The Catcher in the Rye by Jerome Salinger and PTSD
SPbU Representative Office in Barcelona holds an online lecture "The Catcher in the Rye by Jerome Salinger and post-traumatic stress disorder". The lecture will be delivered by Nina Shcherbak, PhD in Philology.
After World War II, many European artists and writers came to the USA to embody their most daring and bold ideas. In New York, abstract art had become more and more popular, new architectural constructions, highways and tunnels were built, new stadiums and parks were opened. The role of women in society was becoming more and more important. People wanted to move to the city and obtain a good education. Technological progress did not stand still. The first computer appeared in 1945, and in 1947 the first television station began operate. Radio still was the main entertainment and source of information, interest in fashion has increased. However, the tragic imprint of the war prevailed in the mood of the people.
At this very time, Holden Caulfield, the rebellious protagonist of the The Catcher in the Rye novel published in 1951, appeared. Sixteen-year-old Caulfield looks down on the world and questions the values of an elitist society. Jerome Salinger managed to build a portrait of a real teenager, whose positive traits are coupled with irritability and impulsiveness. The Catcher in the Rye is a symbol of teenage rebellion and non-conformity of the USA in the 50s. The novel also led society to realise the tragic consequences of World War II.
During the lecture Jerome Salinger’s novel that had a significant impact on the global culture in the second half of the XX century will be discussed.
Nina Shcherbak is Associate Professor in the Department of English Philology and Cultural Linguistics at St Petersburg University, Master of Arts (the United Kingdom), a writer and screenwriter. She is also a scriptwriter for science television shows, author of fifteen monographs, and books on linguistics, literature, language philosophy, and English literature.
The lecture will be held as part of the events to mark the 300th anniversary of St Petersburg University, the oldest university in Russia.
The meeting will be held online in Russian with simultaneous interpreting into Spanish.