The Catcher in the Rye: Now and Then For one to fully understand and interpret this book, one must remember that J.D. Salinger wrote The Catcher in the Rye in 1951. Still to this day, the main character, Holden Caulfield, understands what teenagers and the youth of our society are facing, and dealing with in everyday life. Over forty years since this book was first published, society has changed drastically, and yet many things have remained the same. J.D. Salinger wrote a timeless novel when he wrote The Catcher in the Rye, whether he fully understood the long lasting effect of his work or not