In 1945, a novel was published that would forever change the way society views itself. The book, entitled The Catcher in the Rye, would propel a man named Jerome David Salinger to fame as one of the most famous authors of the twentieth century. This same man, not ten years after the publication and while still in the peak of his career, would depart from this society- the one that he so greatly changed leaving nothing but his literature to be his lasting voice. However one may view this mysterious life of J. D. Salinger, there is but one thing for certain: J. D. Salinger has provided the reader with a controversial look at society which is greatly enhanced by the integration of his own life experiences, dialect and religious philosophies into his stories.

"Salinger was the greatest mind ever to stay in prep school." -Norman Mailer (qtd. in "Salinger" SSC 291)

The story of J. D. Salinger begins in downtown New York, NY, where he was born on January 1, 1919. Little is known about his early childhood, but his parents; Sol and Miriam, were known to be of upper-middle class stature and the family dwelled in downtown

There is no doubt that The Catcher in the Rye had a huge effect on the generation that embraced it, so I began by questioning Nace about what he thought could have caused such an effect on our generation and the generation of the Fifties. Almost instantaneously Nace replied that Salinger identified a need, the need for acceptance and love that seemed absent to this generation that lacked a real family and the unconditional love that such a family would bring. What Salinger did was make the story much like reality with even the popular people struggling for meaning and love. Through these characters, Salinger conveyed his messages. Each character represented a message. Through the eyes of the main character, Holden Caulfield, the reader is meets Sally Hayes, a beautiful girl who represents the shallowness of society and with Robert Ackley, the class nerd, who embodies the equality Salinger advocates amongst the different classes of society. Another character technique of Salinger's is the incorporation of children into each of his stories. Holden's little sister, Pheobe, is an ancient soul of six years and perfectly demonstrates childhood innocence. Salinger, then, uses his child figures to deomonstate how innocence is lost in the hassle of everyday life. Nace goes on to expand by stating that children are always a symbol and reality of hope, the hope that is eventually lost in a society that no longer cares. Salinger writes of a society that no longer holds true to the moral codes of yesteryear but instead shows no respect for anyone. This downward spiral of society can even be seen in the language that is integrated into the work. With the use of a rich New York dialect and the use of some popular language of the time, Salinger is able to connect these characters to the reader. Nace stated that "the dialect and language was [Salinger's] way of making the work true and accessible to those readers who could relate." The language seemed to strengthen the constant narrative dialogue but equally to force the reader to focus on key parts of the novel. This method is the author's way of pointing the reader's headin the diction he himself chooses. This society frustrates Holden to the point that he fanaticizes that he be a "catcher" in the playground of a rye field that sits next to a cliff. Holden dreams of letting the children in the playground play until one got too close to the cliff and he is there to catch the children before they fall off. The allusion is Salinger's way of showing that society does need to care. Even Holden, who can almost not bear to live, still want's to save the virginity of innocence for his little sister. The symbolism begins to become abundant. At this point Holden has evolved into a much more mature character than is first presented to the reader. "His hope becomes the Christ figure," says Nace. He wants what is best for the children and his society but in the long run it is this same society that holds Holden back. Holden never loses sight, but at the end he winds up in a mental institution. This ending resembles Salinger's own true life story in a way as he is now living in seclusion in upstate New York and has made no statement or appearance in the last fifteen years.

French, Warren. J. D. Salinger. Boston: Twayne Publishers; 1976.

"Salinger, J. D.," Contemporary Authors Vol. 5-8. Eds. Barbara Harte, Carolyn Riley. Detroit, Michigan: Gale Research Company; 1969. pp. 997-999

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 2577
Approximate Pages = 10 (250 words per page double spaced)