The Catcher in the Rye

1
Introduction

• The Catcher in the Rye
• By J.D. Salinger

2
Holden Caufield

• Central character
• Presents a view of America in the late 1940s and
  early 1950s
• the schools
• the urban experience
• family relationships
• peer influences
• personal values

3
Realism

• Novel offers realism in its use of
• Language
• Social criticism where it is due
• Presentation of real problems which adolescents
  face in process of achieving maturity

4
Romanticism

• Book offers romanticism in its view of
• Innocence of childhood
• Quest for truth
• Idealizing of the past
• Emphasis on individual discovery growth

5
Frame Story

• Salinger uses the frame story
• arrangement for the novel.

6
Outside Framework

• Rest home from which Holden begins his story
  and ends his story (told to a psychoanalyst and
  the reader)
• Recounting events that lead up to his going to
  the rest home

Angry?
Crazy?
Sad?
7
Outside Framework

• Purposes
• Establish time frames
• Define the narrator or storyteller
• Set mood for rest of novel
• Prepare reader for the inside narrative

8
Inside Framework

• Inside story Holdens own narrative
• Flashbacks of events
• Madman stuff that led to his arrival at rest
  home

9
Inside Framework

• Narrative in 1st person tone is confessional
  confidential
• Reader sees what Holden thinks about in a random
  association of ideas
• Holden repeats conversations
• Holden presents memories of earlier events in the
  middle of his story
• Holden speaks in language that is real (slang)

10
Genres

• Quest narrative story in which central character
  is searching for something (person, location,
  abstract ideal)

11
Genres

• Picaresque episodic plot, usually 1st person
  autobiographical central figure is vagabond or
  wanderer who travels about having a loosely
  connected series of adventures in various places

12
Genres

• Psychological story focuses on internal
  psychological aspects of central character, yet
  still mixes outer narrative