2. About Me
Reading level:
- Medium to low
Books read in the past
- Number the Stars
- World War Z
- Young Fu of the Upper Young Tze
- Dear Mr. Henshaw

3. Kinds of literature that I love:
Fictional novels
Romantic novels
Because they are:
-fun
-interesting
-plays with my imagination

4. Why This novel over anything
else?
Because
- I got curious how the book inspired the killer of
John Lennon
- People can relate to some aspects of the book
- It is easy to read but at the same time has a deep
meaning

5. Catcher in the Rye
What is it about?
Holden Caufield has a psychological problem. He feels
that he’s the catcher in the rye. At first he’s protective of
his little sister, Phoebe, but it turns out that he wants to
save the whole of humanity from all the bad people or
negative things around him. He wants to always protect
his sister thinking that the world might do something
wrong to his sister. In the long run, if he would see
something from others that is against his principles, then
he would think badly of you which is bad.

6. Author: J.D. Salinger
Jerome David Salinger is an American writer
who had a lot of success in his early career.
Before writing his most famous novel, Catcher in
the Rye, he wrote a lot of short stories which
were published in Story Magazine during the
1940’s before he began serving in World War II.
The success of The Catcher in the Rye led to
public attention and scrutiny: Salinger became
reclusive, publishing new work less frequently.

7. Narrative Elements

8. Setting
One weekend during 1940’s- early 1950’s
New York City
Started in Pennsylvania
Recounts his adventures around New York

9. Plot
Exposition
Holden starts his story by showing/telling the
readers how he dropped out of several schools and
how much he hates people around him. Everytime
he introduced someone for example Stradlater or
Ackley, he would say negative things about them. He
proceeds telling his readers that he is again
dropping out of Pencey, the school he is in now.

10. Plot
Rising Action
Holden tells his readers how much he dislikes
“phonies” or majority of the people around him.
Mostly, he is against the adults around him. And
later in the novel, he tells his younger sister how he
wants to be the catcher in the rye that he dreamt
of. He was telling her that he dreamt that he was
stopping all this kids from falling from a cliff which
makes him the one saving everyone.

11. Plot
Climax
This happens when he watches his little sister,
Phoebe, riding a carousel. It is an old almost
broken down horse carousel. When he saw this he
realized that he cant be always there to
save/protect his little sister. He cant be the catcher
in the rye . This is the climax for me because this is
the changing point on how Holden will view things
in the future.

12. Plot
Falling Action
Holden promises his sister that he would never run away again and he
would change .
• Resolution
Holden goes home and stays with his
family. It was not stated in the book but we can infer
that he is now a more open minded man. He is
undergoing treatment and he will be going to a new
school where he would stay this time.

13. Characters
Holden Caufield
He is the narrator of the novel. He is a irresponsible and
immature teenager looking to find himself through his
journey.
At the beginning of the story, Holden is standing on top
of a cliff watching the students form his old school. This
shows the separation of childhood and adulthood.
He hates the hypocrisy of the world around him but
because of his attitude of staying away from people, he
protects himself from pain and disappointment from the
world.

14. Character
Ackely
He the next door roommate of Holden.
He is insecure and he makes up stories of him and his
experiences with sex
Stradlater
He is the roommate of Holden
He is handsome,popular, and buff
He dated Jane Gallagher who is Holden’s long time
crush.

15. Characters
Jane Gallagher
Long time crush of Holden.
Spent a lot of time with holden one summer
Never appeared in the novel
Importance: Only one of the few girls he finds
attractive and respects.

16. Characters
Phoebe Caufield
Holden’s 10 year old sister
She is intelligent, clear, and her innocence is the
only thing that gives happiness to Holden
Childish and innocent but at times she is more
mature than Holden.

17. Characters
Sally Hayes
An attractive woman that Holden has known and dated
for a long time
She is the one Holden runs to when he is bored or
problematic
Mr. Spencer
Holden’s favorite teacher
He is unsuccessful with trying to guide Holden to do
better in his studies.

18. Characters
Mr. Antolini
Holden’s English teacher whom he stays for a night when he had
no where else to go
He respects him and looks for him for guidance
Maurice
The guy in the elevator who persuades Holden to get a prostitute
Sunny
The prostitute who Holden clumsily wants to try to connect to

19. Conflict
Conflict with Self
In the whole novel Holden is having a
hard time dealing with everyday life
because of his struggle against
himself (psychological problem). He
just wants to stay young forever in
reference to his childhood. By calling
all the people around him “phonies”,
he is protecting himself from seeing
his own flaws.

20. Conflict
Holden vs Society
Holden is unable to relate to others except his
sister, Phoebe. This shows that Holden never
wants to let go of his childhood and grow up at the
same time. He does this by ordering alcohol,
talking about sex and etc. He wants his sister and
everyone around him to keep their innocence
because he thinks the real adult life are full of
“phonies.”

21. Point Of View
First person Point of view
The readers are in Holden Caufield’s head/ his
perspective.
We know what he does, what he says, and what he
thinks about.
The book was made this way to show and make
readers understand and see the psychological
problem of Holden and for us to understand the way
he thinks.

22. Symbolisms
Holden’s Red Hunting Hat
This is the most recognizable symbols above all.
This shows the uniqueness and individuality of
Holden compared to others.
The color of the hat is color red is note worthy
because maybe this symbolizes innocence
because this is the color of Phoebe’s hair. Which
shows that he wants to hold on to his childhood
and keep his innocence that he had.

23. Symbolisms
The Museum of Natural History
Holden tells readers that this is one of his favorite
places to be in. We can assume that Holden likes
this place because everything around him is
unchanging. We know that Holden is afraid of
change, the unpredictable, and the changing world
so this shows that he wants to be in a place where
nothing changes.

24. Symbolisms
The Ducks in Central Park
This is an important part of the book because we
see the childish and the eagerness to look for
answers in life from Holden. He is usally afraid of
change but when it comes to this, he is curious and
happy at the same time.
The pond which Holden sees it as partly frozen and
partly not frozen shows the transition of childhood
and adulthood that Holden is also going through.

25. Themes
The theme for this novel is that alienation can be
used as a form of self protection.
Through out the novel Holden thinks that everyone is
below him. He is the only one supirior being because
everyone else are phonies. Because of this, he avoids
interacting with them. As readers, we can see how
painful and hard it is to be in Holden’s shoes. His
alienation is both what drives him and destroys him. For
example, his loneliness from alienating himself pushes
him to date Sally Hayes but at the same time because of
his alienation and his need for alienation, he ends up
insulting her and driving her away.

26. Literature
Literature for me is something that tickles ones
imaginations and creativity through writings. It is
something that is enjoyable and has a lot of
lessons to be learned from. There is always
something to be learned about life in novels,
short stories, or anyhting as such.

27. Catcher in the Rye
This is definitely a work of literature because
you can learn a lot from this. It is interesting and
it helps you understand some aspects of real
life. It opens your eyes to being open minded
about things. This is literature in its finest
because you have to look at the deeper meaning
in each happening and characters.

28. References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._D._Salinger
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/catcher/