A Study On The Catcher In The Rye From The Perspecitve Of Spatial Theory

The Catcher in the Rye is one of the most controversial novels in American literaryhistory. It is the only novel produced by J. D. Salinger, which has been regarded as one of themodern classics. The novel has influenced the young all over the world from generation togeneration, and it still ranks among the most popular modern novels nowadays. The theme ofquest has been the focus of critics. The thesis aims to take a fresh look at the theme of quest inthe novel from the perspective of spatial criticism.The novel presents readers a society filled with hypocrisy and indifference, which resultsfrom the coexistence of the hedonism and the traditional values during the first half of the20thcentury. Due to the reproduction of space, the society full of hypocrisy and indifferenceexpanded itself continuously, which makes Holden escape from the space and open up hisown ideal space through building relationships with those honest and kind people.Through the analysis of the social space in the novel from the perspective of spatialcriticism, the thesis contends that the contest between different powers in the space causes thechanges of the social space, and the relationship between Holden and those honest and kindpeople has built a new ideal space for Holden.