Text: The Catcher in the Rye is a novel by J.D. Salinger published in 1951. The story is narrated by Holden Caulfield, a teenage boy who has just been expelled from his prep school in Pennsylvania. Over the course of a few days, Holden wanders around New York City, trying to make sense of his life and his place in the world. Holden is a deeply troubled young man who is disillusioned with the world around him. He is critical of adults, whom he sees as "phonies," and struggles to connect with his peers. As he wanders the city, he has encounters with a number of people, including a prostitute, a former girlfriend, and his little sister.