
Holden Caulfield is one of the best-loved fictional characters in American literature. The three most important aspects of The Catcher in the Rye: Major Symbols : preparatory school life baseball glove red hunting cap Radio City Music Hall the carrousel's gold ring the coming-of-age genre Major Thematic Topics : innocence death authentic versus artificial sexual confusion Main Characters : Holden Caulfield Phoebe Allie D.B. Salinger's classic The Catcher in the Rye illustrates a teenager's dramatic struggle against death and growing up.įirst Published: by Little, Brown and Company on July 16, 1951 After a fight with his roommate, Stradlater, Holden leaves school two days early to explore New York before returning home, interacting with teachers, prostitutes, nuns, an old girlfriend, and his sister along the way.
Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield recounts the days following his expulsion from Pencey Prep, a private school.