He explains how he ended up at the very bottom in life, and that there is no happy ending. Author J.D. Salinger is able to get the theme of innocence across by the characterization that attributes Holden, such as his attempt to protect himself from the adult world, to stop himself from growing up, and to preserve purity. Although Salinger does not explicitly state that innocence is a theme, it can be assumed by the characterization in the novel. Holden makes the comment, ‘what really knocks me out is a book, that when you're all done reading it, you wish that the author who wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it (Salinger 18).” But Holden’s mistake is that a book is not its author. Therefor the theme of this story can not be found within J.D. Salinger but within the text. Holden may not have been in any war battles, but he takes the reader through battles of his own. In the text, the items and objects that hold symbolic meaning, can be a way that Holden gets the reader to see the world through his eyes, to empathize, and to make the conclusion that this classic novel is revolved around
Which is the kind of world he wants to live in. Holden expresses his desire to preserve the innocence of others when his sister Phoebe tells Holden that he doesn't like anything, and that he has no ambitions of what he wants to be when he is older. Holden then explains that he wants to be the catcher in the rye. He says that he imagines little children playing on top of a hill and that his job is to protect children from falling of the hill. This symbolizes catching children from losing their innocence and falling into the adult world. Holden tells Phoebe, “I know it crazy, but that is the only thing I’d like to be” (172). This unrealistic desire is contributes to why Holden is struggling to transition from adolescence to adulthood. Critics of the novel have said Holden would like to suspend time stating, “Holden's desire to protect children shows his desire for suspending time, for inhabiting a space of young people conserved endlessly” (Yahya 3). Not letting go of childhood memories or accepting the harsh realities of adulthood are damaging when transitioning from
...common in human beings, and the demonstrations that have been considered in this term paper are not the only examples that live in the novel that call up the difficulty of considering with change. believe about Holden lowering out of yet another school, Holden departing Pencey Prep and, for a while, dwelling life in the cold streets of New York town all by his lonesome. The book ends abruptly, and gathering condemnation of it is not rare. It's an odd cliffhanger, not because of the way it's in writing, but because of a individual desire to glimpse what Holden finishes up doing with his life. Perhaps, as he augments up, he'll learn to contend better through change. Imagine the death of Phoebe, decisively an event that would be similar to Allie's tragic demise. if an older Holden would reply the identical as did a junior one, is a inquiry still searching for an answer.
Holden cannot accept the loss of innocence as a step into the growing up process. The ones that he loves most, are those who are younger to him, they are innocent, and untouched by society’s truths. Holden says, “…I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all. Thousands of little kids, and nobody’s around-nobody big. I mean – except me.
...rds as often as Holden does, he wants to preserve the innocence of life. While reading, I counted over two-hundred instances of the word “goddam.” Yet, when Holden sees the words “fuck you” written in several areas of his sister Phoebe’s school, he attempts to remove each occurrence of the word. (201) He is afraid of some little kid seeing the words, wondering what they meant, and someone explaining it to them incorrectly. He prizes innocence above many things in his life, which gives him conflicting thoughts in the novel. He wants to have sex, but he is scared of it. (92) He detests fighting and is a pacifist, but he likes how blood makes him look tough. (45) Holden is hard to believe because of the hypocrisy he exhibits in his actions and words, which make him a phony too. Even though Holden may tell the truth sometimes, he is ultimately an untrustworthy narrator.
This book was truly enjoyable to read, to see Holden’s strange and peculiar outlook on life. He had very distinct things that he hated and liked. For example, the only kind of books he enjoyed were books written by his brother, who wrote short stories. In many parts of the book, he is remembering a girl he once went out with or liked at one time. In one instance he called a girl he had the number of in the middle of the night from a drab hotel room. I think he did this solely to hear a girl’s voice.
.... Holden believes that adult life is boring, which depresses him, and this is one of his greatest fears and insecurities.
Reveals about situation: Similar to the previous chapter, this quote reveals how Holden masks and conceals his emotions. The reader is well aware that Holden is in fact a sensitive person, but the reader is also aware that he does not reveal his true emotions to other characters in the novel. Because of this character flaw, he does not like for others to show their emotions either. Therefore, this chapter not only elaborates on the previous chapter, but gives a deeper meaning to Holden and his insecurities.
Speaks to me: I am truly beginning to like Holden. At the beginning of the book, I absolutely hate him. I am still not very fond of him, but I think it is because he is such a hypocrite. As
To some, this argument may seem the most blatant form of mistruth, horrendous, even, in its lack of taste, a kind of literary sacrilege, in fact. Surely we have reached the end, one might say, when one can considerer comparing the immortal Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, with the adolescent protagonist of Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye. Salinger’s hero has been compared to many literary figures, from Huckleberry Finn to David Copperfield. So many different attitudes have been taken toward him. Let’s stop talking about him and write something else. Isn’t the subject getting boring? Perhaps so, but Holden will not go away. He continues to pester the mind, and while reading A.C. Bradley’s analysis of Hamlet’s character, it was hard to resist the idea that much of what Bradley was saying about Hamlet applied to Holden as well. Perhaps the comparison is not as absurd as it first appears. Of course, there is no similarity between the events of the play and those of the novel. The fascinating thing while reading Bradley was how perfectly his analysis of Hamlet’s character applied to Holden’s, how deeply, in fact, he was going into Holden’s character as well, revealing, among other things, its potentially tragic nature.
Holden Caulfield can be analyzed through his thoughts, actions and circumstances which surround his everyday life. Holden acts like a careless teenager. Holden has been to several prep-schools, all of which he got kicked out of for failing classes. After being kicked out of the latest, Pency Prep, he went off to New York on his own. Holden seems to have a motivation problem which apparently affects his reasoning. The basis of his reasoning comes from his thoughts. Holden thinks the world is full of a bunch of phonies. All his toughs about people he meets are negative. The only good thoughts he has are about his sister Phoebe and his dead brother Alley. Holden, perhaps, wishes that everyone, including himself, should be like his brother and sister. That is to be intelligent, real and loving. Holden’s problem is with his heart. It was broken when his brother died. Now Holden goes around the world as his fake self, wearing his mask. Holden is looking for love, peace and understanding. He is scared to love because he is afraid he might lose it like he did with his brother. That is the reason for Holden's love of the museum, he feels safe because it never changes it always stays the same. Holden is troubled with the pain of death, it effects every aspect of his life causing him to not care about the future, himself or anyone, except Phoebe and Alley.
If there were one word to tell what the theme of the book was it would be innocence. How we are all innocent at some point, how to try to keep our innocence, and how no one can keep their innocence forever. We all fall from our innocence. Adam and Eve fell from grace and innocence and set the tone for all of our lives. Throughout the whole book Holden is trying to make people keep their innocence and he wants to hold onto it himself. What he needs to learn and does learn through the course of the book is that no one can keep his or her innocence. We all fall at some point, but what we have control over is how hard we fall.
Holden Caulfield creates a thought-provoking point of view. On the surface, many of his thought patterns seem unrelated and stray from the topic. His association of topic with digression is used almost constantly throughout the novel. However, realizing that these digressions are very relevant and even crucial to the topic, he allows the reader to gain true insight into the character. His statements ...
Holden tries to hold on to the childish belief that human behavior should be driven by a happier existence alternately than materialistic notions. He is disturbed by his brothers sudden desire for success, but clearly
...is quote demonstrates how Holden portrays himself as the protector of childhood innocence from the phoniness and hypocrisy of the adult world. This fantasy reflects his innocence, his belief in pure, uncorrupted youth, and his desire to protect that spirit; but on the other hand, it represents his extreme disconnection from reality and his naive view of the world. Holden’s disconnection form society is shown through stream of consciousness but Igby’s is presented through his language. Igby is forever swearing and cursing at the hypocrisy in the society surrounding him. This from of rebellion is Igby’s most shown non-conformist behaviour. It demonstrates to the responder that Igby is a violent child and has been disaffected. Igby does not make the most of his opportunities, he lives in a bizarre environment and is experiencing a tough emotional journey.