This novel explores many themes that are commonly felt by teenagers. Salingers novel discusses Holdens stand against phoniness. Another major theme running through the novel is self-loathing, and while it may not be quite that extreme in all cases, most teenagers go through the awkward stage. Loneliness is also expressed in the novel. Every teenager goes through a time were they feel like theyre alienated. In a lot of ways, Holden also literally wants to be the catcher in the rye. These are just some of the themes that run through this novel. Jerome David Salinger only wrote one novel, Catcher in the Rye. It was published in 1951. It was called a genuine American tale and greatly praised. After this success, Salinger went into seclusion. All he wrote before his disappearance were four novellas and thirty-five short stories. Of these stories he preserved only nine. J. D. Salingers Catcher in the Rye displays the typical teenage alienation and depression. Salingers novel discusses Holdens stand against phoniness. Holdens deep contempt for all things that are phony is expressed throughout the novel. He even condemns people he doesnt know as phonies, such as the man that his 2wing of the dorms at Pencey is named after, an undertaker named Ossenburger. I can just see that big phony bastard asking Jesus to send him more stiffs.(p.17) It is evident from the passage that Holden seems to think many people are phonies, but mostly people who have done better than he has in life who he doesnt always know. He especially hates the movies and comic books. Those stories with a lot of phony, lean-jawed guys named David in it, and with a lot of phony girls named Linda or Marcia. (p.53) He feels that such things are larger than life and feed into the passiveness in society. "I hate actors. They never act like people. They just think they do." (p.117) Holdens constant criticism is a major factor in his detachment from society. Of cour...
