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Encyclopedia :
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The Catcher in the Rye |
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The Catcher in the RyeThe Catcher in the Rye is a novel by J. D. Salinger. Published in 1951, the novel remains controversial today, particularly in the United States, where it was the 13th most frequently challenged book of the 1990s, according to the American Library Association [1]. Its protagonist, Holden Caulfield, has become an icon for teenage angst. In the book, 17-year-old Caulfield relates his experiences of the previous year (when he was 16). Holden flunks out of Pencey Preparatory School after failing all of his subjects with the exception of English. Holden leaves for New York City, planning on spending a few days in the city before telling his parents that he has been kicked out of yet another school. The book, written in the first person, relates Holden's experiences in those days. Publishers Weekly reports that today the majority of readers of The Catcher in the Rye are women. Plot SummaryThe book covers the 48 hours in Holden's life after being kicked out of Pencey, a prep school, right before the Christmas holidays, c. 1949. Having been kicked out of many schools already and not wanting to face his parents, he decides to leave school early and spend a few days alone in New York City. Character ListThemesThe title refers to Holden's ideal job: To be a catcher in the rye. It is a misquote on his part of the line from the lyrical poem Comin' through the Rye by Robert Burns, "gin a body meet a body / comin' thro' the rye". It is a thought born of innocence trying to protect innocence. Holden imagines himself standing in a field of rye in which children are playing. In his imagination, there is a cliff just beside the field. He would stand in the field and catch the children if they came too close to the cliff, saving them from falling over it into adulthood - he would like to be, he says, "the catcher in the rye". This is a metaphor for children losing their innocence and growing up into the "phonies" Holden so despises. The book also deals with phoniness. Holden despises dishonesty and false pretenses, and throughout the book is frequently picking out the "phonies" he sees around him. As a teenage boy who is deeply troubled by his own depression and personal failings, Holden believes that most of the seemingly happy or successful people he encounters are either liars or ignorant. The irony of the book is that Holden flat-out refuses to consider that other people might have honest reasons for acting the way they do. He calls them "phony", but his entire narrative is a set of categorical judgements he makes without evidence: in other words, he is pretending to himself he is being honest and sees what others do not, presumably to reinforce his feelings of righteousness. Of all the "phonies" in the book, Holden is the biggest one. Another theme is Holden's alienation from society. StyleSarcasmThough the tone of the novel is gloomy, Holden's sarcastic comments add humor. When Holden watches some men unloading a Christmas tree while taking God's name in vain, he comments: "It certainly was a gorgeous way to talk about a Christmas tree". ControversyThe Catcher in the Rye has been shrouded in controversy almost since its beginning. The main reasons for banning it have been the use of offensive language, premarital sex, alcohol abuse, and prostitution. According to wildest theories the book is the FBI's or CIA's tool for illegal mind control, which turns everyday people into The Manchurian Candidate. Mark David Chapman, murderer of musician John Lennon, was carrying the book when he was arrested immediately after the murder and referred to it in his statement to police shortly thereafter. [1]. Even though many people like Mark David Chapman and John Hinckley (Reagan's assassin) have been know to carry this novel, there is a possible and logical reason for this, and not because they are "crazy". For the most part, these "crazy" people love this book because of the main character Holden Caulfield. Throughout the story, Holden is portrayed as a juvenile who rejects and is rejected by many peers and individuals. From this perspective, people like Chapman and Hinckley come to deeply relate themselves to Holden, the person that nobody understands and that can't understand anybody else. Referring back to a disputed question about this novel; is Holden a hero to be admired? This is where the serial killer relation comes into play. Those who have been known to be obsessed with this story and have gone on to commit criminal acts have done so not because they wish to for the sake of it but rather to glorify the character of Holden. These criminals believe that they personify Holden and that by doing something significant, they will make a hero out of Holden. Quoting Mark David Chapman, "I wanted to become just as famous as John Lennon." The 1997 Conspiracy Theory movie, featuring Mel Gibson, uses the book quite prominently, although it does not explicitly link the book's content to the theme of mind control. The anime series Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex has references to the book throughout the series. The main story arc involves the case of a cyber-terrorist known as The Laughing Man, and the use of symbolism referring to the novel as well as some quotes of it. The most notable quote is the one plastered on the Laughing Man logo: "I thought what I'd do was pretend I was one of those deaf-mutes". Time Period The Catcher in the Rye clearly takes places in the late 1940s to the early 1950s, which is about the time the novel was written. The death of Allie, Holden's younger brother, is given to be July 18, 1946 and it is stated Holden was thirteen at that time. It follows, therefore, that the bulk of the story takes place in approximately December of 1949 and the story's "present" is the summer of 1950. Memorable and Significant Quotes"I'm the most terrific liar you ever saw in your life. It's awful. If I'm on my way to the store to buy a magazine, even, and somebody asks me where I'm going, I'm liable to say I'm going to the opera."
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