American contemporary writer J. D. Salinger’s famous novel THE CATCHER IN THE RYE was acknowledged as one of the “Classical Novels” in American literature history. Ever since its publication in1951, it was paid great attention by the American people and literature—historians. Especially in the young group, it was called the“BIBLE” of young man and so popular around the world too. The story was just about the protagonist----Holden Caulfield telling his story to a psychosis analyst doctor in a hospital. Holden was a 16—year old boy and was expelled from the Pencey school for his failure in study .He hated the teachers and classmates who lost their morality and so snobbish in this school. On impulse he decided to run away from it without waiting for the end of term and went to the New York City. In New York City he was walking in the city alone. All the things and people he saw just were like that in the school. The societies filled with phonies, mean things, and at last his spiritual disintegrated and was sent to the hospital receive the treatment.
Although the plot of THE CATCHER IN THE RYE was simple, J. D. Salinger used very minute and profound description way to reveal the complex feelings and contrary inner world of Holden, he used concentrated typical concrete and aesthetic ways to show us after the World War Two, the thinking and the inner world of the American young people----the so called “Beat Generation”. They lost themselves, degenerating, living together and being cynical. With the publication of the novel, it got more than more echoes from the young American people, because it displayed the true feeling of themselves and what they really want to get. This paper tries to focus on Holden’s inner complex world, exposes Holden’s character and dissects the weakness of humanity. Form this novel we could more comprehensive realized the so called“Beat Generation”and theirs spiritual crisis......

CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ----------------------------------------------------- 5
PART ONE THE SOCIAL BACKGROUND AND
HOLDEN’S CYNICAL REBEL---------------------6
PART TWO HIS GOOD WISH AND
MENTAL AGONY------------------------------------11
PART THREE THE DEPRESSION AND
THE COMPROMISE-----------------------------16

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