History Literature / TheCatcherInTheRye

* NewMediaAreEvil: Holden hates movies and, throughout his life, Salinger blocked all attempts to make TheFilmOfTheBook. Which is ironic, as Salinger himself was a cinemphile. The reason for that is because Salinger hated how the 1949 film ''My Foolish Heart'' (based on his short story "Uncle Wiggily in Connecticut") came out. To date that film is the only authorized film adaptation of his work.

* {{Gaydar}}: Carl Luce, who can easily identify gay men and knows the names of every gay man in the country. Holden himself seems eerily aware of nearby gays to.

* AmbiguousDisorder: It is heavily implied that Holden is suffering from undiagnosed mental disorder. For instance, he is definitely very cynical, doesn't eat or sleep enough, is constantly mentioning how lonely and depressed he is, has frequent crying spells, gets impulsive urges to commit ''suicide'', shows manic behavior whenever he tries to connect with someone ([[SanitySlippage especially noticeable later on in the book]]), suffers from frequent body and headaches for no reason, is an avid smoker and drinker (possibly as a form of self-medication), and is obviously traumatized over the suddenness of Allie and Castle's deaths.
* AmbiguousSituation: The scene where Mr Antolini strokes Holden's sleeping head. It could be (as Holden thinks) a sexual pass or simply a misguided attempt at paternal affection. Holden himself is not sure of which, although he recollects several similar instances in his life that point to the former, which brings its own ambiguity.

* BigManOnCampus: Stradlater, who [[IncrediblyLamePun straddles]] the line between JerkJock and LovableJock. While he beats up Holden (in fact, while [[OverlyLongGag straddling]] him), he only does so after Holden already attacked him, and while he does seem to be a cocky flirt, he also seems to be a pretty good guy who genuinely likes spending time with Holden. On the other hand, he's implied to be [[ReallyGetsAround highly promiscuous]], having casual sex with women whose names he can't even bother to remember.

* {{Cloudcuckoolander}}: Holden, even by his own admission. He at one point breaks out into a tap dance while talking to Stradlater in the bathroom for no apparent reason. Stradlater is understandably confused.

* DrivenToSuicide: Holden mentions James Castle, a boy he knew at school committed suicide because of bullying. Castle called another boy, Phil Stable a "very conceited guy", so Stabile and six of his friends tried to force him to take it back.

* TheEeyore: Phoebe challenges Holden to name one thing that he genuinely likes. Holden claims he can't concentrate enough to answer her question. Interestingly, it's demonstrably untrue in the text that Holden doesn't like anything, for he is an avid writer, reader and cinephile, and on top of it has an active love life; it's just that he lacks the introspection to realize it.

* {{Gaydar}}: Carl Luce, who can easily identify gay men and knows the names of every gay man in the country.

* IJustWantToHaveFriends: Virtually everything Holden does in the novel stems from how ''desperately'' lonely he feels, both at psychological and spiritual levels.

* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Holden, for all his antisocial and occasionally douche tendencies, has solid redeeming qualities and sometimes makes good points about what he sees. It's only too easy to get irritated by his constant negativity.

* TheMovieBuff: Phoebe loves them as much as Holden claims to hate them. Holden himself seems to be awfully knowledgeable for someone who hates movies.

* RapeAsBackstory: Perhaps not rape, but something definitely similar that isn't explored:

* StylisticSuck: Very accurately done with Holden's one-paragraph essay on the ancient Egyptians. Possibly in-universe; given that we see Holden is not exactly uncultured, it's easy to guess some of its silliness was him having fun with an exam he knew he hadn't studied enough to pass.

* UnreliableNarrator: Holden, again. He's an admitted liar, so how much of his story is the truth remains up in the air. It's worth noticing that while his narration is hilarious, his spoken dialogue is an apex of TheComicallySerious and morbidity.

* WritersCannotDoMath: In-universe. Phoebe writes about a girl detective named [[SpellMyNameWithAnS Hazle]] Weatherfield whose father is described as a "tall attractive gentleman about 20 years of age." This is admittedly odd, considering she's said to be 10 years old (well over the age in which children master the most basic math) and very smart in general.

->''If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don't feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth.''

* AmbiguousDisorder: It is heavily implied that Holden is suffering from undiagnosed mental illness. For instance, he is definitely very cynical, doesn't eat or sleep enough, is constantly mentioning how lonely and depressed he is, has frequent crying spells, gets impulsive urges to commit ''suicide'', shows manic behavior whenever he tries to connect with someone ([[SanitySlippage especially noticeable later on in the book]]), suffers from frequent body and headaches for no reason, is an avid smoker and drinker (possibly as a form of self-medication), and is obviously traumatized over the suddenness of Allie and Castle's deaths.

* AmbiguousDisorder: It is heavily implied that Holden is suffering from an undiagnosed case of PTSD and/or bipolar disorder. For instance, he is definitely very cynical, doesn't eat or sleep enough, is constantly mentioning how lonely and depressed he is, has frequent crying spells, gets impulsive urges to commit ''suicide'', shows manic behavior whenever he tries to connect with someone ([[SanitySlippage especially noticeable later on in the book]]), suffers from frequent body and headaches for no reason, is an avid smoker and drinker (possibly as a form of self-medication), and is obviously traumatized over the suddenness of Allie and Castle's deaths.

The book is considered one of the best novels of all time, is practically the textbook for [[PointOfView First-Person Narration]], and is regularly found in critical lists of the greatest English-language works of fiction. However, it is also a frequent target of MoralGuardians for its offensive language and nihilistic attitude, not to mention the fact that it was [[HitlerAteSugar caught in the possession of a few notorious murderers]] (making it a sort of [[UrExample prototype]] of the post-UsefulNotes/{{Columbine}} scares [[NewMediaAreEvil about violent video games]]). It is also the most popular novel [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking never to have been adapted into a movie]].

''The Catcher in the Rye'' is a 1951 novel[[note]]originally published serially in 1946-48[[/note]] by the late, reclusive author Creator/JDSalinger.

The book is considered one of the best novels of all time, is practically the textbook for [[PointOfView First-Person Narration]], and is regularly found in critical lists of the greatest English-language works of fiction. However, it is also a frequent target of MoralGuardians for its offensive language and nihilistic attitude, not to mention the fact that it was [[HitlerAteSugar caught in the possession of a few notorious murderers]] (making it a sort of [[UrExample prototype]] of the post-UsefulNotes/{{Columbine}} scares [[NewMediaAreEvil about violent video games]]). It is the most popular novel never to have been adapted into a movie.

The book is considered one of the best novels of all time, is practically the textbook for [[PointOfView First-Person Narration]], and is regularly found in critical lists of the greatest English-language works of fiction. However, it is also a frequent target of MoralGuardians for its offensive language and nihilistic attitude, not to mention the fact that it was caught in the possession of a few notorious murderers (making it a sort of prototype of the post-UsefulNotes/{{Columbine}} scares about violent video games). It is the most popular novel never to have been adapted into a movie.

The book is considered one of the best novels of all time, is practically the textbook for [[PointOfView First-Person Narration]], and is regularly found in critical lists of the greatest English-language works of fiction. However, it is also a frequent target of MoralGuardians for its offensive language and nihilistic attitude. It is the most popular novel never to have been adapted into a movie.

* WritersCannotDoMath: In-universe. Phoebe writes about a girl detective named [[SpellMyNameWithAnS Hazle]] Weatherfield whose father is described as a "tall attractive gentleman about 20 years of age." This is admittedly odd, considering she's said to be 10 years old and very smart in general.

* VinylShatters: Holden accidentally shatters a record he was going to give to his sister Phoebe. [[JustifiedTrope Justified here]] - it was almost definitely a shellac 78, which ''are'' known to shatter.

* ByronicHero: Holden - kind of, for the [[GrandUnifiedTimeline/ThePostwarEra 1950s]] - angry, brooding and confused.

* BigApplesauce: The book mainly takes place in 1940s Manhattan.

* ByronicHero: Holden - kind of, for the [[GrandUnifiedTimeline/ThePostwarEra 1950s]].

* ByronicHero: Holden - Kind of, for the [[GrandUnifiedTimeline/ThePostwarEra 1950s]].

''The Catcher in the Rye'' is a 1951 novel by the late, reclusive author Creator/JDSalinger.

* SillyRabbitCynicismIsForLosers: Both Mr. Antolini and Phoebe try to get across to Holden that much of his unhappiness is self-inflicted, and just as [[ItsAllAboutMe narcissistic]] as all the "phonies" he rails against. Unfortunately for them, not only Holden is too stubborn to acknowledge it, its origin seem to be outright psychopathologic.

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

* SecurityBlanket: His hunting cap can be seen as this, in that he's constantly putting it on and taking it off only when he's in a situation where he knows he will be mocked for wearing it.

* SillyRabbitCynicismIsForLosers: Both Mr. Antolini and Phoebe try to get across to Holden that much of his unhappiness is self-inflicted, and just as [[ItsAllAboutMe narcissistic]] as all the "phonies" he rails against.

* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism: [[PlayingWithATrope Played with]] in a rather complex manner. Holden is a rebellious teenager with a cynical and [[JadeColoredGlasses jaded exterior]]; at the same time, he's obsessed with the concept of childhood innocence, and thinks innocence is a notion to be revered. This leads to strange instances where he'll fantasize about sex one minute, and reminisce about playing golf with Allie the next. The ambiguity of the text itself, however, makes it difficult to make a judgement one way or another.

* StylisticSuck: Very accurately done with Holden's one-paragraph essay on the ancient Egyptians.

* {{Tsundere}}: Holden is incredibly critical of nearly every single character in the book, but it is made clear that this is more of him being frustrated and self conscious than anything else as he later admits to missing them.

* UnreliableNarrator: Holden, again. He's an admitted liar, so how much of his story is the truth remains up in the air. It's worth noticing that while his ''narration'' is hilarious, his spoken dialogue is an apex of TheComicallySerious and morbidity.

** Holden has a rather annoying habit of calling people "Old" before their name (Old Phoebe, Old Stradlater, etc).

** The first time Holden speaks at length about his brother Allie, he talks tenderly about how his little brother loved baseball and had a favorite catcher's mitt that he always used when playing. Then he finishes the paragraph with this:

** Incase Holden's growing psychosis wasn't apparent already then the reader would have definitely noticed it after he begins to show delusional behavior towards Sally during one of their later dates:

* WiseBeyondTheirYears: Holden claims that his younger siblings, Allie and Phoebe, are pretty intelligent for their age.

* WritersCannotDoMath: In-universe. Phoebe writes about a girl detective named [[SpellMyNameWithAnS Hazle]] Weatherfield whose father is described as a "tall attractive gentleman about 20 years of age."

* AmbiguousDisorder: It is heavily implied that Holden is suffering from an undiagnosed case of PTSD and/or depression. For instance, he is definitely very cynical, doesn't eat or sleep enough, is constantly mentioning how lonely and depressed he is, has frequent crying spells, gets impulsive urges to commit ''suicide'', shows manic behavior whenever he tries to connect with someone ([[SanitySlippage especially noticeable later on in the book]]), suffers from frequent body and headaches for no reason, is an avid smoker and drinker (possibly as a form of self-medication), and is obviously traumatized over the suddenness of Allie and Castle's deaths.
* AmbiguousSituation: The scene where Mr Antolini strokes Holden's sleeping head. It could be (as Holden thinks) a sexual pass or simply a misguided attempt at paternal affection. Holden himself is not sure.

* BigManOnCampus: Stradlater, who [[IncrediblyLamePun stradles]] the line between JerkJock and LovableJock. While he beats up Holden, he only does so after Holden already attacked him, and while he does seem to be a cocky flirt, he also seems to be a pretty good guy who genuinely likes spending time with Holden. On the other hand, he's implied to be [[ReallyGetsAround highly promiscuous]], having casual sex with women whose names he can't even bother to remember.

* {{Bookworm}}: One of the ''very'' few things Holden unambiguously enjoys is reading even if he does claim to be illiterate.

* {{Cloudcuckoolander}}: Holden. He at one point breaks out into a tap dance while talking to Stradlater in the bathroom for no apparent reason. Stradlater is understandably confused.

* TheEeyore: Phoebe challenges Holden to name one thing that he genuinely likes. Holden claims he can't concentrate enough to answer her question.
* EmbarrassingMiddleName: Phoebe's middle name is Josephine, which she doesn't like for some reason, so she's always making up new ones. When Holden visits her, he sees that she's using "Weatherfield" as a middle name.

* FriendToAllChildren: Holden

* TheGhost: Several. Jane, D.B., Holden's parents, and Allie seem to be the most significant, though.

* HypocrisyNod:
** Someone who hates movies as much as Holden claims to sure seems to watch a lot of them. How does one learn not to like something to experience it?

* IJustWantToHaveFriends: Virtually everything Holden does in the novel stems from how ''desperately'' lonely he is.

* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Holden, according to some. It's only too easy to get irritated by Holden's constant negativity.

* MoralGuardians: What Holden himself wants to ''be''--that is, the [[TitleDrop Catcher In The Rye]], a person who guards the innocence of children.

* NewMediaAreEvil: Holden hates movies and, throughout his life, Salinger blocked all attempts to make TheFilmOfTheBook. Which is ironic, as Salinger himself was a cinemaphile. The reason for that is because Salinger hated how the 1949 film ''My Foolish Heart'' (based on his short story "Uncle Wiggily in Connecticut") came out. To date that film is the only authorized film adaptation of his work.

* PlatonicProstitution: Holden hires a prostitute when he's at a hotel, but changes his mind when she arrives, and says that he just wants to talk. This doesn't work out; she becomes annoyed, demands more money than was originally agreed upon, and when Holden refuses to pay, she comes back with her pimp, who beats up Holden and takes the money.

* MisaimedFandom: [[InvokedTrope 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. Interestingly, the word ‘rye’ might actually refer to [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_Garnock#Rye_Water Rye Water]] in Scotland. The poem then discusses a girl named Jenny who lets her petticoat down and get wet instead of holding it up while crossing it, so she can push away the boys who would run by to kiss the girls who would hold their petticoats on one hand and whatever they were carrying on the other instead, leaving no free hand to ward off the boys. Holden decided to interpret the word ‘rye’ [[IThoughtItMeant as actual rye]], which is the more ‘adult’ version, but misinterprets the meaning of the poem as talking about kids playing in a rye field.

->''"You know what I'd do, if I had a goddamn choice? [...] I'd be [[TitleDrop the catcher in the rye]] and all."''