Born on January 1, 1919, Jerome David Salinger was raised in a relatively wealthy family in New York City. He studied at a military academy in Pennsylvania and began writing at the age of fifteen before entering the service. His first novel, The Catcher in the Rye, attained both popular and literary notoriety as one of the first works to address the cultural homogeneity and compliance of the postwar era.
Conformity and postwar society. The years after World War II are often described as a period of cultural conformity. After witnessing horrible events that shattered seemingly stable and familiar realms, Americans longed for a return to normalcy characterized by a home, stability, and financial security. These features became elements of the "good" life.
Economically, the United States experienced unprecedented growth after World War II. The gross national product rose from $200 billion in 1940 to $500 billion by 1960. Middle-class families had more discretionary income than ever before, and seemed eager to spend it. They bought inexpensive, prefabricated houses located in the suburbs, away from crowded and dirty cities.
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