History Literature / TheCatcherInTheRye

* AntiHero: Holden is a Type IV/V.

* [[Anti-Hero]]: Holden is a Type IV/V.

* LoonyFan: John Lennon's assassin loved this book and claimed to use it as an inspiration for committing the murder. Whilst this certainly helped the already considerable controversy surrounding the book, it also meant that many later readers approached the work expecting it to be more brutal, violent and dark than it necessarily is. John Hinkley Jr., who tried to kill Reagan, had a copy in his hotel room. He's been reported to be obsessed with it, but that might just be in confusion with Lennon's assassin.

* OneBookAuthor: While Salinger HAS published other works, this is the only novel he's published. Other published works by him have been short story collections and a [[FrannyAndZooey novella]]. He once told his neighbor that he has FIFTEEN UNPUBLISHED NOVELS in a safe on his property. Since his death, these actually may see the light of day presumably depending on the terms of his will or his estate's executors.

* {{Cloudcuckoolander}}: Holden.

* ClusterFBomb: Holden ''loves'' to swear-- however, he actually dislikes the F-word, so much so that he scratches it out when he sees it written on a wall. Well, someone counted every instance of Holden saying Goddam, and there were 237 such times. For the record, there are only 214 page in the book.

* ClusterFBomb: Holden ''loves'' to swear-- however, he actually dislikes the F-word. Well, someone counted every instance of Holden saying Goddam, and there were 237 such times. For the record, there are only 214 page in the book.

* YoungerThanTheyLook: 16-year-old Holden Caulfield is 6'2" and has gray hairs. As such, [[InformedAbility he claims]] he can easily pass as an adult. But he's more often called out on being a minor than he is successfully able to pass. Sunny, for example, not only wouldn't believe he was 22, but may have also compared him to a 13-year-old Freddie Bartholomew.

* PrecisionFStrike: Despite a large amount of other profanities, there is only one appearance of an actual F-bomb in the last chapter, where Holden sees it in clearly visible graffiti and tries to cover it up. A very good example of how the word can be appropriately shocking when used correctly.

* HaveAGayOldTime: Holden frequently describes Stradlater as "sexy", and even acknowledges his good looks more than once. In the 1950s, though, the term could still be taken to mean "obsessed with sex" (its original definition) rather than "sexually attractive". A more modern equivalent would be "horny".

** This is justified as it was almost definitely a 78 which are know to shatter if you so much as sneeze near them.

* RuleOfSymbolism: Holden's little sister, who to him is the epitome of what he's trying to protect, is named Phoebe. This is an epithet of [[ClassicalMythology Artemis]], who is occasionally associated with the moon; in its male form, "Phoebus", it is also an epithet her twin brother Apollo, who is associated with the sun. The prostitute Holden hires, who is one of the apexes of the things Holden ''hates'', is named Sunny. [[YourMileageMayVary Make of that what you will]].

* AuthorAvatar: Holden. J.D. Salinger stated that he would have allowed a stage adaptation of the work on the condition that he be allowed to play Holden. [[DawsonCasting Despite being significantly older than Holden by the time this was a possibility.]]

* RapeIsTheNewDeadParents: Perhaps not rape, but something similar that isn't explored. This is [[LemonyNarrator strange considering the narrator]].

* BittersweetEnding: Holden grows a little like the examples provided, but [[spoiler: he winds up in a mental hospital as it's implied his parents sent him there when they found out of his expulsion, though he says he's going to a new school in September]]

* MisaimedFandom: [[invoked]]Holden does this with the song "Comin' Thru the Rye". It's actually about two lovers meeting in a field. Holden adopts it as an image of himself protecting children from their own inevitable maturity (especially sex) and phoniness (like, say, lying about where you're going and screwing some guy in a field instead). He [[{{Mondegreen}} mishears it]], after all.