eaders but ridding himself of conventional forms and methods accepted by Western society" (Gorden 2046). The obvious conclusion is that Salinger is no longer writing for the reader, but rather for himself; and his values and beliefs are therefore going to unconsciously show up in his work. However it is in Salinger's post classic period, particularly after the generation engulfed by The Catcher in the Rye, during which the degeneration of the criticism of Salinger's work really begins. Critics are quick to become more critical and are "labeling [Salinger] as 'cute,' 'repressed,' 'Puritanical,' and 'grossly sentimental,'" as writes William Wiegand (qtd. in "Salinger" CA 999). Even the preceding is not as harsh as the critical reception of his later works. Some critics began to state that "Salinger has lost the artisitic ability shown during his classic period" (Gorden 2044). One critic has gone as far as labeling the short story "Zooey" as the "…longest and dullest story ever to appear in The New Yorker …" (Gorden 2045). Although there is a substantial amount of negative criticism of Salinger's literary works, the positive criticism is greatly in the majority. Not always considered Salinger's masterpiece, The Catcher in the Rye has been his most famous and influential to date and is arguably the most influential novel of the mid- twentieth century. With the publication of this, his first novel, "Salinger accumulated a substantial corps of disciples, especially among the young people" ("Salinger" CA 998). Walter Allen goes on to state that Salinger is a literary phenomenon who "created the dialect of a generation" (qtd. "Salinger" CA 5-8: 998). For the first time, a generation had an author who seemed to understand them, who somehow could capture their values, aspirations, and ultimately define their outlook on society. Maxwell Geismar stated that Salinger accomplishes this task of perceiving the young generations "in a way th...
