--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I hit adolescence only to discover my…" description: "\"I hit adolescence only to discover my autobiography had already been written; plagiarized, in fact, by a man named J.D. Salinger who, in appropriating ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de7/stephen-metcalf-64448_adolescence_i-hit-adolescence-only-to-discover-my-au_765271.png" --- # I hit adolescence only to discover my autobiography had… ![“I hit adolescence only to discover my autobiography had already been written; plagiarized, in fact, by a man named J.D. Salinger who, in appropriating to himself my inner mass of pain and confusion, had given me the unlikely name of Holden Caulfield.” quote by Stephen Metcalf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de7/stephen-metcalf-64448_adolescence_i-hit-adolescence-only-to-discover-my-au_765271.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de7/stephen-metcalf-64448_adolescence_i-hit-adolescence-only-to-discover-my-au_765271.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de7/stephen-metcalf-64448_adolescence_i-hit-adolescence-only-to-discover-my-au_765271.png) > “I hit adolescence only to discover my autobiography had already been written; plagiarized, in fact, by a man named J.D. Salinger who, in appropriating to himself my inner mass of pain and confusion, had given me the unlikely name of Holden Caulfield.” [Stephen Metcalf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-metcalf/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author feels his personal turmoil was co-opted by Salinger’s fictional character, making his own story feel stolen and misrepresented. **In simple terms:** Feeling of personal story being taken over by a famous writer. Key Takeaway Recognize your own narrative separate from borrowed characters. Themes identity authorship literary influence pain confusion Mood reflective melancholic Type analytical personal When to use this quote - writing workshops - therapy sessions - personal journaling - creative projects Key Concepts plagiarism self‑recognition literary appropriation Questions to Reflect On - How does literature shape personal identity? - Can we reclaim our stories after they’re popularized? A Different Perspective The comparison may oversimplify complex influences between life and art. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adolescence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adolescence/) [Autobiography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/autobiography/) [Confusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confusion/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given/) [Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holden/) [Holden caulfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holden-caulfield/) [Mass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mass/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Named Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/named-salinger-5926517/) [Names](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/names/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Plagiarized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plagiarized-1032853/) [Plagiarized Fact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plagiarized-fact-5926518/) [Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/salinger/) [Salinger Appropriating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/salinger-appropriating-5926515/) [Unlikely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unlikely/) [Written](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/written/) [Written Plagiarized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/written-plagiarized-5926516/) ## Related quotes > [If Shakespeare had lived in our age, he would have been sued for writing Romeo And Juliet, because as everybody knows, he plagiarized that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-kaufman/if-shakespeare-had-lived-in-our-age-he-would-have-been-sued-for/) [Lloyd Kaufman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-kaufman/) > [“It is obvious that the Aryan Romans culturally plagiarized the hexadecimal system from China. Not only did the former utilize the Abacus, they even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibrahim-ibrahim/it-is-obvious-that-the-aryan-romans-culturally-plagiarized-the/) [Ibrahim Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibrahim-ibrahim/) > [“Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. Plagiarized from King David of Ysrael written sometime between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-silver/fret-not-thyself-because-of-evildoers-neither-be-thou-envious-against/) [Jordan Silver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-silver/) > [While I am not a journalist, I have, myself, written more than one thing that has been plagiarized in the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-domenech/while-i-am-not-a-journalist-i-have-myself-written-more-than-one-thing/) [Ben Domenech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-domenech/) > [“I came up with a new reason To write your name today I plagiarized each letter From a love note you wrote me. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-wetch/i-came-up-with-a-new-reason-to-write-your-name-today-i-plagiarized/) [Justin Wetch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-wetch/) > [“In truth we re-create our reputation every day. Journalists with thirty years of credibility have washed their careers down the drain with one plagiarized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-truth-we-re-create-our-reputation-every-day-journalists-with/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Nothing in the television show 'True Detective' was plagiarized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nic-pizzolatto/nothing-in-the-television-show-true-detective-was-plagiarized/) [Nic Pizzolatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nic-pizzolatto/) > [I've never fabricated or plagiarized anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kelley/i-ve-never-fabricated-or-plagiarized-anything/) [Jack Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kelley/) > [While we're working on the script, I never see any films. I make it a point because I don't want to get distracted. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepa-mehta/while-we-re-working-on-the-script-i-never-see-any-films-i-make-it-a/) [Deepa Mehta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepa-mehta/) > [“If the several important, uncontested correspondences did not exist, the numerous Christian authorities would not have gone to such lengths to establish that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-m-murdock/if-the-several-important-uncontested-correspondences-did-not-exist/) [D.M. Murdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-m-murdock/) > [I see my work plagiarized in gardening programmes and decorating programmes and car adverts, and I suppose I have to accept that's just the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-goldsworthy/i-see-my-work-plagiarized-in-gardening-programmes-and-decorating/) [Andy Goldsworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-goldsworthy/) > [When I was 7 years old, I plagiarized, word for word, stories from science fiction magazines so my teachers would think I was smart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/when-i-was-7-years-old-i-plagiarized-word-for-word-stories-from/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [“Nobody cared if you plagiarized in the third grade. All”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-janz/nobody-cared-if-you-plagiarized-in-the-third-grade-all/) [Jonathan Janz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-janz/) > [“He knew he was sounding a little Holden Caulfield-esque calling everyone a phony, but he really did think everyone was a phony.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-mlynowski/he-knew-he-was-sounding-a-little-holden-caulfield-esque-calling/) [Sarah Mlynowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-mlynowski/) > [ I remember realizing, when I did Little Women \[1994\], that that was the only time girls that age were being written about. It was… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winona-ryder/i-remember-realizing-when-i-did-little-women-1994-that-that-was-the/) [Winona Ryder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winona-ryder/) ## More by Stephen Metcalf > [The beauty of design ought to be totally incidental to the enterprise itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-metcalf/the-beauty-of-design-ought-to-be-totally-incidental-to-the-enterprise/) [Stephen Metcalf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-metcalf/) > [Art is often confused with the skill of drawing. It is the skill of making.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-metcalf/art-is-often-confused-with-the-skill-of-drawing-it-is-the-skill-of/) [Stephen Metcalf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-metcalf/) > [Dark, subtle, complex, wicked - if only Hollywood movies were half as interesting as Hollywood accounting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-metcalf/dark-subtle-complex-wicked-if-only-hollywood-movies-were-half-as/) [Stephen Metcalf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-metcalf/) > [Any method by which you get to see things that you haven't seen before hones your practiced ability to make connections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-metcalf/any-method-by-which-you-get-to-see-things-that-you-haven-t-seen/) [Stephen Metcalf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-metcalf/) [Explore all 5 Stephen Metcalf quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-metcalf/) ## More Adolescence quotes > [They must move from a psychological state of victimization to a psychological state of accepting responsibility. The Palestinians must leave behind their revolutionary adolescence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-shavit/they-must-move-from-a-psychological-state-of-victimization-to-a/) [Ari Shavit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-shavit/) > [Having children truly ends adolescence. We are all either parents or children: responsibility-takers or those who demand from others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shapiro/having-children-truly-ends-adolescence-we-are-all-either-parents-or/) [Ben Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shapiro/) > [Teenage girls are extremists who see the world in black-and- white terms, missing shades of gray. Life is either marvelous or notworth living. School…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-pipher/teenage-girls-are-extremists-who-see-the-world-in-black-and-white/) [Mary Pipher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-pipher/) > [Teenagers complain there's nothing to do, then stay out all night doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-phillips/teenagers-complain-there-s-nothing-to-do-then-stay-out-all-night/) [Bob Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-phillips/) > [The idols of one's adolescence tend to endure - you never forget how you worshipped them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/the-idols-of-one-s-adolescence-tend-to-endure-you-never-forget-how/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [Being an adult is the ability to postpone a want for the sake of a family need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hogan/being-an-adult-is-the-ability-to-postpone-a-want-for-the-sake-of-a/) [Chris Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hogan/) > [The donning of the ear buds marks the beginning of teen life, when children set off on their own for the passage through adolescence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amity-shlaes/the-donning-of-the-ear-buds-marks-the-beginning-of-teen-life-when/) [Amity Shlaes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amity-shlaes/) > [Adolescence is when the very worst and best impulses in the human soul struggle against each other for possession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-stanley-hall/adolescence-is-when-the-very-worst-and-best-impulses-in-the-human/) [G. Stanley Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-stanley-hall/) > [Most adults would not dream of belittling, humiliating, or bullying (verbally or physically) another adult. But many of the same adults think nothing of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-steinberg/most-adults-would-not-dream-of-belittling-humiliating-or-bullying/) [Laurence Steinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-steinberg/) > [If you can't count, they can cheat you. If you can't read, they can beat you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/if-you-can-t-count-they-can-cheat-you-if-you-can-t-read-they-can-beat/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“He'd possessed all the key elements of a school shooter: hormones, misery, ammunition. People wondered how something like Columbine could happen. Jude wondered why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-hill/he-d-possessed-all-the-key-elements-of-a-school-shooter-hormones/) [Joe Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-hill/) > [ I remember realizing, when I did Little Women \[1994\], that that was the only time girls that age were being written about. It was… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winona-ryder/i-remember-realizing-when-i-did-little-women-1994-that-that-was-the/) [Winona Ryder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winona-ryder/) > [Content without style is propaganda or adolescence. Style without content is decadence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/content-without-style-is-propaganda-or-adolescence-style-without/) [Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/) > [Adolescence is interesting. I mean, all of life is interesting and all of life is transitionary. But I think there is an exponential growth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-henson/adolescence-is-interesting-i-mean-all-of-life-is-interesting-and-all/) [Bill Henson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-henson/) > [“Yet GenX'er teens didn't slow down--they were just as likely to drive, drink alcohol, and date as their Boomer peers and more likely to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-m-twenge/yet-genx-er-teens-didn-t-slow-down-they-were-just-as-likely-to-drive/) [Jean M. Twenge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-m-twenge/) [Browse all 787 Adolescence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adolescence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I hit adolescence only to discover my autobiography had already been written; plagiarized, in fact, by a man named J.D. 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