What Is The Catcher in The Rye About?

Updated: June 09, 2023
The Catcher in the Rye is a novel by J. D. Salinger. The novel follows Holden Caulfield, a teenager from New York City, who is expelled from his prep school and then takes a journey around America.
Detailed answer:

The Catcher in the Rye is a novel by J.D. Salinger. It was published on July 16, 1951 by Little, Brown and Company. The story, told in the first person, focuses on 16-year-old Holden Caulfield who has been expelled from his prep school and is traveling home to New York City.

The novel follows Holden Caulfield, a teenager from New York City, who is expelled from his prep school and then takes a journey around America. Holden is a troubled teenager and is often critical of the adult world. The novel deals with themes of teenage angst, alienation, and rebellion.

Novel’s protagonist Holden Caulfield has become an icon for teenage rebellion. The novel also deals with complex issues of innocence, identity, belonging and loss in post-World War II America.

Salinger’s work was controversial at the time due to its frank language and depiction of teenage sexuality. Many librarians refused to stock it because they felt it would corrupt young minds, but it became one of the most popular books among teenagers in America during the 1950s and 1960s.

Book has been adapted into a film twice: once in 1962 (starring Siegel) and again in 2010 (starring Stewart). It has also been adapted into plays, operas, ballets and songs over the years; there have also been numerous references to it in popular culture including TV shows such as Mad Men.

The Catcher in the Rye was published in 1951 and was an instant success. It sold over 20 million copies and has been translated into 45 languages.

The novel was banned from several schools around the world due to its portrayal of underage drinking and sexual references but it still remains one of the most read books today!

Cite this page

What Is The Catcher in The Rye About?. (2023, Feb 09). Retrieved from

https://graduateway.com/qa/what-is-the-catcher-in-the-rye-about/