Holden Caulfield: Protector of Innocence In J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye.
Curtis Scott Miller Honors American Literature 21 April 2003 Holden Caulfield: Protector of Innocence In J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye the main character, Holden Caulfield, is introduced to the reader as a troubled teenager who desperately wants to hold on to his youthful innocence. Because Holden is constantly faced with the harsh realities of adulthood and the world, he feels compelled to protect innocence. These obligatory feelings stem from the loss of his younger brother Allie who died of leukemia at the age of eleven when Holden was thirteen. Not only Holden, but everyone saw Allie as terrifically intelligent, sensitive, and insightful. Allie is Holden's ideal of innocence personified. Holden encounters loss for the first time in the moment that he loses Allie and not only does Allie's death trigger Holden's devolution, but it also fuels his crusade to protect and preserve innocence, thus realizing the inevitable disillusionment of the innocent. Three years later, after Allie's death, Holden stands on the edge of his cherished childhood, his innocence peering down into the darkness of adulthood. Holden scorns phoniness and cynicism and instead clings to the purity of his childlike innocence. "If a body catch a body coming through the rye," sings a little boy skipping on the street (Salinger 115). Upon hearing this Holden is immediately comforted and
Relationships with Holden in "The Catcher in the Rye"
Relationships with Holden in "The Catcher in the Rye" 'The Catcher in the Rye' is written from a first person narrative to be able to convey to the reader Holdens thoughts and feelings and this makes his character seem more believable. Holden describes what he himself sees and experiences, providing his own commentary on the events and people he describes. It takes the form of, perhaps, a session with a psychoanalyst or a one sided conversation with the reader during which Holdens attitudes to other people emerges. We learn that he finds it very difficult to maintain relationships with people and I will be examining Holden's relationship with adults and with his sister and how they differ. Holdens attitude towards adults is very much the same; he is polite and respectful. He prefers to avoid issues with them, for example, with his history teacher he tries to avoid the fact that he is failing in all but one of his subjects. He does not like to talk about his emotions with anyone and instead he isolates himself to show that that he is better than everyone else around him. However, the truth is that relationships with other people usually make him uncomfortable and his belief in his own superiority is there to protect himself. He attempts to be grown up and sophisticated, but, often fails. The episode with Holden's history teacher, Mr Spencer, is a good example of how Holden
Holden’s quest in “the catcher in the rye” is a search for his identity.
Holden's quest in "the catcher in the rye" is a search for his identity. From the outset of the novel it is clear to the reader that Holden is unsure of who he is. This gives creates ambiguity in the opening chapter. The fact that the main character doesn't know who he is makes it difficult for the reader to get an accurate picture of his personality. However as the novel progresses we can see Holden's character begin to emerge and develop. Our first impression of Holden's character is that he has maturity and wisdom beyond his years. Furthermore we can see a very adult side to an otherwise childish character who "sometimes act[s] a lot older than [he is]". However whenever Holden tries to act older than he actually is his youthfulness actually shows through. A good example of this is when Holden decides to get a prostitute for "five bucks a throw". He seems confident and mature talking to 'Maurice', however when 'Sunny' enters his hotel suite he seems to lose his confidence and his immaturity emerges. The question "Don't you feel like talking for a while" this seems a very strange thing to say having been so self-confident as to "order" a prostitute to his hotel room. However it may be seen as a cry for companionship. He may have just wanted someone to talk to because he is 'lonesome'. I think there are three things that Holden is searching for. He is looking for his
How does JD Salinger use the character of Holden Caulfield to explore the issues related to 'growing up'?
How does J.D Salinger use the character of Holden Caulfield to explore the issues related to 'growing up'? 'The Catcher in the Rye' was written in the late 1940's and first published in a magazine in 1947. The novel is like a bildungsroman but only consists of two and a half days in the life of a 17 year old boy called Holden Caulfield, although he argues that the book is not about his "lousy childhood". Holden seems to be very conscious of this and doesn't want it to be "all that David Copperfield kind of crap". Nevertheless the book is an insight into a young man's mind. Salinger creates Holden Caulfield's idiolect with all the colloquialisms and swearing, which resulted in the book being banned in many states of America. Holden is very open and does not refrain from sharing some of his views on society and the war. At the time of publishing, America was experiencing very rich, prosperous, affluent years. Hollywood was the worlds best film industry and something America was very proud of and enjoyed, "Everybody was on their way to the movies" but Holden "couldn't stand looking at them", this was a big dig at American society and became very controversial. Holden doesn't hold back his political views either, "I'm sort of glad they've got the atomic bomb invented. If there's another war, I'm going to sit right the hell on top of it". Due to the contextual time of post WW2
Ever since its publication in 1951 J.D.Salinger's Catcher in the rye has served as a firestorm for controversy and debate why is this and is the books reputation still deserved?
Ever since its publication in 1951 J.D.Salinger's Catcher in the rye has served as a firestorm for controversy and debate why is this and is the books reputation still deserved? Catcher in the rye has for over 50 years become one of the most talked about books that has received a cult following from teenagers and adults who feel disgruntled with society. The books success is not just owed to the style it was written in but almost as much to the context of the world around when it was released in 1951, the underlying tones in the book which are central to Holden un-American views of his mother country and its consumer society. The book has gained a reputation as being controversial due to Holdens rebellious nature towards the American society although its not as controversial today. The world at this time was becoming increasingly easy to split between the East and West and with this divide also came conflicting political systems. The West believed in capitalism, with the largest country being the USA. Capitalism promotes a consumerist society where freedom to chose is of the foremost importance. This means freedom to buy what goods you wanted and to be able to live the American dream where through hard work you could " make a million ". The danger of this is people start to measure their lives by what they own rather than what they have in terms of happiness. Capitalism
How do Holden's encounters with Mr Antolini affect his attitude towards people and education in particular?
How do Holden's encounters with Mr Antolini affect his attitude towards people and education in particular? Studying extract from chapter 24 ('And I hate to tell you,' he said...but he wasn't any too goddam cool. Take my word.) To Holden, Mr. Antolini represents the only adult that is concerned for him. Holden takes a genuine interest in what Mr. Antolini has to say, even trying to stop himself from yawning, whilst he is speaking. There is a deep respect for his teacher's intelligence and Holden shows he can respect authority, by referring to him as Mr Antolini and not something else as he does with Mr Spencer, or 'old Spence'. We can see a small advance in maturity from Holden, in this particular extract, when he even realises his mistake, when interrupting Mr Antolini mid-sentence. '"Mr Vinsons," I said. He meant all the Mr Vinsons, not all the Mr Vineses. I shouldn't have interrupted him, though.' However, the general feeling that Holden may be beginning to think maturely and listen to people is suddenly halted when he wakes to find Mr Antolini patting him on the head. Instantly Holden perceives this to be a Homosexual advance or encounter and decides to leave the apartment. Alternatively it may have simply been an old friend, marginally inebriated, trying to comfort a teenager in trouble. Not only does he leave the apartment but also loses the respect for Mr Antolini
Angela's Ashes Comparative Commentary.
7/4/03 Paper 2.5 Danielle Angel 0-L Angela's Ashes Comparative Commentary Although these two passages taken from the memoirs; Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt and Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Sallinger, are similar to each other in some aspects, such as mood, perceptions and attitudes towards death etc., their society, culture, and their ages make the contrast between their styles. In the passage from Catcher in the Rye, we see the 17-years-old Holden going to his brother Allie's grave. From his comments about his brother's death, we start to interpret his immature and irreverent character. "I know it's only his body and all that's in the cemetery, and his soul's in Heaven and all that crap..." On the other hand, just like Frank McCourt's, Holden's anger, sadness and resentment is seen by his mood and tone. The 5-years-old little Frankie is already witness to his sister Margaret's death, and now he losts his little brother Oliver. In this scene, where Oliver is buried in the graveyard, Frankie tries to understand the things around him with his childish curiosity and responses. "I did not want to leave Oliver with them. I threw a rock at a jackdaw that waddled over toward Oliver's grave." Nevertheless, although his age, Holden's inability to come to terms with his brother's death makes him angry and resentful. "All the visitors could get in their cars and turn on their
Holden's Dislike of Phoniness
Holden's Dislike of Phoniness In J.D. Salinger's novel, The Catcher in the Rye, the main character Holden Caulfield displays an obsessive dislike for "phonies," or superficial people. Holden can neither deal with the phoniness that masks humanity nor look at humanity straight on. In J.D. Salinger's novel, The Catcher in the Rye, I want to show how the main character Holden Caulfield displays an obsessive dislike for "phonies," or superficial people. Holden narrates of his adventures during a Christmas weekend. Although Holden is telling his story from a correctional facility in California, his actual story occurs mainly in New York. I would like to discuss, how, through his experiences, Holden is enlightened to the adult world. He continually mentions the "phonies" that he encounters, but we see that Holden is eventually drawn to the reality that innocence cannot be preserved forever. Holden's dislike of phonies is revealed by his reactions towards people at institutions, his peers, and entertainers and their accompanied fans. Furthermore, when we examine his relationships with older people representative of the college system, we see how Holden detests artificiality in these people. His views are evident when he recounts his experience at the private schools he attended, revealing his hatred toward the phoniness in them. When Holden thinks of Elkton Hills, a school he
"it is immoral and cannot be taught in our schools" - Discuss
The Catcher In The Rye "While I haven't read the entire book I have read enough to know it is immoral and cannot be taught in our schools." Reverend Seabrook - Florida School Board The story of The Catcher In The Rye, can and is misinterpreted by many people. It is very easy to find The Catcher In The Rye immoral if you are reading the book only to prove that idea. This is so because you can ignore the good things and ideas the author is trying to convey by using certain incidents that might be labeled wrong. On the other hand, if you are reading the book and taking that extra step to analyze the things that Holden Caulfield does and the things that happens to him you end up having a greater appreciation for the novel and what it says. Throughout the book Holden has shown that he is a boy who in reality has a conscience and uses it. One example of this is when Holden goes to see Mr. Spencer, his former history teacher. Holden goes to visit Mr. Spencer, who is ill with the grippe. He goes to tell him not to feel bad for failing him in history. Holden did not have to do this; this was an act of courtesy because he knew that Mr. Spencer felt sorry that he had flunked Holden in his class. Holden also sits through Mr. Spencer's lecture on how life is a game, a game that one must play according to the rules. Holden who absolutely hates talks like this, did not have to
The protagonist Holden Caulfield shows a lot of bravery during the course of the novel. I disagree with the quote, but I do agree that there are many references that are similar between J.F. Clarke's quote and J. D. Salinger's novel.
Corey Perlmutter September 26, 2005 Catcher in the Rye essay Mr. Pryal Period 8 Author J.F Clarke's quote, "The bravest of individuals is one who obeys his/her conscience" can be looked upon in many ways. It also relates to J. D. Salinger's novel Catcher in the Rye. The protagonist Holden Caulfield shows a lot of bravery during the course of the novel. I disagree with the quote, but I do agree that there are many references that are similar between J.F. Clarke's quote and J. D. Salinger's novel. Conscience is described as the awareness of a moral or ethical aspect to one's conduct together with the urge to prefer right over wrong. In the novel Catcher in the Rye, Holden is very brave by leaving his school and spending time by himself in one of the busiest cities in the world in New York City. I have mix feelings about whether or not Holden obeys his conscience. He is a typical bad boy, he smokes, tries to buy a hooker in his hotel room that he was staying at alone, and is put into a psychiatric hospital. I feel that somebody who obeys their conscience would not be this type of a kid who is basically known as a rebel. In some parts of the book, Holden does look like he has some moral respect when he is very nice to a kid who really has no friends in Robert Ackley. When Holden goes to his old school to give his sister a note he sees that someone has written
