Faith and the Search for Identity in the Works of J. D. Salinger
| Thesis title in Czech: | Víra a hledání vlastní identity v dílech J. D. Salingera |
|---|---|
| Thesis title in English: | Faith and the Search for Identity in the Works of J. D. Salinger |
| Key words: | náboženství, identita, víra, americká poválečná literatura, existencialismus |
| English key words: | religion, identity, faith, American literature in the postwar period, existentialism |
| Academic year of topic announcement: | 2013/2014 |
| Thesis type: | Bachelor's thesis |
| Thesis language: | angličtina |
| Department: | Department of Anglophone Literatures and Cultures (21-UALK) |
| Supervisor: | Mgr. Pavla Veselá, Ph.D. |
| Author: | hidden - assigned and confirmed by the Study Dept. |
| Date of registration: | 26.11.2013 |
| Date of assignment: | 27.11.2013 |
| Administrator's approval: | not processed yet |
| Confirmed by Study dept. on: | 11.12.2013 |
| Date and time of defence: | 22.06.2015 00:00 |
| Date of electronic submission: | 31.05.2015 |
| Date of proceeded defence: | 22.06.2015 |
| Submitted/finalized: | committed by student and finalized |
| Opponents: | doc. Erik Sherman Roraback, D.Phil. |
| Guidelines |
| My bachelor thesis will focus on the role of religion and the search for identity in the works of J.D. Salinger, namely in The Catcher in the Rye, Franny and Zooey, Raise High the Roofbeam, Carpenters and Seymour: an Introduction, as well as in some of his short stories, specifically “A Perfect Day for Bananafish” and “Teddy” from the collection Nine Stories. Religion and the search for identity are inextricably related and Salinger points at the link between them through his characters, their journey through life, as well as their understanding of their surrounding world. Many of Salinger’s characters, such as Holden Caulfield and Seymour Glass, look for answers to existential questions and try to find the true meaning of life. They feel that they are being constantly misunderstood and that they miss out on real life. This elusiveness of life opens the door to religion and to experimenting with religion. Salinger’s characters try to find balance and peace in their lives, and they strive to fully understand what really matters and what role they play. Moreover, they feel trapped and misunderstood, and are not satisfied with the way they live. Religion, they discover, could show them the way to spiritual happiness.
To be more specific, this bachelor thesis will look at Holden Caulfield’s search for genuineness in what he perceives to be a world of phoniness, and at the role religion plays in the process. In Franny and Zooey, the thesis will explore Franny’s spiritual crisis, her search for what is important in life, and her journey towards redemption. Moreover, the thesis will explore the character of Seymour Glass, who appears in several works, particularly the character’s social detachment and the religious paths he chooses to help him cope with his past and the present. The question of identity and the need to rediscover one’s balance needs to be interpreted on the background of the United States in the postwar period, which brought a rather shaky morale and certain disillusionment that affected Salinger as a person and as an author. Salinger himself took an active part in the Second World War when he was drafted into the army. The war affected him emotionally, he had to be hospitalized for combat stress reaction, and this experience is reflected in some of his stories. It could certainly be said that the postwar period was an emotionally challenging period for Salinger and it could have also contributed to his interest in religion, which one could undoubtedly find a parallel to in his works. |
| References |
| Primary sources:
Salinger, J.D. Franny and Zooey. London: Penguin Books, 1957. Salinger, J.D. Nine Stories. London: Penguin Books, 1958. Salinger, J.D. Raise High the Roofbeam, Carpenters. London: Penguin Books, 1964. Salinger, J.D. Seymour: an Introduction. London: Penguin Books, 1964 Salinger, J.D. The Catcher in the Rye. London: Penguin Books, 2010. Secondary sources: Allitt, Patrick. Religion in America Since 1945. New York: Columbia University Press, 2003. Balakian, Nona. The Creative Present: Doubleday and Company, Inc., 1962. Geismar, Maxwell. American Moderns: From Rebellion to Conformity: Viking Press, 1958. Hamilton, Ian. In Search of J.D. Salinger: Random House, Inc., 1998. Miller, James. J.D. Salinger: University of Minnesota Press, 1965. Salzman, Jack. New Essays on the Catcher in the Rye: Cambridge University Press, 1991. Schultz Kevin M. “Religion as Identity in Postwar America: The Last Serious Attempt to Put a Question on Religion in the United States Census.” The Journal of American History. 93,2 (2006): 359-384. JSTOR. Web. 3 Oct. 2013. Stout Harry S. “Review Essay: Religion, War, and the Meaning of America.” Religion and American Culture: A Journal of Interpretation. 19,2 (2009): 275-289. JSTOR. Web. 3 Oct. 2013. Weinberg, Helen. The New Novel in America: Cornell University Press, 1970 |