Sean Pantea Mrs. Cox English 3 April 10, 2015 Research Paper: The Catcher in the Rye An American Classic is described as being exemplary or noteworthy. It is a piece of work that will live long throughout its time, and will continue to be noticed for many years to come. In J.D. Salinger’s, The Catcher in the Rye, the authors background, the novel’s historical time period, and the novel’s key literary devices help develop and shape this classic American novel. The author, J.D. Salinger, was quite different from those of his time. He was born January 1, 1919, in New York City. He was not necessarily a great student because, “Salinger had a great deal of difficulty getting along in both public and prep school…” (“J.D. Salinger”). He did not …show more content…
His father was an importer of meats and cheese, who was married to a Scots-Irish wife. Salinger was one of two children, along side with his sister, Doris Salinger. He attended many schools growing up, mainly because he could not stay in a single school for too long before being kicked out of it. It was said by his teachers that he was very intelligent, but he never had any motivation to complete his school work. However, being kicked out of schools wasnt all for nothing, considering he later published an American Classic after he said he was going to do so. An american classic that revolves around the plot of the protagonist being kicked out of his school. Salinger was not the greatest student in schools, but that does not mean he was …show more content…
Readers are able to connect and even see a new way of being through him. It seems as if it is very personal, because “The reader, as his constant companion, shares his every thought and adventure,” (Young Readers).This was a very creative way that Salinger wrote in, because it gives a whole new experience of relating to the book. Salinger wrote the protagonist to feel almost as a friend to the reader. The way he speaks also points readers towards agreeing with him, which is not a bad thing, because it makes the readers feel as if they really are friends with him. Holden Caulfield is truly an outstanding protagonist for many readers. “Tormented by the angst of adolescence, he imagines himself being a “catcher in the rye”, preventing innocent children from falling off a cliff,” (Young Readers). This really shows the true personality of the protagonist, showing the readers that he really does have a different side of him, and that he is really not all that bitter. Being able to be alongside the protagonist throughout the whole story really makes the entire novel feel very true, and that is one reason it became an American Classic