Jane Gallagher is an interesting character in The Catcher in the Rye, as she never appears in the actual timeline of the novel. Despite the fact that Jane is not in the current timeline, she is immensely important to Holden. What we know about Jane is limited to what Holden Caulfield tells us in the story, but we gather some information as to where she lived and is currently living. From Holden, we know that Jane originally lived with her family on Cape Cod before moving to Maine. Once the Gallagher family moved to Maine, they lived in the same neighborhood as the Caulfield family. While in Maine, Holden and Jane bonded, and he talks about this throughout the book.

Jane is a character that Holden actually has immense affection for. One gets the sense that when the two go off for prep school, Holden is distraught about the fact that he has not heard from Jane. It is stated that Jane is at Shipley, but she says that she might go to BM earlier in the text.

You have a good memory. Holden Caulfield did live in New York and was particularly fond of Greenwich Village. Holden met Jane Gallagher when their families were on summer vacation in Maine. The first meeting between the friends took place in 1948. Salinger used memories from his own childhood when he spent summer vacations in Maine with his family.

Later Holden went to Pencey and Jane went to Shipley. Note that Salinger originally stated that Jane went to B.M. but then changed it except for one place in the text.

Even though Jane and Holden go their separate ways, Jane continues to have a profound and lasting effect on Holden which often causes him to alter his behavior.