The Catcher in the Rye

by J. D. Salinger

The Catcher in the Rye: Frame Story 1 key example

Chapter 1
Explanation and Analysis—This Madman Stuff:

Structurally, The Catcher in the Rye is a frame story. The novel begins with Holden recounting events from a two-day period the previous December:

Besides, I’m not going to tell you my whole goddam autobiography or anything. I’ll just tell you 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.