J. D. Salinger’s Character Families

Some of Salinger’s stories incorporate a somewhat consistent set of characters, creating a “world”.

Glass Stories

The Glass family is best-known to Salinger readers. Tales of the family began with A Perfect Day for Bananafish and continued through Salinger’s last published work, Hapworth 16, 1924.

  • A Perfect Day for Bananafish
  • Down at the Dinghy
  • Franny
  • Hapworth 16, 1924
  • The Laughing Man
  • Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters
  • Seymour: An Introduction
  • Uncle Wiggily in Connecticut
  • Zooey

Caulfield Stories

The Caulfield family includes Holden, Salinger’s most famous character, as well as Vincent, subject of many of his earlier stories.

  • The Ocean Full of Bowling Balls
  • The Catcher in the Rye
  • I’m Crazy
  • The Last and Best of the Peter Pans
  • Slight Rebellion Off Madison
  • This Sandwich Has No Mayonnaise

Gladwaller Stories

The Gladwaller family was featured alongside the Caulfields in Last Day of the Last Furlough and The Stranger and alone in A Boy in France.

  • A Boy in France
  • Last Day of the Last Furlough
  • The Stranger