Study Guide: The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger (Second Edition, Revised and Expanded)

By Robert Crayola

Few novels have affected readers (especially young people) like J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye. With this new guide, you will have an even greater understanding of the book. Included in this guide: a biography of author J.D. Salinger, a look at the book's context, its literary elements, detailed chapter summaries, analysis, and suggestions for essays. This is the definitive guide to The Catcher in the Rye, concise, easy to understand, and guaranteed to add to your enjoyment of this classic story. The second edition of this bestselling guide is completely revised and expanded with 20% more material than the first edition.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Robert Crayola
• Release date: Sep 1, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370649525

Robert Crayola

Robert Crayola is the author of numerous educational guides and videos, plus the following works: COMICS Prince Pander (2014) The Pubic War (2015) Batman LSD: The Living Nightmare (2016) Star Wars: Vader & Son (2016) ILLUSTRATED BOOKS & STORIES William Blake's Songs of Innocence and Experience (2011) The Little Girl and the Little Boy (2016) The Past is Still Happening (2016) There Is No Government (2016) SHORT FICTION Savage Tales (2013) DRAMA 18 Plays For Untalented Actors (2012) NONFICTION Cheat Codes For Life (2010) FICTION Dr. Jew (2010) Ueda Sensei Solves Crimes of Depravity and Perversity (2011) Ueda Sensei Vomits on the Garbage of Humanity (2012) Ueda Sensei Castrates the Insidious Underground (2013) SHORT TEXTS Prayer Magic: Conversations With Reality (2008) Vipassana Meditation: My Experiences at a 10-Day Retreat (2012) ALBUMS Alpha Cat (2011)

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Study Guide:

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

(Second Edition, Revised and Expanded)

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2014, 2017 Adam Savage

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CONTENTS

Introduction

The Elements of Literature

Characters

Chapter Summaries & Commentary

Critical Questions & Essay Topics

Conclusion

INTRODUCTION

The first edition of my study guide to The Catcher in the Rye remains the bestselling and definitive guide to J.D. Salinger's classic novel. Since its release, however, new information has come to light about Salinger's life. This new edition of the guide incorporates this information. Additionally, this guide is the surest way to add to your understanding of the novel and get you thinking about its deeper dimensions. We will examine it from a variety of angles and this will be beneficial whether you are totally new to the book or have already familiarized yourself with the text.

The Catcher in the Rye has been a bestseller for nearly seventy years now, with over 65 million copies published. Something about the book has touched a chord with readers, especially young people. We'll try to find out what its appeal is in this guide.

Let's begin our study by looking at the book's author, J.D. Salinger.

AUTHOR: Jerome David Salinger was born in New York City on January 1, 1919. He was raised Jewish but would later learn that his mother wasn't actually Jewish. He attended both public and private schools for high school, where he was active in numerous clubs. He also published in school newspapers, managed the fencing team, and took part in theater groups. It is worth noting, however, that there were no signs of the genius found in many of his characters (particularly the Glass family).

After high school, Salinger began college at NYU but soon dropped out. He tried to make it in the meat-packing industry, even going to Austria for the business, but he quickly returned just before the Nazis annexed Austria.

He began college once more in Pennsylvania and again dropped out. He continued writing, however, and took a writing class at Columbia University. He had his first story professionally published in Story magazine in 1940. He would submit stories to the New Yorker and finally had Slight Rebellion off Madison accepted, but because of the war references, it was not published until 1946. It featured the character of Holden Caulfield, later the narrator in The Catcher in the Rye.

In 1942 Salinger began dating Oona O'Neill, daughter of the playwright Eugene O'Neill. The relationship did not last long, for Salinger was drafted in 1942. He served active duty during several major battles in World War II. While in Europe, he arranged to meet Ernest Hemingway, whom he respected. Hemingway saw great promise in the young writer and encouraged him.

Salinger continued to write and submit stories during the war, but he suffered a great deal of traumatic stress. When the war ended, he married a German woman and returned with her to the U.S. The marriage failed after eight months and she returned to Germany.

Salinger tried to have a book of stories published at this time, but the deal fell through. He continued to write and publish, and with the publication in The New Yorker of A Perfect Day for Bananafish he secured a contract with the magazine