Holden Caulfield's Goddam War

- Puring, prayer, and enlightenmennt

- experience of war gave his writing a depth and maturity it had previously lacked 

- Salinger was not naive about war 

- Meeting Ernest Hemisway was important for Salinger because Salinger looked up to Hemisway

- he thought that war was a bloody, inglorious affair - perhaps that is where Holden gets his problems from?

- Catcher in the Rye was a spiritually autobiography

- Salinger wrote the first chapter in by 1941

- Salinger wrote Catcher in the Rye as a series of short stories that might eventually be strung together. There were 9 stories altogether. 

-1945 - Salinger wondered what it would feel like if he were to fire the 45 caliber pistol through his left palm. However he recognised his state of mind and checked himself uto a hospital in Nuremberg for treatment. Could this be Holden's state of mind?

- Sometimes Salinger's attitude is pleading

- 1949, Salinger started to string the short stories of Holden together. 

- Before the war, Holden was pointedly selfish and confused. In the novel he is less selfish, and seems to be speaking a larger truth

- A textbook editor's report was negative. Two editors from The New Yorker was also negative 

- They thought the characters were unbelievable, and the Caulfield children were to precocious. 

- Catcher in the Re published July 16 1951

- He got great reviews from everyone

- Some of he reviews said that the novels language and idiosm were at fault. 

- Holden's meandering thoughts, emotions and memories populate the most completety stream of consciousness experience yet offered by American literature at the time

- Writing Catcher in the rye was an act of liberation. 

- The war bruised Salinger's faith. It was reflected in Holden's loss of faith caused by the death of his brother Allie. The memory of dead friends haunted Holden for many years. 

-Salinger has shattered innocence - attitude shown by adult phonies and compromise

- Salingers reaction was personal despondency through darker forces of human nature 

- What ever happened to Sainger would also happen to Holden. Salinger and Holden eventually came to terms with the burdens they carried. Their epiphanies were the same. 

- Holden comes to realise he can enter adulthood without becoming false and sacrificing his values. 

- Salinger came to accept that knowledge of evil did not ensure damnation. 

- The experience of war gave a voice to Salinger, and in turn to Holden