Jd Salinger Essay, Research Paper

J.D. Salinger?s novel The Catcher in the Rye has been accused of excess vulgarity and

banned from highschool classrooms, however close examination reveals it is merely the

expression of a disturbed adolescent and therefore appropriate. Salinger?s background

and adolescence can be examined and compared to that of Holden Caulfield, the hero in

Catcher in the Rye, as well as Holden?s deep emotions and intense feelings in order to

fully understand why the language was used.

J.D. Salinger was born on January 1, 1919. His father was Jewish and was very

prosperous (Stevenson 14). When he was 13 in 1932, he attended McBurney school of

Manhattan and failed out of the school at the end of the first quarter. Then his father sent

him to Valley Forge Military Acadamy in Pennsylvania (Walters 21). A friend of his

recalled climbing over a fence with him in highschool and said, ?He was full of wit and

humor and sizzling wisecracks…I think he relized at that age he was more talented with

the pen then the rest of us.. his conversation was frequently laced with

sarcasm.?(Weinsteim 34).

Salinger has a very unique personality and differing views on the world. He has

been known to lie about his past, saying he played goalie for the Montreal Canadians, and

the Marx Brothers were always coming to his house when he was young (Walters 23). He

sees the world in views of allies and enemies. He has a good deal of natural style and a

cruel ear, he dislikes many previously stated ideas and is very opinionated (Kazin 67). His

zeal for privacy is unbievable, even though he is such a private person millions of teens

feel closer to him than any other writer (Lundquist 11). He cannot accept people who

seem to be dynamic worldshakers who are only motivated be materialistic goals. He

wants humans to have a sense of compassion (Stevenson 17). Salinger seems as if he

would be a republican because he would favor a party who completely supported stability.

He is against those who threaten the order and tranquility of the world (Kazin 70). He

does not hate the act of sex, itself but hates those who are promiscous individuals

( Lundquist 17).

One of Salinger?s most famous heroes in Holden Caulfield from his novel The

Catcher in the Rye . Holden later became the prototype for adolesvents who seemed

alienated or outcasts in the American generation of that time (Stevenson 18). In The

Catcher in the Rye, Salinger?s idea of recapturing childhood innocence is from mysticism (

Zen Buddisim) when an individual is isolated, then becomes enlightened and reenters the

world to teach others (bardrent 98). He also seems to create Holden in his image, as Ian

Hamilton states, ?When we knew Jerry he was Holden Caulfield…..he expressed surprise

when I recognized him as Holden. I guess he never knew his adolescence( Stevenson 19).

The novel seemed to represent the counter-cultural trends of the media ( Lundquist 21).