Sexuality

The novel The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger also explores the theme of sexuality on multiple levels. 

Firstly, the novel looks at Holden’s frustrations with his virginity. He claims that he had multiple occasions in which he could have had sex, but that he never got to actually do it. Then, Holden’s idea of sex is often connected with abuse, which he dislikes and refuses to be associated with. For example, he suggests that boys like Stradlater do not stop when girls are unsure about whether they want to have sex or not:

What he'd do was, he'd start snowing his date in this very quiet, sincere voice – like as if he wasn't only a very handsome guy but a nice, sincere guy, too. I damn near puked, listening to him. His date kept saying, ‘No – please. Please, don't...