The Catcher in the Rye

1. The Catcher in the Rye J.D. Salinger

2. Journal Requirements Front Cover: Author/Title + Images that represent Holden + Symbols/Motifs Children/Adolescents/Adults: Create a chart that allows you to keep track of the children, adolescents, and adults that appear throughout the novel. Discuss how these characters are described to act, etc.

3. Journal Requirements Double Entry Journal: For each chapter, select two quotes to discuss and analyze. When analyzing the quote, discuss how it relates to the themes, characters, symbols, or motifs of the novel.

4. Conformist v. Phony Venn Diagram • Conformist: • Phony: Compare and contrast the two: ______ is to be ______ while _______ is _____. Comment as to which you feel is better/worse and explain why.

5. Background Catcher in the Rye, written by J.D. Salinger, was published in 1951. It is the story of a boy named Holden Caulfield, a troubled teenager, who is dissatisfied with life and society. Holden Caulfield has become the archetype for the angry and alienated teenager.

6. The Catcher in the Rye Has sold over 65 million copies world wide Despite its popular success, the critical response to The Catcher in the Rye was slow in getting underway. One of the most frequently challenged books in library history because of sex and vulgar language. Named one of the best novels of the 20th century by Time Magazine.

7. Reasons for Banning? • Until 2006, Catcher was one of the most frequently banned books. • Mark David Chapman (assassin of John Lennon) and John Hinckley Jr. (attempted assassin of President Ronald Reagan) both had copies of the book in their pockets when they were arrested.

8. Catcher & John Lennon: On December 8, 1980 Mark David Chapman killed John Lennon outside his Dakota apartment building. He was carrying a copy of The Catcher in the Rye with him at the time of the murder and even sat down and read a few pages following the shooting, while waiting for the police to arrive. He was obsessed with the book and Holden Caulfield and believed that the book expressed who he was. He thought of himself as a catcher in the rye and thought he needed to kill John Lennon, who he saw as a “phony”. Part of his statement following the murder is as follows: Then this morning I went to the bookstore and bought The Catcher in the Rye. I’m sure the large part of me is Holden Caulfield, who is the main person in the book. The small part of me must be the Devil.

9. The Catcher in the Rye Tells the story of a teenager expelled from his high school and his journey across NYC in the 1950’s. Issues discussed in the book include: school, teachers, music, sex, alcohol, hypocrisy, family, and being a teenager. A story is about Holden Caulfield, the 16 year old protagonist of the novel, and his experiences in school and New York City. The book is written from his point of view, following his thoughts and memories. As a result, the reader must decide what is real and what is being distorted.

10. Similarities between J.D. Salinger and Catcher in the Rye J.D. Salinger attended prep schools in NYC and flunked out of McBurney School at 13 He attended Valley Forge Military Academy and graduated at 15 He has been referred to as a terrible liar, though this is difficult to prove/disprove Alienation from society– Salinger seems determined to keep his life private from outsiders.

11. Themes The Catcher in the Rye is a novel written from a teenage boy’s perspective, so readers must be able to take his experiences and figure out their deeper meaning. The novel mainly focuses on these subjects: Innocence Phoniness Alienation Corruption Happiness / Fulfillment Sexuality Knowledge

12. Course Themes Within Catcher BILDUNGSROMAN Conformity vs. Resistance Identity Formation Perception of Truth Changes in Values over Time Watch for these themes during your reading of the novel. You will be expected to pull examples of each theme out of the novel.

13. Symbols Look for particular objects, clothing choices, and locations that may serve as symbols throughout the novel.

14. Motifs Loneliness Relationships, Intimacy, and Sexuality Lying and Deception

15. What to look for while reading? This novel is a character study of Holden. Analyze Holden’s motivations, his personality, and his mental stability. What’s Holden’s deal? Is there something wrong with him (is he crazy?) or is he a just a normal teenager?

16. Holden’s Psychological Traits Exaggeration Depression Isolation/Alienation Violent Outbursts Lying Nervousness Fantasy World Emotional Instability Immature Relationships w/ Women Hypocrisy