Painful Growth from Childhood to Adulthood

陳晶

J.D.Salinger， a prominent American novelist and short story writer， is regarded as one of the most important and influential post-war authors in American literature. He attended a writing class at Columbia University and met Whit Burnett， editor of Story magazine， who published his short story The Young Folks. However， most of Salingers stories written before WWII were not recognized until in 1951 he published his novel The Catcher in the Rye， which enjoyed great popularity among American readers and writers. Harold L. Roth， the writer of Library Journal， declares Salingers The Catcher in the Rye might be a shock to many parents， who wander about a young mans thoughts and actions， but its effect could be a salutary one. George Steiner also praises The Catcher in the Rye in his article that “Salinger has a marvelous ear for the semi-literate meanderings of the adolescent mind” and Salinger in his mind was a “most skillful and original writer.”（George， 189） Even Salinger himself admitted that “I almost always write about very young people，” a statement which has been referred to his private writing principle. Harold Bloom holds that “Holden may not be a universal figure， but he is one of the most representatives of Americans.” The sensitive youths respond to him with a consciousness that he speaks for them and in a language belongs to them. It won him great fame and reputation. He gained an immediate honor as one of the most significant post-war writers in the United States. This novel was declared a best seller after its publication and is still a must reading material in high schools in the United States. People could read his novel with their personal past and present awareness. They believe this novel can make them rethink their lives.

In details， The Catcher in the Rye describes the painfulness of youths growing up and the lonely voyage from innocence to maturity， along with searching for truth and identity. The novels hero， Holden Caulfield， experiences pain-taking initiation into the adulthood from the childhood， which is full of alienation， frustration， anger and despair. And his weapon against phoniness is lonely cry， voiceless revolt， and useless defiance. Holden， in this connection， has become a classic figure in American literature and his almost abnormal yet profound adolescent awaking is treated as a synonym to that of the rest American youths.

（作者單位：廣東科技學院）