Catcher in the Rye: History, Behavior, Social Issues, and Symbolic and Thematic Significance

One way that this book reflects the history of the 1950’s, when it was published, is by the words that Salinger uses to describe something.  Words like “phony” (Salinger 110), “grand” (Salinger 35), and “crumby” (Salinger 52) were two examples of words Salinger used fairly often that are not said so often anymore.  Just by reading these and other words, the reader can pretty well tell that the book was written many years ago. 

            This book reflects history, not only of the time period of which it was written…the conflict that Holden faced is still faced by many teenagers today.  Especially when someone is not in need themselves, they have time to think about little things more which in Holden’s case was a factor in his near constant depression.  Learning to let your past go and move on to the future can be a hard thing for teenagers.  It may seem like to them that their whole world is changing and they do not know where to turn.  It is a process, but eventually people such as Holden are able to let go of what life was like before and move on to what it could be up ahead. 

            The significance of the title Catcher in the Rye is that Holden is convinced that his purpose in life is to save children from losing their innocence.  He told Phoebe, “I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all. Thousands of little kids, and nobody's around--nobody big, I mean--except me. And I'm standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff--I mean if they're running and they don't look where they're going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. That's all I'd do all day. I'd just be the catcher in the rye and all. I know it's crazy, but that's the only thing I'd really like to be.” (Salinger 93)

            The thematic significance of this book is that everyone is crazy.  Holden calls enough people “phony” for acting like someone that he or she is not.  During the story, he is constantly complaining how someone is phony and it makes him depressed.  Holden is crazy as well, so this book shows that everyone is crazy, especially if they do not realize it.

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 1951. Print.