The Catcher in the Rye - Question 8

There are no major events that The Catcher in the Rye focuses around like in that of The Grapes of Wrath. Although, the author does a very good job of demonstrating how different classes associate with one another regarding varies social issues and behaviors of the time period.

The relationship that Holden has with the “phonies” is a major connection between the novel and social issues of the time period. Back then, people did not blatantly disrespect someone who they thought was a “fake”. In society today, people (mostly younger generations like mine) feel the need to point out every person who they think falls under the category of fake. I cannot tell you how many Facebook posts I see from people talking about how they cannot stand so-and-so because they are really this mean and conceited individual on the inside, instead of the nice and caring person they portray themselves to be. It may seem unprofessional to blog about Facebook fights, but I think it gives a great perspective on how much society has changed since The Catcher in the Rye was written. If you had a problem with someone back then, you made that statement known to their face, instead of online like we do today. And even then people hardly ever disrespected a fellow human being the way we do today.

In one example, Holden finds himself in a bar with his date Sally when she sees someone she knows, and in Holden’s opinion, is a “jerk” (Salinger 127). He tells readers that the guy is a complete phony. “The worst part was, the jerk had one of those phony, Ivy League voices, one of those very tired, snobby voices,” (Salinger 128). Despite the fact he is quick to judge (and by quick to judge, he only makes his opinion known to readers), he does not disrespect the “jerk”, but waits for Sally and her friend to finish chatting. Holden kind of shows readers that “phonies” had the upper hand responsibility of being more popular over the non-phonies. I don’t know, maybe I am going a little too far with this analyzation, but I think the novel reflects society back then very well.

I think J.D. Salinger was greatly influenced by how much and how fast society was changing in his generation. I also believe he was influenced by his own life growing up. He may have been very similar to Holden’s character, and decided to write a novel of his first-hand experiences with growing up.

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown and, 1991. Print.