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УДК 82-3
Fedorova Yana Igorevna
Master's degree student St. Petersburg state University
NONCONFORMITY IN J.D. SALINGER'S NOVEL "THE CATCHER IN THE RYE" AND ITS
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
Abstract.
The given article considers how nonconformity in J.D. Salinger's novel "The Catcher in the Rye" coincides with its historical context. The relevance of this research is determined by the constant interest in the novel, its complexity, historical and artistic values and also a relatively small number of studies on how the nonconformity in the book imitates its historical context. The author examines a number of existing definitions of the notion of "nonconformity" and distinguishes characteristic features of the novel's historical period - the 1950s. The article focuses on how the views and ideas of the protagonist of the novel reflects his rejection of his surroundings' social standards and moral values.
Key words: Nonconformity, historical context, culture of consensus, J.D. Salinger, The Cathcer in the Rye.
One of the most famous and notorious examples of American literature of the 20th century, J.D. Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye", starts with Holden Caulfield's expelling from yet another private school. Disappointed in his surroundings, extremely lonely and depressed, he sets off for a three-day odyssey through the New York streets, meanwhile casually sharing with the reader his thoughts and views on life and American society. Although the book received mostly positive reviews by critics, it provoked a great deal of controversy in the USA. The reason for this lies in the fact that "The Catcher in the Rye" contains a lot of slang, swearing, sex talk and that it questions the moral standards of the American nation. As a result, from 1962 till 1982 the novel was banned from schools and libraries, but such withdrawal only intensified the interest of the readers. Moreover, "The Catcher in the Rye" became not only one of the most discussed books of the 20th century, but also a manifesto against a conformist culture. This is why it is extremely important to examine the novel within its historical context - the 1950s.
The goal of this study is to examine how the historical context of the 1950s in the USA coincides with the nonconformity topic in J.D. Salinger's novel "The Catcher in the Rye". To achieve this goal, the following tasks were set: to examine the existing notion of "nonconformity", to consider the phenomenon of nonconformity in 1950s in the USA and to reveal how nonconformity appears in the novel.
Thus, the object of this study is nonconformity, and the subject - J.D. Salinger's novel "The Catcher in the Rye". To solve the tasks in this paper, the following techniques were used: the theoretical analysis and generalization of scientific literature, the selection and synthesis of the main components, and the analysis of the data obtained.
The relevance of this research is determined by the constant interest in the novel, its complexity and historical and artistic values which reflect the national and cultural specifics. In addition, the relevance of the work is also caused by a relatively small number of studies on how the nonconformity in the book imitates its historical context.
Traditionally, the nonconformity phenomenon refers to the psychology and implies categorical rejection of generally accepted principles and values. Until the beginning of the 20th century scientists didn't recognize the problem of conformity, and later the term "nonconformity" was introduced (which derives from Latin words "non" - not and "conformis" - conformal) [6]. A famous Russian psychologist, M.I. Kondratev defines the term as "being ready to act differently regarding the opinion of the majority and to defend completely opposite point of view no matter what". [3] He also considers nonconformity not as the opposite to the notion of "conformity", but as its "flip side" and also as the synonym to the notion of "negativism". Another Russian psychologist, A.V. Morozov, shares Kon-dratev's opinion, describing the examined phenomenon as "the willingness of an individual to think and act opposite to the views of majority not taking into consideration the opinion of the latter (the synonym to the notion of 'negativism')" [5]. On the contrary, M. Cardwell, an English psychology professor at Bath Spa University, claims that nonconformity is an opposite term to the "conformity" and suggest considering it as a resistance to the temptation of acting and judging in obedience to majority [4].
According to many historians, the period of the 1950s in the USA is generally characterized by a culture of consensus [8]. The post-war economy was prospering; millions of people were buying homes in a newly built suburbs. The American government issued a new regulation, GI Bill, which allowed veterans to attend universities in great numbers, thus expanding the professional-managerial class. The Great Depression became a history, civil strives came to an end and radical views, once popular, lost its appeal as Americans were terrified by the Stalin's totalitarian regime in the USSR. A lot of them saw the urgent need to protect the national values and freedoms of the United States against the communism threat, and, as a consequence, the patriotic spirits were strongly spread among the nation. However, not everyone thought positively about the described changes: a lot of critics and intellectuals shared the same concerns about the widespread conformity. Endless corporate bureaucracies, mass market,
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suburbs with no differences at all, they feared, served as a way to depersonalize the population. Around the same period such terms as the "organization man" and "the other-directed person" were introduced to the sociology, both describing the individual incapable of independent action or thought whose only aim is to win the approval of others [10]. Holden Caulfield or, to be more accurate, J.D. Salinger proposed his own definition for such kind of a man: the famous "phony".
It is only recently when historians suggested looking at the 1950s from a different point of view and considering it not as a period of harmony, welfare and prosperity, but as a time of unspoken conflicts and division within the society. For instance, not all of the soldiers who just got back from the war were able to apply for a university degree; many of them couldn't even reintegrate to the society, because they suffered from severe psychological traumas. As a response to this, mental institutions proliferated during that period. Racial conflicts intensified, subcultures were forming around drug consumption, many pacifist movements were calling for a civil disobedience due to the fear of the Third World War. While most Americans were not participating in protests, there were those unhappy with the lifestyle imposed upon them by an optimistic America. For those people the American society was spoiled and artificial, and there is no surprise that Holden Caulfield became their hero and the voice of alienation.
Holden's sensitivity to reality makes him unable to integrate into society in conformity with the prevailed values and standards of behavior. He is extremely naïve and wise at the same time, and his habit of lying serves as a defensive mechanism against the decadence and cruelty that he unintentionally witnesses. Holden's idiolect doesn't conform to standard English and is full of slang, though it doesn't prevent the protagonist from discussing serious matters which really bother him. For instance, in one of the episodes he talks about the sexual promiscuity of his peers and the profound ambivalence that it provokes in him. Describing the awkward encounter with a prostitute and how he eventually refuses her service, Holden says:
"Sex is something I just don't understand. I swear to God I don't. " [9].
Moreover, the protagonist's views on the military actions and war in general don't coincide with the ones of the society as well as with the propaganda broadcasted by the US government in relation with the Cold War. Describing himself as "a pacifist" and "sort of an atheist", Caulfield claims:
"I'm sort of glad they've got the atomic bomb invented. If there's ever another war, I'm going to sit right the hell on top of it, I swear to God I will. " [9].
The nonconformity of his views and believes makes Holden feel like a misfit; he fails to find a response neither from his parents, who seem to be absolutely uninterested in him, nor from his classmates and peers, to whom Caulfield seems to be strange and even childish. All the above, including strict and cruel school hierarchy, heartless teachers and unfriendly city severely traumatizes the protagonist, which results in feeling of an endless loneliness and even suicidal thoughts:
"All I did was, I got up and went over and looked out the window. I felt so lonesome, all of a sudden. I almost wished I was dead. " [9].
However, it is in Holden's refusal to grow up where the nonconformity of the novel is the most visible, because growing up for the protagonists means giving up his principles which he strongly believes in. Holden's older brother, a successful writer now working in Hollywood, has, he asserts, became "a prostitute". Unable to choose the career that would satisfy him the most, Holden says the following in response to his younger sister's proposal to became a lawyer:
"I mean they're all right if they go around saving innocent guys' lives all the time, and like that, but you don't do that kind of stuff if you're a lawyer. All you do is make a lot of dough and play golf and play bridge and buy cars and drink Martinis and look like a hotshot. And besides. Even if you did go around saving guys' lives and all, how would you know if you did it because you really wanted to save guys ' lives, or because you did it because what you really wanted to do was be a terrific lawyer, with everybody slapping you on the back and congratulating you in court when the goddam trial was over, the reporters and everybody, the way it is in the dirty movies? How would you know you weren't being a phony? The trouble is, you wouldn't. " [9].
According to the protagonist, all the rewards and rules connected with adult professional life are so hypocritical and fake that sometimes people cannot even make a difference between sincerity and self-deception. In the most famous part of the novel, after rejecting an option of becoming a lawyer, Holden talks about what he really would like to do which is catching children in the rye on the edge of a cliff:
"I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all. Thousands of little kids, and nobody's around—nobody big, I mean—except me. And I'm standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff—I mean if they 're running and they don't look where they 're going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. That's all I'd do all day. I'djust be the catcher in the rye and all. I know it's crazy, but that's the only thing I'd really like to be. "
[9].
Holden's desire to protect children from danger, thus allowing them to play endlessly indicates his urge to stop the time flow and to catch the moment of eternal youth with its morals incompatible with the adult world. He also expresses this urge admiring his ten-year-old sister Phoebe and his attachment to the Natural History Museum, where "everything always stayed right where it was."
Certainly, it should be taken into consideration that the protagonist's nonconformity is highly influenced by his teenage years. Nevertheless, Holden's believes that sometimes may seem too naïve and stubborn evidence for his wisdom and intellectual maturity, especially when comparing to absolute subjection of others to the rules of the lifestyle they are provided with. An Israeli writer A. Kariv says the following about the environment described by J.D. Salinger: "According to
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Salinger's perception, this world is meant for those who can 'just call in some analyst who's experienced in adjusting people to the joys of television, and Life magazine every Wednesday, and European travel, and the H-Bomb, and Presidential elections, and the front page of the Times, and the responsibilities of the Westport and Oyster Bay Parent-Teacher Association, and God knows what else that's gloriously normal'." [2]. Holden Caulfield cannot fit into such society and probably will not be able to once he's grown up. Moreover, A. Kar iv is completely sure that there is no possibility of it at all: "...of course, Holden won't become an adult and won't be throwing paper clips at the nearest stenographer. He'll die the same way Seymour did - the protagonist of the Glass family stories who committed suicide during his honeymoon. <...> Holden won't survive because he won't stop asking questions to which there are no answers". [2]. Thus, the protagonist's refusal to correspond to the moral standards of majority, his rejection of commonly-accepted values and general disappointment in society clearly reflect the anxiety shared by many Americans in 1950s.
Summarizing the above, it can be argued that the question of nonconformity which Salinger brings in his novel "The Catcher in the Rye" is closely t ied with the American reality of 1950s and was directly influenced by it. The protagonist of the novel unsuccessfully attempts to escape a spoiled and fake society, exposing the dark sides of the post-war America and social topics which at that time were thought to be unspeakable. Because of his sincerity and independent thinking Holden Caulfield fails to fit into the social standards of the examined period and that undoubtedly makes him the hero of his time.
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