青少年的叛逆與成長研究--以《麥田里的守望者》為例摘要：杰羅姆·大衛(wèi)·塞林格的《麥田里的守望者》，作為二十世紀(jì)美國成長小說的開創(chuàng)性作品。該小說以多元的主題和獨(dú)特的語言風(fēng)格，生動(dòng)展現(xiàn)了主人公由純真邁向成熟的成長之路。塞林格憑借深刻的洞察力，細(xì)致入微地剖析了青少年復(fù)雜微妙的心理世界，將主人公的精神風(fēng)貌描繪得入木三分。本文將該小說置于美國成長小說的文學(xué)脈絡(luò)中加以考察，通過分析主人公霍爾頓在成長旅程中所經(jīng)歷的迷茫、反叛、探索、接納成長直至最終覺醒的心路歷程，展現(xiàn)其精神層面的成長軌跡。并從總體上來評(píng)析霍爾頓的人物形象與思想變化。同時(shí)希望青少年在成長過程中不可避免地經(jīng)歷孤獨(dú)和痛苦時(shí)，要積極應(yīng)對(duì)挑戰(zhàn)，努力融入社會(huì)。成年人應(yīng)當(dāng)更加關(guān)心青少年的成長，給予他們更多的理解和愛。關(guān)鍵詞：塞林格；《麥田里的守望者》；成長

AdolescentRebellionandGrowthStudy-TakingTheCatcherintheRyeasanExampleAbstract:J.D.Salinger'sTheCatcherintheRyewasatrail-blazingworkinthecoming-of-agenovelcategoryintwentieth-centuryAmericaanditgraphicallyportraystheprotagonist'stransitionfromnaivetytoadulthoodviaitsvariedthemesanddistinctivelanguagestyle,andwithgreatperceptivenessSalingerminutelydissectstheintricateanddelicatepsychologicalrealmofteenagers,depictingtheprotagonist'sspiritualbearingwithsharpprecision;thisessayexaminedthenovelwithintheliterarybackdropofAmericancoming-of-agefictionbyanalyzingtheprotagonistHolden'smentalodysseythroughbewilderment,defiance,search,reception,andfinalenlightenmenttodisclosethecourseofhisspiritualdevelopmentanditalsoextensivelycriticizedHolden'spersonalityandideologicaltransformationswhilehopingthatteenagers,whenunavoidablyencounteringsolitudeandsufferingduringthegrowing-upprocess,wouldconfrontchallengesvigorouslyandendeavortobecomepartofsociety.Adultsshouldpaymoreattentiontothegrowthofadolescentsandgivethemmoreunderstandingandlove.Keywords:J.D.Salinger;TheCatcherintheRye;Growth ContentsTOC\o"1-2"\h\u24912I.Introduction 6203761.1ResearchBackgroundandSignificance 6186491.2ResearchStatusatHomeandAbroad 6282181.3ResearchMethods 1129270II.OverviewofTheCatcherintheRye 11210502.1AbouttheAuthor 12212702.2SynopsisofTheCatcherintheRye 13325982.3OverviewoftheMainCharacters 1531946Ⅲ.Holden'sPuzzlement 1745463.1ExpressionofPuzzlement 17120483.2CauseofPuzzlement 2130195Ⅳ.Holden'sRebellion 23272814.1ExpressionofRebellion 23148244.2CauseofRebellion 2525729V.Holden'sEnlightenment 26181555.1Holden'sbeautifulillusion 26294365.2SuddenEnlightenment 2718189Ⅵ.Conclusion 302942References 3224558Acknowledgements 33Introduction1.1ResearchBackgroundandSignificanceInthevastexpanseofAmericanliteraryworks,themesregardingadolescents'processofgrowinguphavealwaysbeenofgreatimportanceandthiswasclearlyshownbyJ.D.Salinger'sfamous1951bookTheCatcherintheRyewhichstoodoutduetoitsunusualwayoftellingastoryanditsdeepprobingintopeople'smindsanditwasalsoseenasapioneerofthetwentieth-centuryAmericanBildungsroman(agenredealingwithpersonaldevelopment)andareflectionoftheculturethatcaughtthespiritualconfusionamongyoungpeopleafterthewarandusingthestream-of-consciousnessmethod,thestorycarefullychartedtheprotagonistHoldenCaulfield'sstormypathfrombeinganaiveteenagertobecominggraduallyawarewherethefrequentappearanceoftheredhuntingcapservedasbothprotectionagainstthehypocrisyofadulthoodandasymbolofkeepingone'sinnocenceandthisdualsymbolismmadethebookessentialforunderstandinghowadolescentsmature.Divergingfromconventionalgrowthnarrativesdrivenbyexternalcatalysts,thenovel'sgroundbreakingcontributionliesinitsinwardexpansionofpsychologicalterrain.Holden'sthree-daymetropolitanodysseyhasbeeninterpretedasanepistemologicalmetamorphosiswhereinfragmentedconsciousnesscoalescesintoclarity.Thepersistent"catcherintherye"fantasyservesdualfunctions:itlaysbareprofounddistrusttowardinstitutionalizedadulthoodwhilesimultaneouslyarticulatinganalmostdesperateyearningtosafeguardchildhoodpurity.SuchnarrativeinnovationsestablishedstructuralblueprintsthatwouldlaterinformliterarydescendantsincludingToKillaMockingbirdandTheChocolateWar.Contemporaryreinterpretationshaveshownthelastinginfluenceoftheworkbecauseanabundanceofmaterialthingscannotsolvetheexistentialproblemsthatcomewithgrowingup,andthefeelingsofalienation,identityconfusion,andlossofvaluesdiscussedinthetextaresurprisinglysimilartothoseexperiencedbypeoplewhogrewupinhighlyconnecteddigitalsocieties;acarefullookatHolden'sinteractionswithPhoebewouldrevealthatgreatchangesdonotresultfromdirectteachingbutfromtwo-wayconversationsthathelpalignone'sthinking,whichhassignificantimplicationsforeducationandthisnarrativeapproachemphasizestheimportanceofdevelopingempathyandmutualunderstandingratherthanusingauthoritativemethodswhenguidinghowsomeonedevelops.1.2ResearchStatusatHomeandAbroad1.2.1ResearchStatusatHomeBesidestheseresearchesasarementionedabove,therearealsomanyresearchespapersandworksinChina.Inthe1960s,ShiXianrongfirsttranslatedTheCatcherintheRyeintoChinese,andChinesereadersbegantocomeintocontactwiththiswork.However,researchonitstartedrelativelylate.WhenitwasfirstintroducedtoChina,thisnovelwasregardedasanegativework.In1982,HouWeiruipublishedthepaperThePerfectCombinationofIndividualityandTypicality,conductingacomprehensiveanalysisofthelanguageofthenovel'sprotagonistHolden.Constrainedbyvariousfactors,itwasnotuntilthe1980sthatresearchpapersonTheCatcherintheRyegraduallyincreasedandresearchbegantothrive.ScholarlyprobesintoTheCatcherintheRyehavegeneratedmulti-facetedanalyticalperspectives,forinstance,WangHong'sin-depthtextualanalysisinTheTribulationsandDilemmasofMaturationhadpositionedthenovelasatypicalBildungsromanviaclosereadingtactics,andsimilarly,WangXiaolu'sstudyofpostwarAmericanadolescentgroupshadregardedthestoryasanartisticrepresentationofpuberty-relatedworries,especiallyduetoitsportrayalofthegenerationgapinEisenhower-eraAmerica,whileLiZhanzi'sresearchfocusedonthelanguageaspectandmethodicallyshowedhowHolden'sdistinctiveinformallanguagefullofslangsandwithfragmentarysyntaxhadtwofunctions:ononehand,thislanguagestylewasseenasthebasisforbuildinghisrebelliouscharacter,andontheotherhand,itreflectedthepostwaryouths'subversiveattitudetowardslinguisticdominance,shownthroughintentionaldeparturesfromstandardspeechrules.WangingHairu'sdialecticalanalysisinTheRebel'sDestiny:AVictimisparticularlysignificantforinterpretationasitdecodedHolden'sexistentialparadoxfromtheperspectiveofColdWarsociopolitics,showingthattheprotagonistwasbothavictimofsociety'sduplicityandaprotectorofuncorruptedidealswhileinterpretingHolden'srepeatedschool-skippingasasymbolicresistanceagainsttheinflexibilityofinstitutionalizededucationandregardingthepersistentinquiryabouthowtheducksinCentralParksurvivedthewinterwhichwasoftenregardedasjustAdolescentcapriceandre-contextualizingitasanecologicalallegorythatreflectedthefearsintheatomicagesothismulti-layeredanxietyaboutsurvivalbecamemoreresonantwhenplacedwithinthecontextofthenuclearfearsintheearlyColdWarperiodthusturningpersonaltraumaintoacollectivegenerationalmetaphorduetoSalinger'sexcellenthandlingofthetext.Somescholarshavementionedthe"AmericanDream"intheirresearch.LuoShipinganalyzedthenovelfromapsychologicalperspectiveinTheCatcherintheRye:ThePsychologicalComplexoftheProtagonistHolden,exploringHolden'sunconsciouspsychologyandmentalfluctuations,andalsostudiedhislanguage,pointingoutthatitsymbolizedacertaincultureintheUnitedStatesatthattime.Thisisalsooneofthefocusesofmanystudies.ChineseliterarycriticismhasreachedafundamentalconsensusregardingTheCatcherintheRye'ssignificanceasapivotalanthropologicaldocumentfordeciphering1950sAmericanadolescentpsychography,aperspectivethoroughlyarticulatedinPanLiandZhangBizhu's1996treatiseThePsychologicalOdysseyofPostwarAmericanYouthpublishedintheJournalofInternationalRelationsStudies.Throughmeticuloustextualanalysis,thescholars'examinationrevealsdualmechanismsofrepresentationthroughwhichthenovelmirrorstheexistentialpredicamentsofthe"LostGeneration"—particularlythroughitsprotagonist'sbehavioralpatterns.HoldenCaulfield'schronicschooltransfersaredemonstratedtotranscendmerejuvenilerebellion,insteadbeingreconceptualizedasspatialmanifestationsofidentity-seekingcompulsionswithinpostwarAmerica'smoralvacuum.Hisoutwardcynicismversustheintenselyprotectedinnerpuritycreatesdramatictensionwhichworksacrosstwo-foldnarrativeaspects;regardingnarrativestructure,itwasfoundthattheprotagonist'sthree-daywanderinginthemetropolissetupsimilarrelationshipsbetweenphysicalmovementandmentaltransformationandmeanwhilethenovel'ssymboliclanguageneededcrucialre-interpretation:thefrozenpondinCentralParkandthedisappearingduckpopulation,oftenignoredasjustbackgroundelements,werere-interpretedasphysicalrepresentationsofthecollectiveColdWar-relatedworriesandthissign-basedsystemwasseentoworkviaenvironmentalmetaphorswhichturnedtheexistentialfearinthenuclearageintoconcretecityscapessoastoencodethehistoricaltraumainordinarygeographicalfeaturesduetoSalinger'spurposefularrangementofthetextandtheyalsonotedthatHoldendesiredunderstandingwhenhewasalone,probedintothesignificanceoflifeduringhisrebellionandsoughtafterpuritywhilehehadanaversiontothings.1.2.2ResearchStatusatAbroadTheWesternliterarycirclehaspaidgreatattentiontoTheCatcherintheRye.WesterncommentsonTheCatcherintheRyecanroughlybedividedintotwostages.ThefirststageofWesterncommentswasfromtheearly1950stotheearly1960s.Duringthisperiod,manycriticsweredeeplyattractedbytheprotagonistHoldenCaulfield,andmostoftheresearchfocusedonhispersonality.SomewritersshowedsympathyforHolden,seeinghimaspureandinnocent,maintaininghisinnerauthenticityeveninaworldfullofhypocrisyandfraud.Forinstance,VirginiaPeterson(1951)insistedthatdespitetheliesHoldenfaced,hisownpuritywasnevertarnished.S.N.BehrmanpublishedareviewinTheNewYorkerin1951,afteradeepanalysisofHolden'spersonality,hepointedoutthatHoldenwasatruemoralidealist,therootofwhichwasHolden'sdeep-seatedaversiontothehypocriticalworld.Agreatnumberofcriticslavishedpraiseonthisnovel,heldthatJ.D.Salinger'semploymentofthefirst-personnarrativemethodwastremendouslyeffective,portrayedtheprotagonist'sinnerquestinalifelikeandprecisemanner,whichenabledreaderstointenselysenseHolden'sstrivingandtenacityinacomplicatedworld.Duringthesecondcriticalphasefromthe1960stolate1970s,scholarlyengagementwithTheCatcherintheRyeexperiencedsignificantmethodologicaldevelopment;atfirst,psychoanalyticanalysesofprotagonistHoldenCaulfieldwerepredominantbutlateron,newcriticalframeworkswereintroducedwhichbroughtabouttransformation,andinthe1970s,therewasaparadigmshiftinWesternliterarycriticismwhichledtomulti-dimensionaltextualdeconstructionswherepreviouslyignorednarrativelayersweremethodicallyexplored,forexample,DavidBrody'simportantworkAllieandPhoebe:DeathandLoveinJ.D.Salinger'sTheCatcherintheRyeshowedthisanalyticaldevelopmentbymeansofhispioneeringexplorationofAllieCaulfield'searlydeathasthetraumaticeventthatinfluencedHolden'smentalstructure.CentraltoBrody'sthesiswastherecognitionofthirteen-year-oldHolden'sencounterwiththelossofasiblingasthecrucialtestshapinghisbrokenworldview,aneventofgreatsignificancewhoseeffectsweredemonstratedtospreadthroughoutboththethemesandstructuresofthetext;bymeansofhisclosereadingapproach,thescholarshowedhowthischildhoodtraumagottransformedintosomethinginthetextduetorepeatedgraveyardhallucinationsandconversationalbreakdownswhichvisiblyshowedtheprotagonist'sunhealthyestrangement;especiallyworthnotingwasthedouble-layeredbehavioralpatternfoundoutthroughBrody'sanalysis,whereon-the-surfacerebelliousnesswasre-consideredasadisplaceddeath-relatedanxietyandtheconstantquestioningaboutthemigrationofducksduringwinterbecominganexistentialmetaphorhiddeninSalinger'snarrativestyle,theseinterpretivesuccessesnotonlymadecleartheprotagonist'swaysofmakingupforthingsbutalsocreatedimportantroutesforunderstandingthecomplexsymbolicsystemsinthenovelbecauseofitspurposefuluseofdisplacementtacticsandenvironmentalsymbolsandhehadalwaysbeenfullofregretforbeingunabletosaveAllie'slife,whichwithoutdoubtemphasizedHolden'sstrongloveforhisbrother.In1963,GermancriticFunkeultconductedapsychologicalanalysisofHolden'spersonalityandfoundthatHoldenwasextremelylonelyatthecoreofhisbeing.Hisinnerworldwasalwaysinconflict:hewasdeeplydisgustedwiththehypocriticaladultworldandyearnedtoescapeittopursueloveandsincerity;atthesametime,heretainedhisinnocenceandsimplicity,notoverlytaintedbytheworld,justlikehisbrotherAllieandsisterPhoebe.Fromthethematicperspective,mostcriticsagreethatthisworkdepictsHolden'sarduousstruggletosurviveintheadultworldandhisinnertransformationduringhistimeatthepreparatoryschool.However,Holden'sthreeexpulsionsfromthepreparatoryschoolalsoindirectlyrevealthatheisnotyetfullypreparedtoenteradulthood.DavidStevensonbelievesthatthisnovelisHolden'suniquecommentaryontheworld,lacedwithatouchofhumorandbrimmingwithsadness.Holdenisintentonseekinghimself,aimlesslywanderingaroundthecity,andspendingaweekendfilledwithpain,confusion,andaimlessness.TheriseofNewCriticisminthefieldofliterarystudiesbroughtaboutashiftinparadigmstowardstextualanalysiswhichmadescholarsexaminethenovel'slanguagestructurewithanintensityneverseenbeforeandcauseddividedevaluationsconcerninghowHoldenwascharacterizedbyhisspeechpatterns.DonaldOffcostello's1959seminalworkTheLanguageofTheCatcherintheRyeestablishedcriticalfoundationsforthisdiscoursebysystematicallyexaminingtheprotagonist'scolloquialismswhichweredemonstratedtobeauthenticrepresentationsofpostwarAmericanadolescentvernacularratherthanmerestylisticaffectations.Offcostello'scontributionwasespeciallynotablebecausehespottedthreeuniquelinguisticformsinHolden'stalk:thewidespreademploymentofexaggeratedmodifierssuchas"phony"and"killme"whichdisclosedhisdistortedthinking,thepurposefuluseofprotectivesarcasmasashieldagainstsociety,andtheoccasionallapsesintochildishhelplessnessthatshowedhisemotionallystuntedgrowth;thisthree-partlinguisticexaminationsuccessfullycounteredcurrentcriticismsregardingthenovelbeingsupposedlytoovulgarbydemonstratinghoweveryswearwordandroughexpressionservedasexactpsychologicalindicatorswithinSalinger'ssystemofcharactercreation.Thescholarlyfocusonlinguisticauthenticityconsequentlyshiftedthecriticalconversationfrommoralisticcondemnationsofthetext'ssurfaceobscenitiestowardappreciationofitssophisticatedverbalportraiturethatcapturedthecognitivedissonanceofmid-centuryAmericanyouth.RayleighHughes,however,criticizedthenovelforbeingfilledwithalargeamountofvulgarandobscenelanguage,whichtosomeextentexplainedwhythebookwasbannedfromhighschoolsandpubliclibrariesatthetime.Buttherewerealsodissentingvoices.JamesSternwasoneofthecriticswhohighlypraisedthenovel'slanguage.SternimitatedHolden'sstyle,usingshortandstructurallyincompletesentencestoreflecthisimmaturethoughts,andpraisedSalingerasanexcellentstorytellerwhowasadeptatvividlydepictingtheimagesandinnerworldsofchildren.1.3ResearchMethodsLiteratureResearchMethodOffcostello'scontributionwasespeciallynotablebecausehespottedthreeuniquelinguisticformsinHolden'stalk:thewidespreademploymentofexaggeratedmodifierssuchas"phony"and"killme"whichdisclosedhisdistortedthinking,thepurposefuluseofprotectivesarcasmasashieldagainstsociety,andtheoccasionallapsesintochildishhelplessnessthatshowedhisemotionallystuntedgrowth;thisthree-partlinguisticexaminationsuccessfullycounteredcurrentcriticismsregardingthenovelbeingsupposedlytoovulgarbydemonstratinghoweveryswearwordandroughexpressionservedasexactpsychologicalindicatorswithinSalinger'ssystemofcharactercreation.Basedonthecollectionandorganizationofliterature,anin-depthanddetailedtextualanalysisofTheCatcherintheRyeisneeded,whichincludesbutisn'tlimitedtoameticulousexaminationofthenovel'splot,characterdevelopment,andstylisticfeatures,inordertouncovertherebelliousspiritandgrowthtrajectoryoftheprotagonistHolden.Moreover,it'snecessarytoexploretheunderlyingfactorssuchashowthesocialenvironment,familybackground,andpersonalcharacterinfluenceHolden'sgrowthprocess,soastomorecomprehensivelygraspthenovel'sthematicideasandartisticvalue.Forinstance,lookingatthesocialenvironmentofthetimewhenthenovelwaswritten,thepost-warAmericansocietywasundergoingrapidchanges,andthatsenseofuneaseanddisillusionmentisreflectedinHolden'scharacter,makinghisrebelliousactionsmoreunderstandablewithinthatcontext.CaseStudyMethodTofurtherdigintothesocialsignificanceandthelusterofhumanityinTheCatcherintheRye,thecase-studyapproachwascrucial,asresearchershadtometiculouslypickoutrepresentativeandtypicalinstancesfromthenovelforin-depthexamination,sincetheseinstancesgraphicallydepictedthesocialproblemsandhumanpredicamentsthatthenovelcenteredon,andduringtheexamination,theyneededtocloselylinktheplotprogressionandcharacterdevelopmentofthenoveltoofferameticulousexplicationofthechoseninstances,whichnotonlydisclosedthedeep-seatedsocialoriginsandtheintricacyofhumanityunderlyingtheinstancesbutalsomadereadersthinkhardaboutsimilarmattersinreallife,moreover,thecase-studymethodcontributedtostrengtheningtheempiricalaspectandpersuasivenessoftheresearch,renderingtheresearchresultsmoredown-to-earthandrelatable;forinstance,takeHolden'sdealingswithhissisterPhoebe,theirrelationshipwasapivotalcaseinthenovel,whenHoldenwasathislowestebb,beingthemostadriftandperplexed,Phoebestoodforawellspringofpureloveandcomprehension.Analyzingthisrelationshipnotonlyshowstheimportanceoffamilybondsinachaoticworldbutalsomakesreadersthinkaboutthesignificanceofmaintainingcloserelationshipsintheirownlives,whichisagreatwaytounderstandthenovel'sexplorationofhumanity.II.OverviewofTheCatcherintheRye2.1AbouttheAuthorJeromeDavidSalingerwasarenownedAmericannovelistandshortstorywriter,andTheCatcherintheRyeishismasterpiece.SalingerwasbornonJanuary1,1919,intheaffluentareaofManhattan,NewYork.HisfatherwasawealthyJewishbusinessmaninvolvedincheeseimportation,whilehismother'sparentscamefromScottishandIrishfamiliesrespectively,andhehimselfwasaChristian.Salingerattendedseveralpreparatoryschoolswithmediocregrades.Later,hewassentbyhisfathertoValleyForgeMilitaryAcademy,whereheeditedtheschoolyearbookCrossedSwords.Hisironichumorandwitleftadeepimpressiononhisfriends.From1936to1938,SalingerstudiedatNewYorkUniversityandUrsinusCollege.In1939,SalingertookashortstorywritingcourseofferedbyWhitBurnett,theeditorofStorymagazine,atColumbiaUniversity.From1940to1941,Salingerpublishedfourshortstoriesinsomepopularmagazines.DuringWorldWarII,hewasdraftedintotheUnitedStatesArmyandjoinedthe4thInfantryDivision,participatingintheD-Daylandings.Salinger'scomradesconsideredhimverybraveandatruehero.InthefirstfewmonthsinEurope,SalingersuccessfullywroteseveralshortstoriesandmetErnestHemingwayinParis.Salingeralsotookpartinthe"BattleofHürtgenForest,"whichwasoneofthebloodiestandmostbrutalbattles,andhewitnessedthehorrorsofwar.In1946,SalingerreturnedtoNewYorktocontinuehiswritingcareer.SalingerbeganwritingshortstoriesduringhishighschoolyearsandpublishedseveralworksbeforeservinginWorldWarIIintheearly1940s.Salinger'searlyworkswerepublishedinTheShortStories,Esquire,TheSaturdayEveningPost,Collier's,andTheNewYorker.In1946,SalingerpublishedashortstorytitledI'mCrazyinCollier's,whichforeshadowedhisworld-renownednovelTheCatcherintheRye.In1948,Salingerpublishedthewell-receivedAPerfectDayforBananafishinTheNewYorker,andmanyofhissubsequentworkswerealsopublishedinTheNewYorker.In1951,TheCatcherintheRyewasreleasedandbecameoneofthemostpopularnovelsofthelatterhalfofthetwentiethcentury.SalingermovedtoEnglandandlivedahermit-likelife,farfromthehustleandbustleoftheworld.Hisreclusivelifewasextremelysecretive,andtheoutsideworldknewlittleabouthisdailyroutinesandthoughts,whichundoubtedlycastaveilofmysteryoverhim.Despitenumerousmediaoutletsandjournalistsextendingolivebranches,hopingtosecureaninterviewwithhim,andeventryingtocontacthimthroughvariouschannels,Salingerpolitelydeclinedthemall,steadfastlymaintaininghisinnerpeaceandindependence.Itisparticularlyworthmentioningthatinthemid-1960s,Salingermadeadecisionthatshockedtheliteraryworld—heceasedtopublishanynewworks.Thismoveundoubtedlycausedhisfansandreaderstofeelregretandconfusion,butitalsodeepenedhismystique.Despitethefactthathenolongerproducednewworks,publicenthusiasmforhimdidnotwane.Theheatnotonlydidn'tsubsidebutgrewevenmoreintense.Hissilencebecameawordlessdeclaration,likeawaxseal,deeplyimprintinghisnameineveryone'shearts.Justlikethatheateddiscussionmeeting,wheneveryonewasarguinguntiltheirfacesturnedred,heremainedsilentthroughout.Instead,itmadepeoplekeepspeculatingabouthisthoughtsevenafterthemeeting,andhisnamebecameahottopicofdiscussion.J.D.Salingerstandsasoneofcontemporaryliterature'smostintriguingparadoxes—areclusiveauthorwhoseself-imposedisolationhasparadoxicallyamplifiedhisculturalmystique,therebytransforminghisbiographyintoaninseparableextensionofhisliterarylegacy.TheverywithdrawalthatcharacterizedhislateryearsfunctionsasapowerfulintertextualelementthatcompelsreaderstointerrogatetheautobiographicalechoesinworkslikeTheCatcherintheRye,wherethemesofalienationandspiritualpreservationmirrortheauthor'sownretreatfrompubliclife.Althoughhehasbecomeanunsolvablemystery,itispreciselythisuniquecharmthatkeepshisunfinishedlegendarystorygoing,withpeoplecontinuingitinamixofreverenceandcuriosity.2.2SynopsisofTheCatcherintheRyeTheCatcherintheRyeisJ.D.Salinger'sfirstandonlylong-formnovelandwhenitcameout,criticshadverydifferentopinionsaboutit;itscontroversialnaturestillexistsbecauseofstronglydifferingreactionsfrominstitutions,assomeschoolareasoutlawedthebookduetoitsdialoguebeingfullofswearwordswhileotherspraiseditasanessentialreflectionofadolescentdifficulties;SalingerskillfullyportrayedHoldenCaulfield,makingtherebelliousattitudeandexistentialbewildermentofAmericanyouthsinthemiddleofthecenturyclearandthuscreatingatypicalrepresentationofgenerationalanxiety;thenovel'slastingsignificanceisespeciallyevidentinitsdisturbingending,whereHolden'smentalbreakdownhastwosymbolicmeanings,bothshowinghowcontemporaryteenagersarementallydrainedandkeepingalivethedelicatebuttenacioussparkofhopeintheirdisappointedhearts;thiscontradictoryaspectiswhytheworkstillstirredupfierceargumentssixtyyearsafteritwaspublished,witheverygenerationfindingnewaspectsofmeaninginitsseeminglystraightforwardstory.AlthoughTheCatcherintheRyeisonlyafewhundredthousandwordslong,theemotionalimpactithasonreadersfarexceedsthatofmanygrandioseworksspanninghundredsofthousandsofwords.Throughtheuniqueperspectiveofseventeen-year-oldHoldenCaulfield,TheCatcherintheRyepresentsaveryrealcoming-of-agestorywhichactsbothasameanstounlockbittersweetrecollectionsofyounginnocenceamongmaturereadersandasareflectionoftheinnerdisturbancesofmodernteenagers;themaincharacter'sintensedislikeforsocialhypocrisyandeagerpursuitofgenuinerelationshipskeepstrikingachordwithpeopleofdifferentgenerationssincetheseemotionalrealitiesarealwaysthere;whatmakesthisnovelneverendinginappealisitsamazingabilitytoexpresstheinexpressible-thosebriefbutimportantinstancesofteenageestrangementthatgobeyondtimelimitsandculturalbackgrounds,enablingeverynewgenerationtofindpiecesoftheirownunspokenbewildermentsinHolden'sendlessmonologues;thistwo-foldabilitytobringaboutnostalgicfeelingsoffamiliarityandofferinstantemotionalsupportaccountsforwhySalinger'sgreatworkstillhassuchastrongholdonreaders'mindslongafteritwasfirstpublished.Althoughtheplotissimpleandclear,itcontainsprofoundconnotations.Holden,ateenagerwhohasbeenexpelledfromschoolfourtimesduetopooracademicperformance,choosestobeartheburdenalonewhenfacedwiththeprospectofbeingexpelledagain,decidingtoconfesstohisparentsduringtheChristmasbreak.However,theschoolenvironmentmakeshimfeelextremelyoppressed,andthevulgarityandhypocrisyofhisclass