The First Person Narrator in J.D Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye

1095 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Discuss Holden Caulfield's vision of childhood and adulthood in the Catcher in the Rye

In J.D Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, the first person narration played a critical role in helping the reader to know and understand the main character, Holden Caulfield. Salinger also uses symbolism to help portray the theme that not everything that glitters is gold. Holden, in his narration, relates a flashback of a significant period of his life, three days and nights on his own in New York City. Through his narration, Holden discloses to the reader his innermost thoughts and also helps to introduce the reader to many of the symbols strategically placed throughout the novel. He thus provides the reader with not only information of what occurred, but also how he felt about what happened. In the Catcher in the Rye, Holden views the world as an evil and corrupt place where there is no peace. This perception of the world does not significantly change through the course of the novel. However, with the novel’s progression, Holden gradually comes to the realization that he is powerless to change the state of the world. During the short period of Holden’s life covered in this book, Holden in many ways does succeed in making his audience perceive the world as crazy. One late Saturday night, Holden is alone, bored and restless, wondering what to do. Holden decides to leave Pence, his school, at once and travels to New York by train. Shortly after Holden leaves Pencey Prep he checks into the Edmont hotel which is where Holden’s turmoil begins. Holden spends the evening in the hotel he describes as “full of perverts and morons” and “screwballs all over the place” Salinger, J. D. Catcher in the rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 1991. From this point on Holden’s situation continuously deteriorates as he begins to look around and become more... ... middle of paper ... ...ding on how these events lead holden to in many ways close himself off and attempt to protect and the people he loved from the negativity of the world. Holden had his innocence essentially stolen from him through these two events, which led him to form these somewhat twisted ideas about the world and a very apparent obsession with death. Works Cited American Speech 34 (1959): 172-81. ITHAKA. JSTOR. 30 Nov. 2009 . New essays on the Catcher in the Rye. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1991. The Psychological Structure of The Catcher in the Rye. 5th ed. Vol. 89. NY: MLA, 1974. Salinger, J. D. Catcher in the rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 1991. Strauch, Carl F. "Kings in the Back Row: Meaning through Structure. A Reading of Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye"" Wisconsin Studies in Contemporary Literature 2 (1961): 5-30.

Show More
Related

  • Holden Caulfield Grief Quotes

    441 Words  | 1 Pages

    In J.D. Salinger’s novel The Catcher in The Rye Salinger writes about the main character Holden Caulfield and his life. Holden is a teenager who comes from a wealthy family, he loves his family and lives very happy until the death of his brother Allie. After his brother died Holden becomes troubled, being kicked out of school again and again developing a negative view of the world. Holden throughout the book shows anger,denial, and acceptance over the loss of his brother.

    Read More

  • How Does Holden Present Trauma In Catcher In The Rye

    1114 Words  | 3 Pages

    Due to J.D Salinger’s personal and relatable narrative treatment, Catcher in the Rye continues to engage audiences, even 64 years after it was first published. The way the book deals with alienation and disillusionment in regards to Holden’s past trauma - through the closeness of first person narration and conversational writing among other techniques - creates a personal connection to Holden’s character and helps adolescents relate his troubles to their own.

    Read More

  • Corruption Exposed in The Catcher in the Rye

    869 Words  | 2 Pages

    All of these are components of J. D. Salinger’s writing style. While the tone of The Catcher in the Rye may suggest a lighthearted, entertainment centered novel, the work is, in actuality, a deep study of human emotion and sympathy, as well as a dark portrait of the wickedness in the world.

    Read More

  • American Minorities during World War II

    1439 Words  | 3 Pages

    Salinger, J. D.. The Catcher in the Rye. [1st ed. Boston: Little, Brown, 19511945. Print.

    Read More

  • The Phony Theme of The Catcher In The Rye

    1338 Words  | 3 Pages

    Roemer, Danielle M. "The Personal Narrative and Salinger's Catcher in the Rye". Western Folklore 51 (1992): 5-10.

    Read More

  • Holden's Pessimistic View of the World in The Catcher in the Rye

    826 Words  | 2 Pages

    Lies, failure, depression, and loneliness are only some of the aspects that Holden Caulfield goes through in the novel The Catcher in the Rye written by J.D. Salinger. Salinger reflects Holden’s character through his own childhood experiences. Salinger admitted in a 1953 interview that "My boyhood was very much the same as that of the boy in the book.… [I]t was a great relief telling people about it” (Wikipedia). Thus, the book is somewhat the life story of J.D. Salinger as a reckless seventeen-year-old who lives in New York City and goes through awful hardships after his expulsion and departure from an elite prep school. Holden, the protagonist in this novel, is created as a depressed, cynical, and isolated character and he expresses this attitude through his dialogue, tone, and diction.

    Read More

  • Grief For Allie in The Catcher In The Rye by J.D Salinger

    1121 Words  | 3 Pages

    Strauch, Carl F. “Kings in the Back Row: Meaning through Structure-A Reading of Salinger's `The Catcher in the Rye’.” Wisconsin Studies in Contemporary Literature. Winter, (1961). 5-30. Literature Resource Center. New York Public Library. Web. 24 April 2008.

    Read More

  • 1950's Culture Exposed in The Catcher in the Rye

    1360 Words  | 3 Pages

    Holden attacks various weaknesses in the 50's society. He criticizes nearly everything that he observes, and refuses to pull punches. Often Holden uses his brilliant talent of observation to discover the true motives behind the people he calls "phony." Through his observations the reader can interpret Salinger's view of the 1950's culture. Holden's perceptions of paranoia, conformity, and the consumer culture convey Salinger's views.

    Read More

  • Holden's Cry for Help in The Catcher in the Rye

    1166 Words  | 3 Pages

    Catcher in the Rye is a complicated book about a young man going through, what appears to be a nervous break down. This is a book about the boy’s negative self-talk, horrible outlook on life, and a life itself that seems to keep swirling down the toilet. He keeps trying to fill his life with something, but the reality of it is he doesn’t exactly now what he needs. It’s complicated to understand at parts, because all he does is think of things in the worst possible conditions.

    Read More

  • Holden Caulfield in The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger

    1156 Words  | 3 Pages

    The novel “The Catcher in the Rye,” revolves around the protagonist Holden Caulfield as the story is told from his perspective. J.D. Salinger constructed Holden Caulfield as a cynical person who cannot accept to grow up. Throughout “The Catcher in the Rye,” J.D. Salinger uses symbolism to reveal and reinforce critical aspects of the protagonist Holden Caulfield. Three important aspects Holden acquired through Salinger’s use of symbolism are: his stubborn, uncompromising mentality; his softer, more caring respectful side; Holden’s cowardly way of acting and thinking.

    Read More

  • Ambiguity in J. D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye, Sylvia Plath’s The Ball Jar, and Richard Heller’s Catch 22

    904 Words  | 2 Pages

    Ambiguity in literature after World War II reflects and explores issues of self and society. These two ideas often work against each other instead of coexisting to form a struggle-free existence. J. D. Salinger, Sylvia Plath, and Richard Heller illustrate this struggle with their works. These authors explore ambiguity through different characters that experience the world in different ways. Identity, while it is an easy concept, can be difficult to attain. These authors seek out ambiguity with the human experience, coming to different conclusions. Ambiguity becomes a vehicle through which we can attempt to define humanity. J. D. Salinger’s novel, Catcher in the Rye, Sylvia Plath’s novel, The Ball Jar, and Richard Heller’s novel, Catch 22 explore ambiguity experienced through an attempt to find self. Each experience is unique, incapable of fitting a generic mold created by society.

    Read More

  • Catcher in the Rye Essay: Holden Caulfield - A Nice Kid in a Cruel World

    1767 Words  | 4 Pages

    Over the years, members of the literary community have critiqued just about every author they could get their pen on.  One of the most popular novels to be critiqued has been J. D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye.  In favorable critiques, Holden Caulfield is a good guy stuck in a bad world. He is trying to make the best of his life, though ultimately losing that battle. Whereas he aims at stability and truth, the adult world cannot survive without suspense and lies. It is a testament to his innocence and decent spirit that Holden would place the safety of children as a goal in his lifetime. This serves to only re-iterate the fact that Holden is a sympathetic character, a person of high moral values who is too weak to pick himself up from a difficult situation.

    Read More

  • Catcher in the Rye Essay: Holden and the Complexity of Adult Life

    1175 Words  | 3 Pages

    What was wrong with Holden, the main character in The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D.Salinger, was his moral revulsion against anything that was ugly, evil, cruel, or what he called "phoney" and his acute responsiveness to beauty and innocence, especially the innocence of the very young, in whom he saw reflected his own lost childhood.  There is something wrong or lacking in the novels of despair and frustration of many writers. The sour note of bitterness and the recurring theme of sadism have become almost a convention, never thoroughly explained by the author's dependence on a psychoanalytical interpretation of a major character. The boys who are spoiled or turned into budding homosexuals by their mothers and a loveless home life are as familiar to us today as stalwart and dependable young heroes such as John Wayne were to an earlier generation. We have accepted this interpretation of the restlessness and bewilderment of our young men and boys because no one had anything better to offer. It is tragic to hear the anguished cry of parents: "What have we done to harm him? Why doesn't he care about anything? He is a bright boy, but why does he fail to pass his examinations? Why won't he talk to us?"

    Read More

  • The Influence of Women in The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger

    686 Words  | 2 Pages

    Assorted Professors. "Jane Gallagher Character Analysis." The Catcher in the Rye: Shmoop Literature Guide. N.p.: Shmoop University, 2010. 93-94. Print.

    Read More

  • The Writing Style of The Catcher in the Rye

    1322 Words  | 3 Pages

    One of these contrivances in particular is the way Holden?s thoughts are set up in a specific order so that one ostensibly random tangent relates, contrasts, or plainly contradicts another. A good example of one of Salinger?s very intelligent and slightly vague contrasts can be seen distinctly when Holden places his account of children directly beside his account of actors, showing the difference between the two....

    Read More

More about The First Person Narrator in J.D Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye

Open Document