J. D. Salinger &
The Catcher in the Rye

Use the resources and search tips listed below in your search for information on J.D. Salinger and his work, Catcher in the Rye.

 Print Resources:

Novels for Students (REF 809.3 NOV Vol. 1)
Each volume of Novels for Students contains easily accessible and content-rich discussions of the literary and historical background of works from various cultures and time periods.
  • Introductory essays that place each novel in its historical and literary context
  • Easy-to-understand discussions of the novel's themes, plot and characters
  • Analysis of the novel's literary construction
  • Age-appropriate critical commentary on the novel's significance for our times
  • A timeline that juxtaposes literary and world events
   

Bloom's Notes - J. D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye
 (813.54 REA)
Contains in-depth biography of author of work, a list of characters, extracts of major critical sources, complete bibliography, detailed thematic and structural analysis, summary of themes and ideas cross-indexed.
   

Bloom's Major Literary Characters -Holden Caulfield (813.54 McH)
Holden Caulfield is an introspective, idealistic, and cynical 16-year-old who continues to believe that basic human kindness is far more important to a happy existence, than material wealth and social status.  His observations n the world around him are taken by others a naive and immature, and he is left feeling alienated and unable to cope in a post-war America.
   

Literature Suppressed on Social Grounds
(REF 363.31 SOV)
Explores the censorship of works banned because they ignored or defied official truths or merely contained ideas or language unacceptable to a state, religion, or individual moral watchdog.
   

Bloom's Modern Critical Interpretations - J.D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye (813.54 J.D.)
Ever since it was first published in 1951, this novel has been the coming-of-age story against which all others are judged. Read and cherished by generations, the story of Holden Caulfield is truly one of America's literary treasures.
   

Bloom's Modern Critical Views - J.D. Salinger (813.54 J.D.)
J.D. Salinger's powerful fiction and enigmatic persona have captivated readers for more than 50 years. His works include Nine Stories; Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters; and Franny and Zooey; but Salinger's literary reputation rests on his coming-of-age masterpiece, The Catcher in the Rye. This collection of new essays draws a critical portrait of Salinger's work, complemented by an introductory essay by master scholar Harold Bloom.

 

 Online Resources:

  Contemporary Literary Criticism
Contemporary Literary Criticism--Select is an extensive collection of critical essays on contemporary authors. Each CLC--Select entry contains a biographical/critical introduction, listing of principal works and sources for further study.
     


 

Scribner's Writers Series
Includes 15-20 page signed essays on more than 2,000 authors and literary genres drawn from the acclaimed Scribner Print Series.
     

  Student Research Center Contains thousands of online  primary documents, biographies, topical essays, 
background information, and critical analyses of popular literature.  Select Literature Search tab, then type in title of work.  Click link to left to access database.
     

  The Twayne Authors Series
Comprises 600 full-text titles from the Twayne Literary Masters series, 200 each from Twayne World, US, and English Authors.
     
     

 Internet Resources:

J. D. Salinger - Biography

Booke Jive - J.D. Salinger: http://www.bookjive.com/wiki/Author:J.D._Salinger

Books and Writers - J(erome) D(avid) Salinger: http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/salinger.htm

The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger Biography: http://www.enotes.com/catcher/author-biography

J. D. Salinger Biography: http://www.fandango.com/j.d.salinger/biographies/p314507
 

Catcher in the Rye - Articles, Criticisms, Reviews, etc.

Alien in the Rye, by Albert Fowler: http://www.mmisi.org/ma/01_02/fowler.pdf

Contemporary Literary Criticism - J.D. Salinger: www.enotes.com/contemporary-literary-criticism/salinger-j-d

New Essays on The Catcher in the Rye: http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=JP1ILxtlal8C&oi=fnd&pg=PP11&dq=salinger,+%22catcher+
 in+the+rye%22,+criticism,+&ots=o8bsuInYEb&sig=L6MWh2MDHG7WhjbfV7D-752ZcoM#PPP1,M1

New York Times Book Review - Aw The World's a Crumby Place, by James Stern, July 15th1951: http://www.nytimes.com/books/98/09/13/specials/salinger-rye01.html (Requires subscription, but is free.)

New York Times Book Review - Books of the Times, by Nash K, Burger, July 16th 1951:  http://www.nytimes.com/books/98/09/13/specials/salinger-rye02.html (Requires subscription, but is free.)
 

If you do not find what you're looking for in the above resources, try the search tips listed below.

 Internet Search Tips

  1. Type the URL (web site address) of a search directory/engine in the address box: ex: www.yahoo.com,  www.google.com or http://scholar.google.com/.
     
  2. (Be sure to type the address exactly the way you see it, including any uppercase letters and punctuation).
     
  3. Type in keyword(s). (If your keyword has two parts such as: "Mark Twain", be sure to put quotes around it so that the search engine only finds the Internet sites on old English as opposed to all of the sites containing the word Mark plus all of the sites containing the word Twain.
     

  4. If you would like to search for something specific about Mark Twain, try a combined keyword search by adding a comma followed by a space and your other search term. For instance; if I wanted to find information on the critical reception Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, I would enter the following:

    "Mark Twain", "Huckleberry Finn", criticism [or] "critical reception"

    Hit Enter on your keyboard, or click on Search, then scan the description of the "hits" (entries) and click on the links that sound best.
     

  5. Be sure to critically evaluate Internet sources.  UC Berkley Library's Evaluating Webpages: Techniques to Apply and Questions to Ask is an excellent source to help you critique the quality of websites in the following areas:
    • Authority: Can you tell if the author is credible (believable)?
    • Objectivity: Is the information objective (honest and free of bias)?
    • Currency: Is the information recent and up-to-date?
    • Design: Is the site designed in a clear and user friendly way?
    • Navigation: Is the site easy to navigate through, and are all links current and usable?
  6. Remember: if you choose to use any information (text or graphics) found on an Internet source, 
    you must include it in your bibliography.

Remember:  YOU MUST CITE EVERY RESOURCE YOU USED to gather information on your 
Works Cited (Bibliography) page.  Use the Works Cited Guide to access MLA format.
 

Created by Liza Zandonella, Library Media Specialist. 

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