USA: Writers; Catcher in the Rye Revisited. Part 1

National Educational Television and Radio Center · May 22, 1966

This is the first of a two-episode look at a novel that has been called the most influential work of contemporary fiction since World War II. Dr. James E. Miller, professor of English at the University of Chicago leads an in-depth discussion in seminar on J.D. Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye." Dr. Miller, who is an authority on Salinger and author of an important monograph on him, widely used in college classrooms, is joined in the discussion by four graduate students from Chicago University's Department of English. The points made in the seminar are illustrated and emphasized by readings from the work under discussion. "The Catcher in the Rye" was published in 1951. The book immediately became a best seller. The New York Times called it "an unusually brilliant first novel" and described the hero, Holden Caufield as being "bewildered, lonely, ludicrous and pitiful." The Christian Science Monitor warned that Holden could become a bad influence on youth, and flatly stated that "The Catcher" was not fit for children to read. However, Virgilia (c.q.) Peterson, writing in the New York Herald Tribune, thought it would be "interesting and enlightening" to know what Holden Caufield's contemporaries, male and female, thinks of him. "Their opinion," she said, "would constitute the real test of Mr. Salinger's validity." Agreeing with Miss Peterson, NET has brought together Dr. Miller and the panel of students who deal with the impact of the novel on student of American literature, and consider one of the basic themes of the book - one which adolescent America seems to identify with so strongly: that of Holden's inability to "connect" with society, his failure to establish a responsive relationship with people, the by-now universally considered concept of "alienation." Participating with Dr. Miller are students Robert Drexler, Wayne Fields, Rosemary Anne Munch, and Gilbert Schedler. Roy London does the readings. USA: Writers - "The Catcher in the Rye" Revisited is a production of National Educational Television with the facilities of WTTW, Chicago. (Description adapted from documents in the NET Microfiche) USA: Writers is part of an assessment of the state of the literary arts in the United States, which concentrates on contemporary prose writers across many genres. The half-hour episodes that comprise the series were originally recorded on videotape.