JD Salinger

J.D. Salinger’s novel The Catcher in the Rye has been accused of excess vulgarity and banned from highschool classrooms, however close examination reveals it is merely the expression of a disturbed adolescent and therefore appropriate. Salinger’s background and adolescence can be examined and compared to that of Holden Caulfield, the hero in Catcher in the Rye, as well as Holden’s deep emotions and intense feelings in order to fully understand why …

…of recapturing childhood innocence is from mysticism ( Zen Buddisim) when an individual is isolated, then becomes enlightened and reenters the world to teach others (bardrent 98). He also seems to create Holden in his image, as Ian Hamilton states, “When we knew Jerry he was Holden Caulfield.....he expressed surprise when I recognized him as Holden. I guess he never knew his adolescence( Stevenson 19). The novel seemed to represent the counter-cultural trends of the media ( Lundquist 21).