The passage of adolescence has served as the central theme for many novels, but J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye, long a staple in academic lesson plans, has captured the spirit of this stage of life in hyper-sensitive form, dramatizing Holden Caulfield's vulgar language and melodramatic reactions. Written as the autobiographical account of a fictional teenage prep school student Holden Caulfield, The Catcher in the Rye deals with material that is socially scandalous …showed first 75 words of 1376 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1376 total…because he relies so heavily on simple words and thoughts to express the majority of his feelings. While Holden's teenage angst is apparent, Salinger carefully crafted Holden's vocabulary to create a character who is believable. As Holden's vocabulary and outlook on life demonstrate to us his character as a fictional persona, the realistic flavor of his vocabulary mixed with emotion unfailingly ties him with the harsh realities of adolescence and the youth of his time.