The Catcher in the Rye Cover Art the Catcher in the Rye Cover
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Although the old mantra "Don't estimate a book by its cover" would have us believe that exterior artwork is irrelevant to a novel's contents, the iconic condition achieved by some book covers would advise otherwise. In this ongoing series, Christian Kriticos reveals the stories backside some of the most celebrated volume covers in American literature, and analyzes the impact they have on our understanding of the text itself.
The Catcher in the Rye
J.D. Salinger was notoriously resentful of including cover art and illustrations in his published books, insisting that he did not want to reader to be influenced by whatsoever preconceptions forced on them by an outside illustrator. All three of his bestselling short story collections were published with text just on the comprehend, and an aborted attempt to publish his novella Hapworth sixteen, 1924 in a new hardcover volume followed his exacting specifications, which included the title and author name on the spine only in a baroque diagonally descending arrangement. It seems, therefore, to be safe to assume that the iconic comprehend for The Catcher in the Rye met Salinger'due south approval, since he was known to be then strict on the presentation of his works. And indeed, the embrace was illustrated by a trusted friend of Salinger's, E. Michael Mitchell, whom he lived very shut to in Connecticut in the early 1950's. In one reflective alphabetic character to Mitchell, Salinger fondly recalls their Connecticut days together, stating "Thank God nosotros had what we had, Mike." 
Mitchell's embrace seems to be an illustration of the penultimate chapter of Salinger'southward novel, in which Holden's sister rides a carousel horse in Central Park. However, by featuring this horse prototype and so prominently on the cover, Mitchell also draws the reader's attention towards the importance of the symbolism of horses throughout the novel.
For example, at the outset of the novel, Holden remarks on his school'southward advertizing, which depicts "some hotshot guy on a horse jumping over a debate." Since the school does not take a stables, Holden infers that the image is metaphorical, and represents the school'south promise to mold immature boys into men, helping them 'spring the fence' into machismo. However, Holden finds himself caught between these 2 worlds of childhood and adulthood, every bit represented by his repeated phrase "horsing around", which he uses to refer to both kittenish practical joking, and adult intimacy. This implies that Holden is trying to navigate the adult world while all the same bound to the carousel equus caballus of childhood, and is therefore unable to yet 'jump the fence.' 
However, Mitchell'south cover, with its blood-cherry-red color scheme and implications of impalement (perhaps in reference to James Earle Fraser'southward famous sculpture The End of the Trail) suggests that this babyhood must inevitably die. Holden's conclusion non to bring together Phoebe on the carousel at the end suggests that he has finally come to this realization, accepting the 'expiry of his babyhood.' Interestingly, the transition from childhood to adulthood is equated to death in Holden's dream also, when he imagines children falling off a cliff, with himself equally the designated 'catcher' there to salve them. Information technology seems, therefore, that too equally beingness an iconic piece of art in its own right, Mitchell's embrace for The Catcher in the Rye can besides exist analyzed as a supplemental slice of the text, illuminating the theme of Holden's reluctant transition into adulthood and his attempts to 'jump the fence' whilst nevertheless on the carousel equus caballus of childhood. The extent to which Salinger was involved in Mitchell's work remains unknown, but either way it remains one of the greatest and almost enduring book covers of all-fourth dimension.
The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger 'THE READ: J. D. Salinger's Private Letters' by Ruth Franklin 'Betraying Salinger' by Roger Lathbury -Christian Kriticos
Source: https://americanwritersmuseum.org/stories-behind-classic-book-covers-the-catcher-in-the-rye/
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