Holden Caulfield is a sixteen year-old boy who is trying to understand why the world is the way it is. Throughout his expedition, he meets several of what he calls, phonies, and he is traumatically exposed to the hypocrisy and the ugliness in the world. Holden spends a majority of the book, wandering the streets of New York, and is feeling an overwhelming sense of loneliness. He turns to several things as a means of protection and companion, but in the end, all it took was a little love and caring from his family. .
Born in Manhattan in 1919, J.D. Salinger grew up in an upper class neighborhood in New York City. Bouncing around from various prep schools, failing out of most of them, Salinger finally settled down at Valley Forge Military Academy. There he turned his act around and was not only involved in a number of clubs and activities, but was also very successful. Upon graduating, Salinger went on to fight in World War II. While a soldier, he befriended Ernest Hemingway, which helped to launch his writing career.
Salinger's most famous work, The Catcher in the Rye, ironically is autobiographical in nature. A major similarity between Salinger and his character is their " inability to cope with situations they do not completely control" (French 121). Also, "Holden Caulfield moves from prep school to prep school, is threatened with military school, and knows an older Columbia student, among other similarities." (sparknotes). Today, Salinger lives a recluse life in the hills of New Hampshire to dodge public attention. Since The Catcher in the Rye, Salinger has written very little. "Salinger's popularity may have to do with his elusiveness and silence. He has, after all, published no fiction since 1966, and he has steadfastly refused to talk or write about his life." (Salzman 2). .
If I were to meet J.D. Salinger today, I have a few questions that I would be sure to ask him. One, I could not help but notice, that after failing out of several schools, he suddenly, not only begins passing his classes, but he does so so very successfully.