The Catcher in the RyeThe Catcher in the Rye

J. D. SalingerJ. D. Salinger Born January 1, 1919Born January 1, 1919 Salinger was a good student Salinger was a good student

in grade school, but was in grade school, but was dropped by his prep school dropped by his prep school for his failing grades. for his failing grades.

He attended Valley Forge He attended Valley Forge Military Academy, which Military Academy, which was the model for his only was the model for his only novel, novel, Catcher in the RyeCatcher in the Rye. .

It was at Valley Forge where It was at Valley Forge where he first began writing he first began writing stories. stories.

Salinger was drafted into the army in 1942, Salinger was drafted into the army in 1942, and a member of the Fourth Army division and a member of the Fourth Army division famous for the D-Day invasion. He was famous for the D-Day invasion. He was injured in the war and hospitalized in injured in the war and hospitalized in Germany for psychiatric treatment. He Germany for psychiatric treatment. He returned home to the United States in 1947. returned home to the United States in 1947.

  In 1955 Salinger married Claire Douglas. In 1955 Salinger married Claire Douglas. They had two children, Matthew and Peggy. They had two children, Matthew and Peggy. They were divorced in 1967.They were divorced in 1967.

Today Salinger lives alone in a cottage in Today Salinger lives alone in a cottage in New Hampshire. He refuses all interviews, New Hampshire. He refuses all interviews, and has not published a novel since the and has not published a novel since the attention from attention from Catcher in the RyeCatcher in the Rye scared scared him years ago. him years ago.

Chapter 1Chapter 1 Holden Caulfield, the narrator, Holden Caulfield, the narrator,

begins the story at Pencey Prep begins the story at Pencey Prep School.School.

““Pencey Prep is this school Pencey Prep is this school that's in Agerstown, that's in Agerstown, Pennsylvania.” Pennsylvania.”

““They advertise in about a They advertise in about a thousand magazines, always thousand magazines, always showing some hotshot guy on a showing some hotshot guy on a horse jumping over a fence. Like horse jumping over a fence. Like as if all you ever did at Pencey as if all you ever did at Pencey was play polo all the time. I was play polo all the time. I never even once saw a horse never even once saw a horse anywhere near the place.” anywhere near the place.”

Holden is standing on a hill, watching Holden is standing on a hill, watching the football game.the football game.

He has just returned from New York He has just returned from New York with the fencing team. with the fencing team.

He had lost the foils and equipment He had lost the foils and equipment on the subway, so there was no on the subway, so there was no fencing match.fencing match.

““The other reason I wasn't down at The other reason I wasn't down at the game was because I was on my the game was because I was on my way to say good-by to old Spencer, way to say good-by to old Spencer, my history teacher.” my history teacher.”

““He had the grippe (flu), and I figured He had the grippe (flu), and I figured I probably wouldn't see him again till I probably wouldn't see him again till Christmas vacation started.” Christmas vacation started.”

““He wrote me this note saying he He wrote me this note saying he wanted to see me before I went wanted to see me before I went home.” home.”

““He knew I wasn't coming back to He knew I wasn't coming back to Pencey.” Pencey.”

““I wasn't watching the game too I wasn't watching the game too much.”much.”

““What I was really hanging around What I was really hanging around for, I was trying to feel some kind of for, I was trying to feel some kind of a good-bye. I mean I've left schools a good-bye. I mean I've left schools and places I didn't even know I was and places I didn't even know I was leaving them. I hate that.”leaving them. I hate that.”

““I don't care if it's a sad goodbye or a I don't care if it's a sad goodbye or a bad goodbye, but when I leave a bad goodbye, but when I leave a place I like to know I'm leaving it. place I like to know I'm leaving it.

““If you don't, you feel even worse.” If you don't, you feel even worse.”

Cool Teacher Site

coolteacher.iwarp.com