Catcher in the Rye

Holden: the early hipster

essential elements of the hipster:

Irony (in fashion, in taste)

elitist (in music, in books and arts)

apathy: in political beliefs, in culture

apathy and the search for authentic

Why does Holden always say that other people get a "bang" out of things?

unreliable narrator

Can you always trust a narrator? How do you know he or she is telling the truth?

If Holden tells us that he lies all the time, what else is he lying about?

stream of consciousness

def: a style of narration where everything that passes through the narrator's mind is expressed

This makes the narrator seem more real. This is closer to how we tell stories.

confessional literature (or poetry)

def: focuses on the extremely personal moments in the speaker's life

Who is the "you" being addressed? Why is this important?

important symbols: the hat and the ducks

Holden, the basics

• 16 years old
• Junior at Pencey Preparatory
• Kicked out for failing
• Currently in LA
• Begins story in Pennsylvania