J. D. Salinger
J. D. Salinger was a very controversial writer. He was controversial in his lifetime and even today some of his writings would be considered controversial. He wrote many things about the problems the soldiers of WWII encountered during the war and after it, such as losing their jobs and the post war syndrome, which affected their minds. He also wrote many things about the conflicts in society in his novel, The Catcher in the Rye, which depicted the problems of a teenager at a prep school and after. A lot of Salinger's writings can be tied to his own personal experiences. Therefore, in this paper I will show that Salinger has many symbolism's in his writings including many of them being his own personal experiences. Salinger was born on January 1, 1919 . He was the son of a Jewish father and a Christian mother. He grew up in Manhattan, the younger of two children. He attended a variety of prep schools, and received average grades. He was expelled from three different prep schools and finally graduated from Valley Forge Military Academy in 1936. His experiences throughout his first years of schooling were how he got many of his views of society and the world. In one of his most famous novels, Catcher in
ple and very insecure. She alienates herself from society by believing that she is better that everyone else. Because of Muriel's personality, Seymour cannot confide in her or feel any love in his marriage. This is why he turns to the little girl at the beach for companionship. Seymour finds a friend and a listener in Sybil. But the friendship of Sybil cannot mend Seymour's broken heart. He gains some strength in himself when he finds a friend in Sybil, but he cannot seem to get past his failed marriage. Seymour is so desperate for love that he commits suicide. Salinger is not in such a horrible situation but he still seems like he is an outcast from society, this is why he can write about these characters, from the past experiences he has had, probably from his childhood. This story along with, "For Esme with Love and Squalor" are about the war. In Esme it starts with a sergeant X, in WWII Salinger was a staff sergeant such as the one in this story. This story along with ! Westbrook, Max. , "J(erome) D(avid) Salinger" Contemporary Literary Criticism. Ed. C. Riley. Vol. 1, Detroit, Michigan: Gale Research Co., 1973, 84. Vols. 295-300 Hart, James D. "Salinger, J(erome) D(avid)." Oxford Companion to American Literature, ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Salinger, J(erome) D(avid)." Contemporary Authors. EDS. " Catcher in the Rye is an intimate examination of basic human issues such as honesty, love, and religion, within Salinger's larger theme of alienation" (Lyner 96). The Catcher in the Rye is the story of a sixteen-year-old boy named Holden Caulfield and his coming-of-age. Holden is the son of wealthy parents who live near Central Park in New York. He narrates the story from a psychiatric institution near Hollywood. The story is of three days of Holden's life after he is expelled from Pencey Preparatory School because he failed four out of five of his classes. The novel begins with a flashback to the days before he is expected to be home for Christmas vacation. Salinger shows life at Pencey Preparatory from Holden's perspective. Holden leaves the school early and plans to spend time on his own in New York City. Though Holden does have friends at school and in New York, he is plagued with loneliness and alienation. Salinger wrote about many misfits of society, and people who just could not fit in. They have been rejected by society, one of these sto
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Approximate Word count = 1635
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)
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