J.D. Salinger grew up in a wealthy Christian area. Salinger was half Jewish and half a mix of other minority religions. Salinger was constantly bullied in school for being Jewish and other religions that were "out of the normal". Salinger uses many different types of religion in his writing to show that it is ok to be a part of a "strange" religion. In The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield, who is the replica of Salinger, is also half Jewish. Holden does get bullied but not nearly as much as Salinger did.
Nine Stories has a few short stories that concentrate on the theme of religion. In "Down at the Dinghy" the main character, Lionel, and his family are Jewish. Lionel would get bullied greatly at school and he would come home and run away from his problems, just like Salinger used to do when he would get bullied. Two of the servants in the house were talking when Sandra told Mrs. Snell that "(Lionel) is gonna have a nose just like his fathers". Lionel heard this and immediately ran away. That is exactly the same reaction that Salinger would have had.
In Franny and Zooey and Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour: An Introduction, there are traces of Zen Buddhism and the Hindu philosophy of Vedanta. In Franny and Zooey, Franny carries around "The Way of a Pilgrim" and prays without ceasing. In Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour: An Introduction, Seymour's diary contains many religious connections. Salinger did believe in a hint of Zen Buddhism and did believe in God in a similar way as Seymour.
Nine Stories has a few short stories that concentrate on the theme of religion. In "Down at the Dinghy" the main character, Lionel, and his family are Jewish. Lionel would get bullied greatly at school and he would come home and run away from his problems, just like Salinger used to do when he would get bullied. Two of the servants in the house were talking when Sandra told Mrs. Snell that "(Lionel) is gonna have a nose just like his fathers". Lionel heard this and immediately ran away. That is exactly the same reaction that Salinger would have had.
In Franny and Zooey and Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour: An Introduction, there are traces of Zen Buddhism and the Hindu philosophy of Vedanta. In Franny and Zooey, Franny carries around "The Way of a Pilgrim" and prays without ceasing. In Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour: An Introduction, Seymour's diary contains many religious connections. Salinger did believe in a hint of Zen Buddhism and did believe in God in a similar way as Seymour.