Catcher In The Rye Psychology

A wife witnessed her husband being murdered. A man bullied all throughout his life. An orphaned girl lost both parents to a car accident. Traumatic experiences, such as these, impact people in many ways. Author J.D. Salinger explores how one sixteen year old boy goes through many incidents that ultimately lead him to a mental breakdown. In his novel, The Catcher in the Rye, the protagonist has close similarities with Salinger, who emphasizes the impact of psychological issues throughout the socially conservative 1950s. J.D. Salinger’s upbringing was not typical for a famous and noteworthy author. Jerome David (J.D.) Salinger was born on January 1, 1919, in New York, New York. J.D. Salinger, also known as “Sony,” was the youngest of two children

Salinger lived in, which was a socially conservative era. During the 1950s, “... the United States were marked by social conservatism, and while his novel lauded by many, it was condemned by others for its sometimes crude language and social criticism” (“J.D.,” Gale 1424). Salinger’s novel was the complete opposite of conserved. It was filled with inappropriate behavior, sexual experiences, as well as unsettling thoughts and actions. For example, after not paying a prostitute the required amount “... he [Maurice] smacked me. I didn’t even try to get out of the way or duck or anything” (Salinger 103). This is one of the reasons that many parents and teachers did not let children and students read or have the novel. Salinger has spoken on the issue, saying “I’m aware that many of my friends will be saddened and shocked, or shock-saddened, over some of the chapters in The Catcher in the Rye. Some of my best friends are children. It’s almost unbearable for me to realize that my book will be kept on a shelf out of reach” (“Catcher” 116). Moreover, the baby boom that occured from the 1940s to 1960s, caused parents to be more attentive of the younger generation (“Catcher” 125). To parents, at this time, college education meant prosperity (“Catcher” 125). In the novel, Holden Caulfield does not care about his education or doing well in school, which is why he is expelled. To teens and the younger generation, Holden was

Salinger’s life and the novel. The main protagonist, Holden Caulfield, resembles Salinger, from his thoughts to actions. The controversial novel was almost kept out of reach from young adults due to the very conserved time period. This disputed novel highlights the importance of mental health and the effects of psychological damage. The important themes presented in the novel and the relatable characters makes this book unique and popular. After moving to New Hampshire in 1953, Salinger spent his remaining life secluded from the public eye until his death in 2010 (“Catcher” 116). It is said that there are many short stories that he refused to republish while he was still alive (“Catcher” 117). Even though Salinger has no other literary works being published, his novel The Catcher in the Rye will forever be in literary history.

Works Cited

Bennett, Robert. “Critical Essay on The Catcher in the Rye.” Novels for Students, edited by Diane Telgen, vol. 1, Gale, 1997, pp. 127-130.

Blackstock, Alan. “J. D. Salinger.” Magil’s Survey of American Literature, edited by Steven G. Kellman, Revised edition, vol. 5, Salem Press, 2007, pp. 2247-2255.

“J. D. Salinger.” Biography on the Web, A&E Television Networks, 24 Jan. 2018, https://www.biography.com/people/jd-salinger-9470070.

“J. D. Salinger.” Gale Contextual Encyclopedia of American Literature, vol. 4, Gale, 2009, pp.