American writer Jerome David Salinger: biography, creativity

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

There are writers whose life is no less interesting than their work. These include Jerome Salinger, whose biography is full of events. These are philosophical searches for oneself, the study of many sciences, the Second World War, service in intelligence, returning home and recognition for short stories and the only published novel.

You can make movies about him. Only now the writer forbade doing this, as well as filming his books. Why this happened, you will learn from our article.

The most mysterious writer of the century

Jerome David Salinger is known not only for his works, but also for his secluded lifestyle, which has given rise to many myths and conjectures around him. At the height of his fame, the author suddenly stops publishing his books. At the same time, he does not stop writing, moreover, he almost completely limits communication with the press and critics. No more favors for readers, autographs by Salingeralso stops giving.

There were legends about his voluntary retreat. And in one of the interviews, the American film actor Nicolas Cage told how one of the tests assigned to him by his beloved girl, whose favor he stubbornly sought, was to get an autograph of this famous writer. The movie star claims that he managed to get the coveted signature. But many readers and fans of Salinger were not so lucky.

Life path

Jerome David Salinger was born on the first day of 1919 in New York (United States of America) to a Jewish family. His father was a merchant, and the family lived quite well. Mother had Scottish and Irish roots. Even at a young age, the writer took his first steps in writing. His stories were short, but even then quite capacious.

In 1936, Salinger (whose biography has many controversial moments) received a diploma from a closed military school. During his studies, he wrote several lines for the anthem of this institution, which are still included in its official version. Further, Salinger was expected to study at New York University and practice in Europe.

On his return, he enters Columbia University, where he listens to lectures on prose and short stories. But David was interested in studying only in such separate courses. He did not graduate from any of the universities and could not make a career. This became a stumbling block with his father, who had high hopes for his son. As a result, after another family scandal, they turned away from each other forever.

World War II in the writer's life

Salinger, whose biography is permeated with the influence of the Second World War, could not stay away from the ongoing events. He decided that his place was at the front, and fought for a long time for the opportunity to get there, as he was exempt from conscription due to he alth reasons.

In 1943, with the rank of sergeant, the writer enters the counterintelligence department. Being in the hottest spots, Salinger, whose biography will more than once be strewn with memories of the war, will write in his diary, and later in letters to his relatives, that he correctly understood his destiny, and his place is here. He was aware of the correctness and value of his stay in the heat of the war, took part in the liberation of prisoners from concentration camps, was in intelligence, but what he experienced forever wounded him, closed him from others, which resulted later in his reclusive life.

Recognition

Returning home, the writer Salinger gains fame as a recognized novelist. His story "It is good to catch a banana fish" is on the lips of all critics and lovers of literature. In the mid-forties, many magazines published his novels and stories. The themes of his works are painful memories of the war, of wounds that will never heal, of things seen that will never be forgotten.

The recognition of the writer will reach its climax after the publication in 1951 of the novel "The Catcher in the Rye". The genre of the work will be called "novel-education". This creation was sold out in unprecedented quantities - more than 60 million copies.

At the peak of fame and recognition, Salinger suddenly stops publishing his works and closes himself from the world in 1965. He no longer gives interviews and autographs. What justifies this behavior is still a mystery to biographers, and even to many of the writer's acquaintances.

The great novelist has died at the age of 91 in his gated New Hampshire mansion.

Creativity. Overview

Salinger's work mainly consists of short stories and short stories. The only novel written and published by the author is The Catcher in the Rye.

Created Salinger stories on a fairly broad topic, which changed along with the writer's worldview. But the main idea is the same - the meaning of life, broken dreams and a philosophical search for oneself. The heroes of most novels are children, teenagers and people in search of the purpose of life. Such images give the writer the most vivid and capacious way to reveal his thoughts and show the reader the results of his philosophical reflections.

Worthy of attention is the writer's story "The Man Who Laughed". It is a story about a student who taught the children, while telling them amazing stories about a noble robber - the Man who laughed. Guy John tells with inspiration, because a very beautiful and kind girl Mary helps him. It turns out that she is the daughter of noble and we althy parents who are against her relationship with a simple student. When Mary nevertheless is forced to part with John, he tells a story in which his hero is defeated, and soon dies himself. Storycondemns social inequality that destroys the lives of the best people.

The Catcher in the Rye

This greatest novel almost immediately found many readers around the world. Nevertheless, critics reacted ambiguously to the work, accusing the writer of depressive motives. For more vivid, subtle characteristics of the characters and everything that happens in the novel, swear words are used, which led to a ban on the release of the work in some states. It is now included in school literature programs around the world.

Salinger, whose novels were closed for publication by himself, forbade his work to be filmed when it was discussed in the 80s and 90s. The main argument was that the events of the work take place in the soul of the protagonist, so it is almost impossible to show it the way the author saw and created it.

The novel tells about the boy Holden Caulfield. Nobody understands him, and he himself hardly accepts his surroundings. He grows up, and in this growing up, his dreams and ideals terribly quickly crumble into dust. The novel has such a strange name because Caulfield has a dream in his mind - to catch children over the abyss when they, having played too much, are in danger. This is a rather symbolic association. Most likely, Holden dreams of helping children preserve their childhood in his cheerfulness and openness to a world where dreams have not yet been broken forever. The original title of the novel, The Catcher in the Rye, translates as "Catcher in the Rye".

Quotes and aphorisms

The Mysterious Writerleft us not only the greatest literary heritage, but also many aphorisms. This is because Salinger was a real master of the pen. We will give the most vivid and recognizable quotes:

• "Because a person died, you can't stop loving him, damn it! Especially if he was the best of all the living, you know?" – in the voice of his hero of the novel "The Catcher in the Rye" the writer will utter the truth, full of pain and truth.
• "And I am fascinated by such books that when you read them to the end, you immediately think: it would be nice if this writer became your best friend, and that you could talk to him." Holden Caulfield will say this, and it's hard not to agree with him.

• "We need to let a person speak out, since he began to talk interestingly and got carried away. I really like it when a person talks with enthusiasm. It's good." These words also belong to Caulfield.
• "An immature person wants to die for his cause, but a mature person wants to live for a just cause."

In closing

To read or not to read is everyone's business. But, staying away from the classics of world literature, you deprive yourself of the pleasure of knowing completely new worlds. Thus, Salinger's stories are completely integral microcosms of his characters. Searches and disappointments, everyday life and real disasters in their souls will not leave you indifferent, enrich your inner world and help you better know yourself.