Consider how the writer presents the narrator in the opening chapters of the novel The Catcher in the Rye was first published in 1951
Consider how the writer presents the narrator in the opening chapters of the novel The Catcher in the Rye was first published in 1951. Due to the fact that large amounts of slang and cursory languages are included in the text the novel provoked great controversy at its release. Critics argued that the book was not serious literature, considering its casual and informal tone. However the novel still appealed to a great number of people. Salinger's presentation of the narrator (Holden) seemed to touch the emotions of readers in an exceptional way. The Catcher in the Rye was frequently read as a tale of an individual's alienation within a "phony" world. Many regarded the novel as a "bildungsroman" (coming of age novel), the main character Holden seemed to stand for teenagers at present day who find themselves surrounded by the pressures of growing up, following the rules and expectations of society, and often had to restrict their own personalities in order to blend into a cultural norm. Many regarded Holden Caulfield as a symbol of individuality in the face of cultural oppression. Unlike conventional novels, where the hero is often portrayed as good, courageous and kind, the protagonist of The Catcher in the Rye appears to be troubled, erratic and unreliable. For example, his continues failings in academics and the fact he shows complete lack of interest toward his future.
"The story it tells is episodic, inconclusive and largely made up of trivial events. The language used is, by normal literary standards, very impoverished" (5) How far do you agree with this statement?
"The story it tells is episodic, inconclusive and largely made up of trivial events. The language used is, by normal literary standards, very impoverished" (5) How far do you agree with this statement? This statement suggests that "The Catcher in the Rye" is episodic in structure and the plot is inconclusive and made up of trivial events. The language is also described as impoverished. I think that this statement is extremely unfair; although the points may have some truth they make the novel realistic and easily related to. The book is about the protagonist Holden Caulfield narrating in the first person, describing what he himself sees and experiences and providing his own commentary on events and people. The novel is quite clearly episodic in structure; it is split up into chapters which could be seen as small episodes in the life of the teenage protagonist Holden Caulfield. Holden Caulfield is recalling events from the past, in each chapter something new happens in his life. This is a very simple but effective structure of a novel; Salinger uses Holden to tell the story for himself in a colloquial and direct way to the reader. In the statement the episodic structure is seen as a bad point about the novel but it could also be seen to give the novel its deeper meaning. This deeper meaning is that it makes the novel realistic, this is because life is episodic being split
The Catcher In The Rye - Symbolism
The Catcher in the Rye Analytical Essay Tom Borland 10M 4-8-2012 . “Holden doesn’t refuse to grow up so much as he agonises the state of being grown up.” According to most analyses, The Catcher in the Rye is a bildungsroman, a novel about a young character’s growth into maturity. While it is appropriate to discuss the novel in such terms, Holden Caulfield is an unusual protagonist for a bildungsroman because his central goal is to refuse the process of ‘growing up’ itself. Holden Caulfield is, simply put, a troubled and unreliable character. He has been expelled from four schools; he has complete apathy toward his future; he is unable to connect with other people; but most of all – due to the death of his brother Allie and the suicide of one of his schoolmates – he has a great distaste for society in general, and often expresses his wish for things to “…never change.” It is in Holden’s fatal belief in a world where “…nothing changes,” that his refusal to grow up stems from. Holden says “Certain things they should stay the way they are. […] I know that's impossible, but it's too bad anyway,” which highlights Holden’s belief that people should be able to remain as innocent children forever. Although he despises every adult he meets, thus despising the state of being grown up, it is his fight against change – such as growing up –
How does J. D Salinger present the narrator in Catcher in the Rye?
English Essay In the opening paragraph J. D Salinger presents Holden as having a blunt and aggressive tone which he uses when addressing other characters. As the audience we are shocked at his sheer bluntness but are soon to be aware of the fact that it is all just a front. Holden immediately dives in by telling the reader that he doesn’t ‘feel like going into’ his ‘lousy childhood’ background; however, he is soon indulging the audience with knowledge about his parents. The speed in which it takes him to realise his contradiction could simply be a sign that he’s kept his front up too long and it’s altogether weakening him as a person. Holden then sheds some light on his brother’s career as a successful writer. Holden tells the audience that his brothers ‘got a lot of dough, now’ but how he ‘didn’t use to’. The word ‘use’ in italic font suggests that Holden is still getting over the fact his brother is no longer ‘a regular writer’, he now in Holdens’ mind has a kind of superiority over him, making Holden feel worthless. Holden has displayed a variety of child like traits in his manner of speech and to add to that he then refers his brother as ‘being a prostitute’; to Holden this demeaning word could possibly lower his brothers status to something lower, making them seem as equals and therefore making himself feel better about his lack
The author of Catcher on the Rye, JD Salinger, has created a precisely realistic novel on the immense stress level and complexity of teenage relationships, problems, and confusion.
The Inevitability of Maturity Modern society seems to believe that the modern teenage years are the best times in a person's life. This belief is expressed through many various ways, as the way people express themselves, along with the modern movie, music, and entertainment productions. While this may be more or less true in many or some cases, these years can also be the most stressful and problematic of someone's life. There are numerous things that people have to deal with during this period in their lives, and this novel is the perfect example. The author of Catcher on the Rye, JD Salinger, has created a precisely realistic novel on the immense stress level and complexity of teenage relationships, problems, and confusion. The main character of the story, Holden, fashioned many diverse relationships with the people he encountered. Family relationships are generally the toughest one to maintain at a virtuous level. Holden's parents and relatives, The Caulfield family, was rendered in this approach. Holden's parents are too diligent trying to protect the image fashioned of 'conformed comfort' they have fashioned, causing them to be aloof. Holden's older brother, the author, D.B., who Holden believes is egotistical and callous even though D.B. still comes to see his family at least once a week, despite his restrained and hectic schedule. Allie, Holden's younger brother, on
To what extent do the authors of The Outsider and The Catcherin the Rye suggest that society pressures individuals to fit in and conform to society's mores?
PES ENGLISH STUDIES 2003 CRITICAL ESSAY To what extent do the authors of The Outsider and The Catcher in the Rye suggest that society pressures individuals to fit in and conform to society's mores? SACE ID: 333961W Albert Camus in The Outsider and J.D Salinger in The Catcher in the Rye suggest that society pressures individuals to fit in and conform to its mores. Salinger chooses to narrate his novel in the form of a bildungsroman, a rights of passage novel that depicts his protagonist, Holden's, transition from adolescence to adulthood. In contrast, Camus writes his novel in order to record the events leading up to, and the last days before, the execution of his main character, Meursault. Through the employment of settings, characterisation and endings, both authors imply that society's pressure on the individual to fit in plays a major part in both of these climaxes. The importance of setting is established in both texts to impart the idea that society pressures individuals to fit in and conform to its mores. Throughout The Outsider, Camus illustrates society's pressure on the individual through his setting as seen by the uncomfortable and suffocating heat of Algiers that Meursault must endure. The presence of this heat during the funeral procession, when others judge Meursault for his lack of care and emotion towards his deceased mother, and the court trial where
Essay on First Person Narrative - Christopher and Holden
Axelle Rigaudy English 9AB Mr Hambley 27 October 2004 Essay on First Person Narrative Christopher and Holden Holden from "The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D Salinger and Christopher from "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" by Mark Haddon are both two very interesting first person narrators in many different ways. Holden is a 17years old boy having difficulty staying in schools more than 6 months because he doesn't work enough and Christopher is 15 years old and has asperger's syndrome. This means that he has no feelings. The narrators are similar in some ways for example in the way of talking; they both have a restricted vocabulary. But there are more differences than similarities for instance Holden's favourite subject is English because he is creative and Christopher prefers math and science since he seems to like facts. Their lives are very different and this is proven in their totally opposite personalities. Even though Christopher and Holden have semblances, Holden's creativity and personality makes him a more appealing narrator. Although Christopher has a unique way of talking, we can relate more to Holden's vocabulary and diction, which makes the reader understand him better. When looking at the similarities, both of these first person narrators make detailed descriptions, but usually on very different topics. Christopher's descriptions are mainly
There are many ways that Holdens society reflects satire. In the novel The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger satirizes Holdens society using sarcasm and irony.
Rocha 1 Rocha, Oscar Honors English 3/4 Ms. Cowley 9 November, 2010 The Catcher in the Rye There are many ways that Holden's society reflects satire. In the novel The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger satirizes Holden's society using sarcasm and irony. Holden shows how his society could be negative. Holden uses sarcasm to satirize society. For example Holden finds it disrespectful for the men carrying the Christmas tree to say "Hold the sonuvabitch up! Hold it up for Chrissake!"(196). Holden sarcastically responds "It was a gorgeous way to talk about the Christmas tree (196). This shows that Holden exaggerates because of his anger. Holden thought that the men were very disrespectful because they took gods name in vein and that is a vey big sin. In addition Holden calls Ackley a Prince because of his lack of values, "I just want to thank you for being such a goddam prince."(50). Holden shows exaggeration because he wanted someone to talk to but Ackley was ignorant and insensitive. Holden was being very sincere when he told Ackley he was a prince. A final example is when Holden says that Morrow is a very sensitive boy, "That guy Morrow was about as sensitive as a goddam toilet seat."(55) Holden exaggerates because he Rocha 2 thought that Mrs. Morrow was being too judgmental about Ernest. Ernest was more serious because he
How does the reliability of the narrator, and they style they use, affect the way the reader responds to the narrator and the novel? Discuss in relation to Wuthering Heights and Catcher In The Rye.
How does the reliability of the narrator, and they style they use, affect the way the reader responds to the narrator and the novel? Discuss in relation to Wuthering Heights and Catcher In The Rye. The reliability of the narrators in both Wuthering Heights and Catcher In The Rye are vital to the way we respond to the novels, and they style they use is also equally important. In this essay I will outline exactly how the narrators style and reliability affect the readers perceptions. The Catcher In The Rye is a modern 1950's American novel, narrated entirely by the main character Holden Cauldfield. Throughout the book we see the world exactly how he does, journeying through his thoughts and feelings. Wuthering Heights however was published in 1847 and has multiple narrators throughout. The main narrators in Wuthering Heights are not the main characters in the story that is being told, a fundamental difference between the two books. Theese differences affect our perceptions of the narrators and the story. It would be easy to read through both books and take everything that is said at face value and accept everything as truth, but that is not what either J.D.Salinger or Emily Bronte were intending. They wanted the readers to think twice about what is being said in order to add more depth and thought into the novels. Right from the onset of both books it is clear that neither
How Does J.D. Salinger present Holden's ''separateness'' from other people in 'Catcher In The Rye'? In 'The Catcher In The Rye' Salinger sets about making Holden appear separate from everyone else
How Does J.D. Salinger present Holden's ''separateness'' from other people in 'Catcher In The Rye'? In 'The Catcher In The Rye' Salinger sets about making Holden appear separate from everyone else. He does this through a variety of methods. One of the ways in which Salinger shows this separateness is through Holden's relationships and encounters with his family and friends. Another method that Salinger uses is that usually whenever Holden attempts to contact someone they are either not there or don't answer the phone, this give us the feeling that Holden is by himself, alone, separate from everyone else. Also the fact that Holden says 'my address book only has about three people in it' gives us again the impression that Holden is disconnected from society. Holden's apparent desire to be separated from the majority of his family and friends appears to have been triggered by the death of his younger brother Allie. From Allie's there has been a downward spiral in Holden's relationships, as he begins to avoid contact with others and isolate himself more. The reason I believe this is because we can see how immense his anger is after Allie's death, 'I slept in the garage the night he died, and I broke all the goddam windows with my fist'. The death of Allie has become like an awakening to Holden, and has alerted him how precious childhood innocence is, when Holden comes to this
