The best-known event associated with '' The Catcher in the Rye '' is arguably Mark David Chapman 's shooting of John Lennon . Chapman identified with the novel 's narrator to the extent that he wanted to change his name to Holden Caulfield . On the night he shot Lennon , Chapman was found with a copy of the book in which he had written " This is my statement " and signed Holden 's name . Later , he read a passage from the novel to address the court during his sentencing . Daniel Stashower speculated that Chapman had wanted Lennon 's innocence to be preserved by death , inspired by Holden 's wish to preserve children 's innocence despite Holden 's later realization that children should be left alone
shooting of John Lennon
Murder of John Lennon
The Catcher in the Rye in popular culture