Plot Overview

Story begins with the main protagonist, Holden Caulfield,

immediately getting kicked out of Pencey Prep in Agerstown,
Pennsylvania. Holden at this point has experienced getting
kicked out many times, usually from failing every class, along
with his personality aiding. The day Holden was kicked out
from the school, includes the same day a Football game, which
only came back to school after leaving equipment on a subway
for the Fencing team. Holden then returns to his dormitory that
he shares with two people, Ackley and Stradlater. Ackleys
face is covered in pimples, along with having an obnoxious
attitude. Stradlater, opposite of Ackley, has a pretty face, but
secretly hides his true self within himself. Stradlater also
pardons himself with dating Jane Gallagher, a person of
interest to Holden who hopes Stradlater doesnt do anything
terrible. After getting tired of living in the dormitories, Holden
decides to take a subway to New York City, New York. There
he checks into Edmont Hotel since he tries to avoid his
parents apartment who dislike Holden getting constantly
kicked out of schools. Holden goes into the lobby to the
Lavender Room where he dances with woman only interested
in famous people. After getting tired, he thinks of Jane more,
how she represents one of the most wonderful people in
existence, aside from other people in the world, who he
believes are phony. fake. Being driven to another bar where a
pianist with no talent plays, while getting intoxicated. A
conundrum begins when a prostitute demands more money
than the service Holden paid for, even though Holden only
wanted to conversate with her. Tired of the night, Holden goes
to sleep to then hang out with an old friend who he gets upset
with. Bored, Holden walks all the way to his parents house to
visit his younger sister, Phoebe. To his luck, his parents were
not home which allowed a conversation with Phoebe about
things in their life, including academically and personally.
Leaving the house, Holden meets a teacher to his surprise is a
pervert. All in the same day, Phoebe meets up with Holden
who wants to run away with him, but Holden prevents her,
which leads to tears. Finally, Holden decides to go home and
put an end to his long journey in New York.

About the Author

J.D. Salinger was born in January 1, 1919 in New
York. Growing as the son of a rabbi, Salinger
McBurney School in New York, where he flunked to
then be shipped to Valley Forge Military Academy.
After Forge, Salinger, with support from his father,
visited Europe to learn different languages, to then
end up back in American soil before stopping in a
New York University. There he met the editor of
Story magazine who inspired Salinger to become a
writer. After the University, Salinger was drafted to
World War II, crafting The Catcher in The Rye.
Salingers personal life was filled with divorce and
heartbreak, but left the world on January 27, 2010
knowing two offsprings would remain in place.
Other works Salinger created are Franny and Zooey,
Raise the High Roof Beam, Carpenters, and short
story Hapworth. Speculation also exists of Salinger
still working on other works since Hapworth, with
having as many as 10 finished novels, along with
some unfinished.

Historical Context
By being in World War II, it inspired the author to
create a story around the main protagonist, Holden
Caulfield. Salingers novel was published in 1951 in
The New Yorker magazine with over 65 million
copies being sold. The novel also represents aspects
from Salingers personal life, along with having
different love interests, being in different schools,
and being very unique. Although, Salinger became
the forefront for any new literature work, inspiring
other authors, but also being titled immoral with the
main protagonists beliefs. Then, many murderers
were found to hold the book, including Mark David
Chapman, who told people his thought of murder
came from the novel itself.

Novel Notes
The Catcher In
The Rye
J.D.Salinger
Julio Serrano
Period 2
25 September 2015

Essential Quotes
I think if you really dont like the girl, you
shouldnt horse around with her at all, and if you do
like her, youre supposed to like their face, and if
you like her face, you ought to be careful about
doing crumby stuff to it, like squirting water all
over it (Salinger 62).
Just as someday, if you have something to offer,
someone will learn something from you. Its a
beautiful reciprocal arrangement. And it isnt
education. Its history. Its poetry (189)
Salinger, "J.D Salinger Biography." Bio.com. A&E
Networks Television, n.d. Web. 06 Oct. 2015.
J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown,
1991. Print.

Character Analysis

Themes

Holden Caulfield: The main protagonist has a very

unique personality, especially with the main idea of
most people he has met with are false. Holden also
has ideals and well morals of women and how to
treat them, but also despises almost everything.
People, certain attitudes of people, the way they
dress, and they way they speak bothers Holden due
to him believing everything people do are fake with
an unreasonable doubt. Then, having deep emotional
confrontations, with most things making him
depressed, crying at random opportunities, and
rarely being happy. Typically, Holden does not say
anything that is on his mind, as to keep things
normal with other people, but very few times speaks
with no filters. Any encounter with Holden are
mystified about him, either with a childish like traits
shown, educated, or perverted. Along with no viable
looks about himself, except about wearing gloves
sometimes, or a red hunter hat.

Deception: Throughout the novel, the main

protagonist frequently calls many people phony, for
being too happy, kind, or caring. Holdens life
revolves around this, since it is one of his main
morals in life. A person in other peoples eyes seem
kind and with heart, but Holden still considers that
person as false. People who wouldnt be considered
phony are typically other people with obnoxious,
irritating, mean, rude, and strange personalities. The
whole idea of phonies surround Holdens lifestyle,
which lead to his common depression, or his own
ideas of what he would do in certain scenarios. They
can involve wanting to murder someone, start an
argument with another person, or speak with no
filter in conversations with other people.

Depression: Often times, some activities or actions

done by other people frequently depress Holden,
which are indicated by the phrasedepressing me or
even more depressed. Depression keeps getting
Phoebe Caulfield: Only sister of Holden Caulfield
stacked, upon more stacks, which get released in
appears in the novel towards the end with
rare moments when Holden cries for no reason.
representing few traits similar to Holden. Phoebe
Most of life, especially when the one he lives in
develops a habit of writing stories, typically never
causes an abundance of depression.Although Holden
finishing them, but typically has no filter as well, for retains no filter, he can be sensitive at times, even
being younger. She has light short red hair, roller
when he shows no indication of it. The feeling of
skate skinny, blue pajamas with elephants on the
Depression catches up with Holden, possibly being
collar, and Holdens hunting hat. Her morals are
the sole reason that causes his unique personality of
more similar to a nice kid, aspiring to do great
viewing the world surrounded by constant phonies.
things, being an attentive listener, and not doing
He attempts to make something out of it, but cannot
anything bad. Phoebe also retains a position of being when trapped by his own depression such as
the closest to Holden, from any other sibling of
attempting to have fun in the city, when he is
Holden. Some of her traits include being
constantly around people who bring a negative view
affectionate, strange, kind, and stubborn.
on him. Time becomes an enemy of Holden since
that is what causes him to have such strong opinion.

Motifs and Symbols

Hunter Hat(Symbol): With everything Holden does while
in New York or at Pencey, he always keeps the hat intact,
one of the few things he cares about. The protagonists
hunter hat provides protection from rain, slightly, but
avoids wearing it around people he knows. Wearing the
hat amongst others causes a sense of embarrassment,
creating more depression, but allows Holden to have
something valuable, and dear to him.
Pencey(Motif): Pencey provided a weird environment
from other schools, even though they all shared similar
aspects, such as certain traits of people in people of
Pencey. Ackley and Stradlater provide ground or a basis
as to what Holden thinks about when he thinks about that
school. Sometimes Holden even misses the school and
its people, even a happier feeling than other schools. The
school provides a slight relief from the weight of the
world.
The Catcher in The Rye(Motif): A moment in the book
where he visits an old teacher towards the end in the
novel when Holden is asked what he would enjoy doing.
Being a catcher in the rye indicates that when people go
near a rye, a cliff, that Holden would be there to catch
them, bring them to safety. Holden talks about leaving
the city life to leave farm folk, or a scenario where he has
a repetitive argument with a stranger. This represents
something Holden would find enjoyable, that would
closely resemble any career
Jane Gallagher(Symbol): Holden often thinks back to this
person of interest, someone different and unique to
anyone he has ever met. He extremely cares for her, with
an exception of Phoebe who he loves in similarity. In the
novel, Holden wants to call her many times, but decides
against it in order to not disturb her, as to other people he
does not care and calls anyhow. Jane is the angel who
can provide a safe haven for Holden in the phony world
he truly believes exists in for the rest of his days