Abstract: The Catcher in the Rye is the only novel by an American writer J. D. Salinger. He begins the story just in a 16-year-old high school student Holden Caulfield, after he’s been expelled from prep school, and within three days wandering New York. Salinger explores the inner world of a teenage boy. My research is to uncover the root causes of the formation of Holden’s complex personality, just from the environment of Holden’s family, school and social aspects. And then from the education system and mainstream culture to analyze Holden’s non-mainstream revolt. In the end to find the reasons from external factors, internal factors and the conflicts between ideal and reality to analyze Holden’s non-mainstream revolt is doomed to fail.

Key words: J. D. Salinger;《The Catcher in the Rye》; conflicts; non-mainstream revolt;

CONTENTS

Abstract

中文摘要

1. Introduction..1

  1.1 Introduction to the author

  1.2 Introduction to the novel

2.The Origins of Holden’s Personality.3

2.1 Literal Family Environment

2.2 Illusory School Environment

2.3 Corrupt Social Environment

3.The Reflection of Holden’s Non-Mainstream Revolt...8

3.1 The Revolt of the Education System

3.2 The Revolt of the Mainstream Culture

4.The Causes of Failure of Holden’s Non-Mainstream Revolt..10

4.1 The External Factors

4.2 The Internal Factors

 4.3 The Conflicts between Ideal and Reality

5. Conclusion..13

Bibliography...15

Acknowledgments......16