Catcher in the Rye

J.D. Salinger, author of The Catcher In The Rye, has sparked endless debate with his novel ever since its publication in 1951. A piece of writing by Nash K. Burger appeared in the 1951 July 16th edition of the New York Times; he said, “This was a perilous undertaking, but one that has been successfully achieved. Mr. Salinger's rendering of teen-age speech is wonderful: the unconscious humor, the repetitions, the slang and profanity, the emphasis, all are just right. Holden's mercurial changes of mood, his stubborn refusal to admit his own sensitiveness and emotions, his cheerful disregard of what is sometimes known as reality are typically and heart breakingly adolescent.” The main character in the novel, Holden Caulfield arguably becomes more and more psychologically unstable as the story continues. The reasoning behind Holden’s mental breakdowns are caused by his unique circumstances which include the death of a brother, self destruction, and his constant obsession and fear of adulthood.

PLOT SUMMARY

Three years before the novel takes place Holden’s older brother, Allie, died of leukemia. The death of an older sibling handled by a 13 year-old is not an easy situation to deal with. Holden speaks about Allie often and with much pride. He informs readers that Allie was the smartest of the Caulfield family. Toward the end of the novel when asked something he actually likes Holden replies ‘Allie’ and his younger sister Phoebe says back to him, “Allie’s dead!” It seems as though Holden still has not gotten over the death of his brother, most likely someone he looked up too. In a description of his family, Holden says, “She (his mother) hasn’t felt too healthy since my brother Allie died. She’s real nervous.” (Salinger, 107).

In Eric Lomazoff’s “The Praises and Criticisms of J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye,” Lomazoff speaks of Holden’s mental attitude and how it affects his relationship with society, “Caulfield's self-destruction over a period of days...