Salinger's Life and Catcher

Like Holden, Jerome David Salinger was raised in a wealthy home, with not so loving parents. The article I read stated that Salinger's grandparents disapproved of his parent's marriage, and it crumbled after that. Salinger had a horrible relationship with his father. He hated his father so much that he did not attend his funeral. Holden was unable to attend Allie's funeral, but he wanted to be there. Holden felt bad for not being there. Maybe Salinger feels guilty for not being at his father's funeral, and that's why he incorporated that situation in his book The Catcher in the Rye. The book is set in New York City, where Salinger was raised. And like Holden, Salinger was kicked out of a prep school. His parents did not tolerate this, and sent him to Valley Forge Military Academy for a few years. He did go to Europe and fought. While in Europe, he also met Ernest Hemingway, and a couple other famous writers. Holden and Salinger enjoy reading, and I feel they share the same view of how they feel about the authors. "What really knocks me out is a book that, when you're all done reading it, you wish the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up whenever you felt like it"(18). Maybe Hemingway was a good friend to Salinger. Neither Holden or Salinger can keep a stable relationship. Salinger had a few short marriages, but nothing serious. And I think they share the same view on religion. They were both raised as a Catholic, but they left that and searched for something else. Neither of them found a strong belief. The Catcher in the Rye seems like Salinger's personal diary, and he allowed the world to read it. Salinger went through some crazy things as a young adult, and maybe he felt that he should let his story be heard for other young adults who feel lost, or refuse to grow up, as if to reassure them that they are not the only ones who feel the way they do.