 During the campaign from Normandy into Germany , Salinger arranged to meet with Ernest Hemingway , a writer who had influenced him and was then working as a war correspondent in Paris . Salinger was impressed with Hemingway 's friendliness and modesty , finding him more " soft " than his gruff public persona . Hemingway was impressed by Salinger 's writing and remarked : " Jesus , he has a helluva talent . " The two writers began corresponding ; Salinger wrote Hemingway in July 1946 that their talks were among his few positive memories of the war . Salinger added that he was working on a play about Holden Caulfield , the protagonist of his story " Slight Rebellion off Madison " , and hoped to play the part himself . 
