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Introduction

The Catcher in the Rye is a 1951 novel by J. D. Salinger. Originally published for adults,^[1] the novel has become a common part of high school and college curricula throughout the English-speaking world^{[citation needed]}; it has also been translated into almost all of the world's major languages.^[2] Around 250,000 copies are sold each year, with total sales of more than sixty-five million.^[3] The novel's antihero, Holden Caulfield, has become an icon for teenage rebellion .^[4]

The novel was among the 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to 2005 as chosen by Time,^[5] and named by Modern Library and its readers as one of the 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century. It has been frequently challenged^[6][7][8] in the United States for its liberal use of profanity and portrayal of sexuality and teenage angst.