The Catcher in the Rye is the debut novel by American writer J. D. Salinger. The work uses a first-person narrative, and the main character, Holden Caulfield, tells the story of Holden during his days in New York City after being expelled from Pencey Prep, a college preparatory school.

First published in the United States in 1951, this work caused great controversy for its use of profanity, depiction of adolescent depression and sexual problems.[1][2] The main character of The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield, has become an icon of teenage rebellion.