Introduction to “The Catcher in the Rye” and Background Information on Its Author

“That stuff bores me” – J. D. Salinger

If you have happened to stumble upon my blog, welcome. If you haven’t already guessed, I will be writing this blog as an analysis and personal response of a book that was written by a dude who has been described as a “recluse” or a “hermit” but who will also accept the title “American Author.” If you still have no idea what book I’m talking about, it’s “The Catcher in the Rye,” by J. D. Salinger. He just turned 100, by the way, but he’s dead now. Next month I will also write about “The Perks of being a Wallflower,” which I know nothing about at the moment (besides the fact that it’s another coming of age novel), but you can stick around if you’re interested. Anyway, I thought I would use this first post to introduce the book and give some background on Salinger (as if that weren’t obvious, given the title). Here it goes.

One thing that many people don’t know is that Salinger first wrote “I’m Crazy,” a short story about Holden Caulfield that was published in the magazine “Collier” in the December of 1945. “The Catcher in the Rye” wasn’t published as a novel until 1951, six years later (but I’m getting ahead of myself). Let’s backtrack to 1950, when Salinger met 16-year-old Claire Douglas, who dropped out of high school to move in with him. Five years later, they married and she provided him with two kids, but she divorced him in 1967 because he believed that women were impure, so he remained abstinent. In 1972, 18-year old Joyce Maynard left Yale to move in with Salinger, but that only lasted 8 months. She never returned to Yale. Salinger’s last wife was 25 when they married in 1988 (he was 65). She was only 47 years young when he died. Have you noticed a pattern? If you have any questions, you may confer with my source. To contact them, follow the link provided:

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/entertainment/spotlight/the-odd-life-of-catcher-in-the-rye-author-jd-salinger/ar-BBRFzIM?li=BBoPJKU

Now for the actual book. “The Catcher in the Rye” is about a boy named Holden Caulfield, who has mastered the art of failing and is bored with just about everything. Also, he is writing the book from a “rest home,” which is assumedly an asylum. One last thing. Holden basically suffers from Gerascophobia, which is the fear of growing up, and he likes to hang out with young people. Sound familiar? Thought so. Well, that’s all you get to know for now. Stick around or more lit information. Talk to you later;)