It is a Sunday afternoon in a Southern California Mental Institute.
Hamish Dunn Coursework - Monologue 16th October 02 It is a Sunday afternoon in a Southern California Mental Institute. Perched on the end of a bed is Holden Caulfield, a boy of sixteen, who has recently suffered a mental breakdown. This has to be the most goddamn depressing place in the world. It's full of phonies walking around talking about their girlfriends and how they're going home practically next week, except they say that every week, it drives me crazy. I'm surrounded, can I ever escape them? Even the Nurse is a phoney, he's always going on about his wife and all that crap and he acts well tough but if you want to know the truth he's a flit as well. I couldn't give a damn about anyone in here, apart from this one girl, she's a nurse and all but she's not like the others, she listens to you like old Phoebe, I think she's called Anne, it's quite a nice name don't you think? Anyway she's about the same age as my brother D.B., have I told you about him? Well my brother D.B. he's a writer, in fact he's a pretty good writer, sometimes his writing is so good it knocks me out. Well, he's in Hollywood now, I tried to persuade him not to go but he wouldn't listen even though I was being as suave as hell. I hate all that phoney crap, it's so dull. You know Phoebe my sister, well she's quite young and even she's read all D.B.'s books, they're that good. Most of my
Essay plan. Thesis:In Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger the main protagonist Holden shows the mark of an immature man.
Catcher in The Rye Outline Intro: The Austrian psychiatrist Wilhelm Stekal once said: “the mark of an immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of an immature man is he wants to live humbly for one. I believe he's trying to tell us that the main difference between someone mature and immature is that the mature man would look for a solution to the problem in a way that will benefit everyone while an immature man would look for a solution that will only benefit themselves. Thesis:In Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger the main protagonist Holden shows the mark of an immature man. Topic Sentence #1: Instead of confronting his feelings about the events in his life Holden chooses to bury his problems inside because he is not mentally mature to face them Quote #1: Allie's death: “I'd say to him “Allie don't let me disappear. Allie don't let me disappear . Allie don't let me disappear. Please Allie', And then when I'd reach the other side of the street without disappearing I'd thank him. Then It'd start all over again as soon as I got to the next corner.” (198) Quote #2: “ 'Jane Gallagher, Jesus' I couldn't take my mind off her 'Is should at least go down and say hello' I walked over to the window, but you couldn't see out of it. It was so steamy from all the heat in the can, 'I'm not in the mood right now' I said. I wasn't either.” (33)
In the novel, "The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D Salinger, the main character, Holden, is a teenager who refuses to grow up
In the novel, "The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D Salinger, the main character, Holden, is a teenager who refuses to grow up because he is naively fixated on childhood.Throughout the novel, Holden struggles through teenage life because he cannot accept the given responsibilities that come with growing up. Holden is obsessed with childhood because he chooses to be wedged between a world of the innocence of children and the complex world of adulthood. Holden deities his two younger siblings as if they're candidates for sainthood because of his fixation. Holden is a teenager who refuses to grow up because he is afraid of gaining the responsibilities that come with it. So, Holden struggles hard to stay childish. For example, throughout the book, he does not want to take responsibility to communicate with others that may want to helphim. He refuses to go home and confront his parents and face the consequences. Along with this, he also pulls the childish silent treatmenttoward his parents; because that's the only knife he has to hurt them: ."..she wouldn't've been the ones that answered the phone. My parents would be the ones. So that was out." (pg. 59) He is afraid to talk to people close to him because they'll be critical to him. This would also explain his lack of interaction with Jane Gallagher: ."..I kept standing there, of giving old Jane a buzz- I mean calling her long distance
Hypocrisy in 'The Catcher in the Rye'
Hypocritical Holden (Holden often behaves like a prophet or a saint, pointing out the phoniness and wickedness in the world around him. Is Holden as perfect as he wants to be? Are there instances where he is phony and full of hypocrisy? What do these moments reveal about his character and his psychological problems?) Whether or not we are willing to admit it, we are all guilty of indulging in the practice that is hypocrisy. The 1951 novel, The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is a literary text in which the theme of affectation is present, and, like its existence in real life, the hypocrisy at hand is unseen by the main character. The Catcher in the Rye is written from the perspective of the protagonist, seventeen year old Holden Caulfield, who details the experiences he has in New York City over the course of two days. He also reflects back on past incidents. Holden holds strong opinions about ethics and morality, but throughout the novel ends up defying those principles, which indicate his hypocrisy. For example, Holden is very much against profanity, and when encountering swear words on the walls of his younger sister’s school, immediately ‘rubbed it out..finally’ (181). However, throughout the novel, and ironically even while Holden explains the writing on the wall, he constantly makes use of terms classifiable as expletives. ‘It drove me damn near crazy. I
The Catcher In The Rye - Chapter one; summary and analysis.
The Catcher In The Rye Chapter One: The Catcher in the Rye begins with the statement by the narrator, Holden Caulfield, that he will not tell about his "lousy" childhood and "all that David Copperfield kind of crap" because such details bore him. He describes his parents as nice, but "touchy as hell." Instead, Holden vows to tell about what happened to him around last Christmas, before he had to take it easy. He also mentions his brother, D.B., who is nearby in Hollywood "being a prostitute." Holden was a student at Pencey Prep in Agerstown, Pennsylvania, and he mocks their advertisements, which claim to have been molding boys into clear-thinking young men since 1888. Holden begins his story during the Saturday of the football game with Saxon Hall, which was supposed to be a very big deal at Pencey. Selma Thurmer, the daughter of the headmaster, is at the game. Although she is unattractive and a bit pathetic, to Holden she seems nice enough, for she does not lavish praise upon her father. Holden, the manager of the fencing team, had just returned from New York with the team. Although they were supposed to have a meet with the McBurney School, Holden left the foils on the subway. The fencing team was angry at Holden, but he thought the entire event was funny in a way. Holden does not attend the football game, instead choosing to say goodbye to Spencer, his history teacher,
How does Salinger create the theme of Individuality
How does Salinger create the theme of Individuality? Cameron Bloomfield In J. D. Salinger's book, Catcher in the Rye, the protagonist, Holden Caulfield, is very much an individual. Not because of a brilliant charisma or charming confidence, as if he can afford to act the individual because of the masses that follow him, but because he alienates himself from the majority of society. Throughout the book we examples of reason how Holden is an individual. Towards the beginning of the book, after Holden has found out he is to be expelled from Pencey, he visits Mr. Spencer, his History teacher. In his chat with Mr. Spencer, or 'old Spence' as Holden refers to him, he says to Mr. Spencer that he 'feels trapped on the other side' of life. In this extract alone, one can find two examples of Holden as an alienated member of his current society, Pencey. The first is that he feels trapped. This shows Holden admitting that he is excluded and victimised by the world around him. The second is a possible reason why he may be considered a 'loser' in Pencey. He has gone to talk to his History teacher out of choice as a social thing rather than anything to do with his studies. The conversation does turn to Holden's recent History test and reveals that Holden is lazy and an extreme under-achiever. This inability to achieve could be yet another reason why he is an individual (negative). He
Salinger made use of numerous prominent themes in all of his short stories
Alyssa Masteller September 26, 2004 English 450 Mr. DeFabio The Aspect of Innocence Salinger made use of numerous prominent themes in all of his short stories, but I think the most important concern that needs to be examined is his use of the innocence of children. He made it a central idea in most of his stories, and without it, the stories would not be complete. Many of the short stories he wrote revolve around innocence, and recognizing this idea is crucial for the complete understanding and appreciating of Salinger's literature. The theme of innocence is most blaringly obvious and essential in the stories "For Esme with Love and Squalor" and "Down at the Dingy." Forced prematurely into the world of adulthood, Esme is trying to cope with the death of her father in the short story "For Esme with Love and Squalor." Esme's father was killed in the war, and since then, Esme has been a primary influence in the upbringing of her younger brother Charles. Charles is just an innocent young child, as Esme was before she came to realization with horrific consequences of war. Charles is too young to understand the way in which his father died, so Esme makes it her priority to preserve his innocence and protect him from the harsh reality. One rainy day after choir practice, Esme, her brother Charles, and her Nanny went out for some tea. Esme is a very outgoing girl,
How does the writer present Holdens relationships with other young people in this novel?
How does the writer present Holden's relationships with other young people in this novel? J.D. Salinger portrays Holden's personality through other characters that he meets. The reader learns Holden's behaviour through young and elder characters. Holden often calls elder people "phonies" because of their actions and misdoings. However, he often mentions positive things about the younger generation and forms close bonds with a few of them. There are many ways in which Salinger presents Holden's relationship with the younger generation. One of the first relationships that are mentioned in the story is Holden's relationship with D.B., his brother. Throughout his childhood, it is obvious that Holden has idolized his older brother. Now that D.B. is a writer for Hollywood, Holden considers him a phony, and accuses him of prostituting himself by agreeing to work for the film industry. The language Salinger uses to portray D.B. is a "prostitute", meaning a woman who is no longer innocent and experiences the misdeeds of the outer world rather than being preserved in a soundproof bubble. This is what Holden thinks of D.B. and Salinger presents their relationship as being insecure and far apart. Throughout the story, Holden mentions Allie and his admirable personality. Salinger presents their relationship with a deep significance. Holden describes Allie as outgoing, creative and
Holden Caulfield can be said to be truly the only character in The Catcher in the Rye.
Holden Caulfield can be said to be truly the only character in The Catcher in the Rye. Since Holden is both the main character and the narrator of the novel, everything the audience learns is filtered through Holden's consciousness. We only know of Holden what Holden himself chooses to tell us, and what he chooses to report of what others say about him. We are told that Holden is sixteen, thin, wears his hair in a crewcut, doesn't eat much, smokes too much, and is somewhat out of shape. We can also conclude that Holden is thoughtful, sensitive in his treatment of others, and that his family is quite rich. It's also evident that Holden is friendly, but seems subject to bouts of severe loneliness (witness how many times Holden invites people to join him for a drink, including cab drivers). He is essentially lonely, but not because he dislikes people. His loneliness arises from the fact that no one seems to share his view of the world, no one understands what's going on in his head. His poor academic record is one indication of his failure to deal with this problem, a problem that builds to a climax in the course of the novel. Holden feels most comfortable relating to children, especially his younger siblings Allie and Phoebe. Only children have the honesty and lack of prejudices that the idealistic Holden expects of the world. Grown-ups inevitably disappoint and show themselves
Holden Caulfield, the main character in J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye, has many characteristics that are all his own, such as the way he views the world, his friends and his family.
Holden Caulfield, the main character in J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye, has many characteristics that are all his own, such as the way he views the world, his friends and his family. One of the main things that characterizes Holden, is that way that he thinks the entire world is "phony." Holden's view of the world as "phony" is a very strong one, and in most cases, is correct. Holden thinks that the majority of the people in the world are putting on some sort of an act to impress or befriend people. In a way, Holden is probably correct in thinking that most of the people he came in contact with are "phony," such as his roommate at Pencey, Ward Stradlater. In one instance, Holden refers to Stradlater as a "secret slob." He describes how Stradlater always tries to be neat and tidy on the outside so as to impress people, but how he is not when you get to know him. In the scene where Holden and Stradlater are in the "can," and Stradlater is getting ready for a date, Holden describes Stradlater's razor as "rusty as hell and full of lather and hair and crap." Another of Holden's run-ins with "phonies," came to him while he was in New York City. He was lonely and looking for someone to keep him company, so he calls a girl named Faith Cavendish. He was told about Faith by a friend of his who went to Princeton, Eddie Birdsell. When he calls Faith, she has no desire to talk