5, 2010
J.D. Salinger, the author of The Catcher in the Rye, has died at 91 years old. Thought to be one of the most important American authors since World War Two, Salinger became famous for not wanting to be famous at all and had been living in seclusion for nearly 50 years at his home in New Hampshire. Ironically enough, the more he sought privacy, the less he received and the more famous he became.
While Salinger was responsible for other works, The Catcher in the Rye was by far his most well known. It was published in 1951 and has become one of the all time best selling books. It gained its popularity among young readers due to its sympathetic attitude towards adolescence and reading it became almost a rite of passage for America’s youth. Even today, though some of the material is a bit dated, young readers can still relate to its timeless ideals that are present in every young life.
Salinger’s works were famous for the amount of literary irony contained within them. His characters would often prove a point by saying the exact opposite of what they intended to say. This literary strategy is what drew critics to his works and is why they are still discussed so frequently to this day.
Though most of his life is shrouded in mystery, he is responsible for shaping the minds of many of America’s youth as well as lighting a fire under many critics who have spent years trying to understand the meaning behind his multi layered writings. Though he was never partial to being a large part of it, the literary world has just lost one of its greatest minds.
To read the original article, please go to http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/29/books/29salinger.html?pagewanted=3
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