Phoebe. When he couldn't find her, he takes cab to go see the play with Sally. Their date ends badly when Sally is repulsed by Holden and leaves. Holden calls his former student advisor, Carl Luce, to meet up for drinks after dinner. Again, Holden ruins the meeting with his immature remarks and Luce requests to leave early. Holden makes a trip to Central Park to see the ducks. Holden sneaks into his parents' apartment to talk to Phoebe. He tells her about his dream of being "the catcher in the rye", catching little children before they fall off a cliff.

Holden visits Phoebe's school the next day to leave her note telling her to meeting him at the museum. When she arrives, the day is no longer as Holden expected as he begins to see a different side of life.

Major Characters

Holden is the protagonist and the narrator of the story. He is sixteen year old and has trouble staying in school. He is a naive and troubled child, who struggles to find the right path to follow. His journey is made more difficult by the "phoniness" of the people around him.
 * Holden Caulfield**

Phoebe is only person who cares about Holden and the only person Holden trusts. Although she is much younger than Holden, she acts as a guiding light for him. While Holden struggles to mature, Phoebe understands the necessity of growing up.
 * Phoebe Caulfield**

Quote

//"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 over 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." //
 * ~Holden Caulfield **

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