 Salinger identified closely with his characters , and used techniques such as interior monologue , letters , and extended telephone calls to display his gift for dialogue . Such style elements also " [ gave ] him the illusion of having , as it were , delivered his characters ' destinies into their own keeping . " Recurring themes in Salinger 's stories also connect to the ideas of innocence and adolescence , including the " corrupting influence of Hollywood and the world at large " , the disconnect between teenagers and " phony " adults , and the perceptive , precocious intelligence of children . 
