Being classified as a regular among teenagers is a difficult feat. It is a difficult task when trying to fit into society, a task in which main character Holden Caulfield struggles with. In the novel The Catcher in the Rye, author J.D. Salinger reveals how alienation can impact one’s life. The utter carelessness about life, the lack of motivation to apply himself, and rarely veering from the consistent pattern of his past all relate to how the ducks consistently revisit the same lagoon. Holden’s carelessness about life displays his overall difficulty taking position among the norm. Holden states “I’m the most terrific liar you ever saw in your life. It’s awful. If I’m on my way to the store to buy a magazine, even, and somebody …show more content…
He does not have the unmitigated drive to succeed. When Holden responds “I’m the one that’s flunking out of the goddam place, and you’re asking me to write you a goddam composition”(28), he realizes that many people are slightly dishonest. Holden also has the realization that even the successful aren’t necessarily the most motivated, and this realization does not relieve his issue. Explaining another form of lack of motivation would be Holden consistently having the desire to be alone in situations that are usually social. Holden says “Usually I like riding on the trains, especially at night, with the lights on and the windows so black, and one of those guys selling coffee and sandwiches and magazines”(29), depicting how he pays attention to what surrounds around him, and how he enjoys night train rides which tend to have little passenger …show more content…
Like how the ducks in New York migrate during the winter, and revisit the lagoon come spring time. He asks “You know those ducks in that lagoon right near Central Park South? … do you happen to know where they go, the ducks, when it gets all frozen over?”(Ch. 9) illustrating how Holden’s curiosity is relating to his personal consistency, how he goes through the same happening of flunking out of school then re-entering. This depicts a similar process to how the ducks are migratory and always revisit their previous spot annually, and overall how the ducks relate to him in how they search for a new home when their current one is frozen over. For example, when Holden says “I don’t care if It’s a good-bye or a bad goodbye, but when I leave a place I like to know I’m leaving it. If you don’t, you feel even worse”(3) represents Holden’s general knowledge about the consistent goodbyes he has gone through, almost all of them relate to his template of failure, but undoubtedly contribute to his alienation. His infatuation in how one must say goodbye leaves him like an esoteric black sheep among other teenagers, usually people tend not to focus about how a goodbye should be given. Holden can rarely relate to someone besides himself because of his experiences, and this quotation defines his thought process on exiting another chapter of his young
Holden Caulfield alienates himself from the rest of society to hopefully escape the means of growing up shown by his dialogue and behaviour. Holden doesn’t want to grow up because he doesn’t want to have to accept the responsibilities that come with it. Holden is constantly getting kicked out of different schools, “They kicked me out… on account that… I was not applying myself and all.” (pg. 3) Not only was Holden not applying himself at school slowing down the process of him growing up, he also kept his mindset young by wondering where the ducks go in winter. “You know those ducks on that lagoon… do you happen to know where they go… when it gets frozen over?” (pg. 54) Holden has a close connection to the ducks as to him it is a change that isn’t permanent as they leave in the Winter and come back in the spring, he asks where they go to see if he can make this un-permanent connection to changes such as growing up in his own life. Holden would love to live in a world where everything is time is practically frozen and nothing ...
Holden Caulfield is the narrator of the novel The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. At first introduction, Holden is very judgemental about different characters and seems annoyed about his life. At times, the narrator is rude and has a sarcastic tone towards others when speaking. Holden would be a friend of mine because I enjoy the company of a friend who makes corny jokes.
J.D. Salinger’s novel The Catcher in the Rye is a compelling narrative on the themes of isolation and individualism. Holden Caulfield’s loneliness, a distinct manifestation of his isolation problem, is a driving force throughout the book. A majority of the novel portrays his almost frantic quest for companionship as he darts from one meaningless encounter to another. However, while his behavior is a stark indicator of his loneliness, Holden consistently shies away from self-reflection and therefore doesn’t really know why he keeps behaving as he does.
Holden often resides within his own ideologies which often conflict with that of the society’s. This is prevalent within Holden’s viewpoint as many of the adults being “phonies” and is not far from the truth. Most of the characters seemingly lack depth and are consumed within their own shallowness. Sally is the epitome of society’s shallow nature by outwardly expressing her needs. “‘Look. I have to know. Are you or aren’t you coming over to help me trim the tree Christmas Eve? I have to know’” (Salinger 130). She is too busy worried about her own affairs that Holden’s deteriorating state simply is not even recognizable in her eyes. Her focus is on what he can do for her rather than sympathizing with his issues. People are often this way where they ignore problems that om their solution., Salinger’s viewpoint is a bit cynical towards this as most of the adults have this traits perhaps portraying the loss of empathy from childhood to adulthood. Another overall theme regarding society is the advocation of honesty morally but avoiding uncomfortable situations with lies in practice. Holden often regards this type of behavior has “phony” but regardless finds himself following along as well. “I’m always saying ‘Glad to’ve met you’ to somebody I’m not at all glad I met” (Salinger 87). Small talk,
At various points during the course of the novel, Holden inquires as to what happens to the ducks who are normally on a pond in Central Park, when winter comes and the water freezes. As he inquires, the answers he receives range from as farfetched answers as the idea that the ducks still remain there under the ice, just as the fish do, to uncaring answers such as a simple "What a stupid question!" remark. Despite the answer he gets, Holden is never satisfied with the reply. Holden doesn’t consciously realize that the ducks relate to him. Whether he will admit it or not, Holden is scared. He has been kicked out of numerous schools, he can’t get good grades, his parents are angry with him, and he spends his days wandering through New York City. He doesn’t know where he is going to go, reflecting his question about the ducks. Perhaps if he knew where the ducks went, he could follow their example.
...ing stays frozen and everyone belongs in society. Therefore, during the winter time, the ducks are isolated as once, but they still belong together. Holden is isolated from the people around him and he is more protected within himself. Holden doesn’t know how he is going to make it through his own winter, just like he doesn’t where the ducks will end up during winter.
Throughout the book, certain values of Holden start to show through. He speaks a lot about how he dislikes "phonies" and tries to separate himself from them. Every time Holden tries to run away from these "phonies," it starts to give you an idea about how he values honesty and his reaction towards people who don't have this particular value. In chapter seventeen, Holden tries to rationalize himself being kicked out of school by saying he wants to accomplish something different and not just be a phony. "It's full of phonies, and all you do is study so that you can learn enough to be smart enough to be able to buy a goddam Cadillac some day, and you have to keep making believe you give a damn if the football team loses, and all you do is talk about girls and liquor and sex all day, and everybody sticks together in these dirty little goddam cliques (Salinger 131)." In life, and as his days go by, he will realize that many people in society and people who run it, are indeed not genuine. The reality angers Holden and he fantasizes about running away, escaping from society, and living in a cabin away from everybody. This is a far-fetched idea that is hardly even an option for him. He decides that if he can't fit in a society where he isn't wanted, then he won't be a part of it. This thought would have never come across Holden's mind if he was like everybody else, but he isn't. Holden obviously can't deal with the environment around him and one day may lash out to the elements of life that aren't in agreement with him.
The narrator of The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, Holden Caulfield fails to acknowledge his identity. Born to a wealthy family, Caulfield feels lonesome and depress after his younger brother, Allie’s death. Caulfield eventually becomes confuse of what he wants for himself. He constantly longs to maintains his innocence self, yet some other times he wishes to be view and respects as an adult. Caulfield’s addiction towards alcohol and cigarettes, as well as his desires for intimacy relationships demonstrates Caulfield’s attempts to be a grownup. In addition, throughout the novel, Salinger mentions the recurring idea of the ducks in the Central Park. The ducks and its habitat illustrates
In chapter 2 of The Catcher in the Rye Holden ponders while conversing with his teacher “where the ducks go when the lagoon got all icy and frozen over.” Holden views himself as one of the ducks that are forced to adapt
He often wonders about the ducks in central park and where they go in the winter. Holden asks a cab driver, “does somebody come around in a truck or something and take them away, or do they fly away by themselves - go south or something?” (107). Just like the ducks must somehow escape winter, Holden must escape the pressure he feels as he struggles with his independence. Should he fly south and escape his life, or get provided for by his parents?
Late one Saturday night, Holden drives a cab around New York City. Holden has just returned from a visit to Ernie’s Bar and is feeling even more lonely and depressed. Holden asks the cab driver if he knows anything about “the ducks that swim around” (Salinger 81) in the pond near Central Park Lagoon. He wonders where they reside to “in the springtime” and “where they go in the wintertime” (Salinger 81) as well. The ducks are symbolic to show change, one of Holden’s many fears in life. Just like the ducks leave every winter and come back every spring, Holden is terrified of this idea of change and transitioning from one point to another. The pond itself is used as a metaphor and is “partly frozen and partly not frozen” (Salinger 154). The pond transitions from one state to another, just as Holden transitions between childhood and adolescence. Holden is curious about change and references the ducks to show his own transition as
For example, there was a football game going on but Holden did not go to see it in the stands with the others. Instead he felt like avoiding everybody and sitting at the top of a hill watching the game by himself and when he was asked as to why he did not come down to the stands he used the excuse of being the manager of the Fencing team and that he left all the equipment for the team on the Subway. Holden does not even open himself up to his roommates but instead he is always criticizing them and talking bad about them. He does not get long very well with his roommates as he talks about Stradlater and how stuck up and cocky he is and his other roommate Ackley he calls pimple-faced and criticizes his hygiene. Holden also will not detach himself from being a child and he does not want to grow up and face real world problems. He shows this detachment by flunking in all of his subjects and eventually
Holden's idealism is first brought forth when he describes his life at Pency Prep. It is full of phonies, morons and bastards. His roommate, Stradlater, " was at least a pretty friendly guy, It was partly a phony kind of friendly..." (26) and his other roommate, Ackley is "a very nosy bastard" (33). Holden can't stand to be around either one of them for a very long time. Later, he gets into a fight with Stradlater over his date with Jane. Holden is upset because he thinks that Stradlater "gave her the time" and that he doesn't care about her; 'the reason he didn't care was because he was a goddam stupid moron. All morons hate it when you call them a moron' (44). Holden not only sees his roommates as phonies and bastards, but he also sees his headmaster at Pency Prep as a "phony slob" (3). This type of person is exactly what Holden doesn't want to be. He strives to be a mature adult; caring, compassionate, and sensitive.
It is safe to say that the way a person spends their teenage years is the way they begin to define themselves. People are always talking about how teenagers now are so different from the way teenagers were in the 1940s. Their interactions, methods of entertainment, even the way their brains are wired is different. Perhaps teenagers are not the ones changing. It is possible they can remain authentic, despite the fact that society is completely different than it was back then. The Catcher in the Rye is a book written to take place in New York, during the 1940s. The author, J.D. Salinger, writes about a troubled teen attending Pencey Prep, or rather, formerly attending Pencey Prep. He has gotten kicked out of the school and, rather than staying
Holden also feels a continual need for affirmation of what he just said with phrases such as, "He really would."(pg. 25) or "It really isn't." (Pg. 89) This continual need for approval shows a lowered level of self-assurance. This lowered self-assurance probably stems from his self-awareness that he is an unreliable source. The reason he is unreliable is due to his deceitful narrative of occurrences.