Structure

The novel The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger is divided into 26 chapters that follow the experiences of Holden Caulfield, a teenager who got expelled from his school. The structure of the novel is circular, as the novel begins and ends with Holden discussing some events from the last year of his life from an institution in California. 

The first chapter introduces the main character, Holden, who begins to talk about “this madman stuff that happened to me around last Christmas just before I got pretty run-down and had to come out here and take it easy” (p. 1). Therefore, Holden’s account can be considered a frame story, as he recounts events that have happened a year before. 

The narrative unfolds chronologically and looks at Holden’s experiences over three days, from Saturday to Monday after noon. As Holden recounts what he has ...