report conclusion怎么写 J D Salinger Influence On Modern Literature English Literature Essay

Youth Alienation

Youth alienation is also a common motif in Salinger’s literature that influenced post-war society. In The Catcher in the Rye, Holden is frequently finding that he doesn’t fit in with society. In Chapter 2, Holden visits a teacher before he leaves his boarding school. The conversation between Holden and his teacher reflects not only his alienation, but also his incapability to relate to authorities:

“Life is a game, boy. Life is a game that one plays according to the rules.”

“Yes, sir. I know it is. I know it.”

Game, my ass. Some game. If you get on the side where all the hot-shots are, then it’s a game, all right-I’ll admit that. But if you get on the other side, where there aren’t any hot-shots, then what’s a game about it? Nothing. No game (Page 8).

The fact that Holden does not respond to his teacher with his actual thoughts, but instead decides to just humor him, shows Holden’s insecurity, adding to his alienation. Holden is also unable to relate to his parents. Holden, a sensitive boy, who obviously needs somebody to speak and relate to, spoke about his closed relationship with his parents within one of the first lines of the book: “[My parents are] quite touchy about anything like that, especially my father. They’re nice and all–I’m not saying that–but they’re also touchy as hell.” (Page 1). Franny, from Franny and Zooey, also feels alienated, however she is portrayed as being alienated from her peers. Franny is out to lunch with her boyfriend, Lane, however the discussion is really just a series of arguments. When Lane mentions how talented Franny’s English professor is, Franny responds, “I do like him. I’m sick of just liking people. I wish to God I could meet somebody I could respect. . . . Would you excuse me for just a minute?” (Page 11).

The idea of writing about an adolescent being alienated, or a “loner,” was not something that artists of Salinger’s time usually focused on. However, numerous novels, movies, and other forms of literature in the post-war society focus on loners. From the character of Spiderman, to Robert De Niro’s role in Taxi Driver, writing about loners became far more popular in the later half of the century. Stephen Chbosky wrote a novel, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, which is centered around an awkward teenager named Charlie, who has a loner aspect on life which can be seen through his view on his peers, “Things change. And friends leave. And life doesn’t stop for anybody” (Page 107).

Salinger tapped into an area of literature that had not been actively explored, and found success in this area by utilizing his unique, yet realistic, characters. Holden Caulfield, and the Glass Family not only provided support for those teenagers who suffer through their teenage years, but they also reinvented the teenage persona. The conventional teenage boy certainly would not have:

Not failed out of his prep school, nonetheless,

spent a week unsupervised in New York after doing so.

We cannot give J.D. Salinger complete credit for this transition. There were, of course, other important writers who brought about this new era, in addition to historical factors. However, his impact on the teenage culture, and post-war literature in general, have been immeasurable.

Work Cited

Chbosky, Stephen. Perks of Being a Wallflower. New York: Simon and Schuster Inc. 1999.

Eggers, David. A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius. New York: Simon and Schuster Inc. 2000.

Fosburgh, Lacey. “J.D. Salinger Speaks About His Silence.” The New York Times. 10/3/1974. The New York Times. 4/12/2010 http://www.nytimes.com/books/98/09/13/specials/salinger-speaks.html

McGrath, Charles. “J.D. Salinger, Literary Recluse, Dies at 91” The New York Times. 1/29/2010. The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/29/books/29salinger.html

“Punk Rock Comes to Canada” Gzowski. CBC. Toronto, Canada. March 11, 1977.

Salinger, J.D. The Catcher in the Rye. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 1951.

Salinger, J.D. Franny and Zooey. New York: Bantam, 1955.

Welter, Ben. “July 29,1951: ‘The Catcher in the Rye’ review” Star Tribune. 10 Jan. 2010. Star Tribune. 15 April 2010 http://www.startribune.com/blogs/82988647.html