Theme Of Syntax In Catcher In The Rye

In J.D. Salinger’s novel Catcher in the Rye, she uses extended metaphors, and syntax to allow the reader not only to make their own opinions of Holden, but also view his outlook upon the world as he grows up. Salinger continuously feeds the reader the theme of the book is, life being like a game and adolescence.

Holden’s adolescent mindset is brought up many times throughout his story. For example, many times he will not listen to adults, though he is intelligent enough to know that the advice is wise, and is willing to listen to kids, who almost never have the intellectual capacity or experience to tell him what he wants to hear. While conversing with Mr. Spencer, Holden inwardly reflects on his discontent with Mr. Spencer’s view of life,

Holden refusal to absorb Mr. Spencer’s input, whether or not it is reasonable, could be seen as similar to the classic TV series, known as Peanuts, in which all adult characters’ voices sound like meaningless and annoying mumbling. Holden argues that life is not a game because its not you can not choose what happens or what your destination will be, this reflects on when Holden says "Anyway, 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. And I 'm standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff – I mean if they 're running and they don 't look where they 're going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. That 's all I 'd do all day. I 'd

While waiting for Sally so his rendezvous may commence Holden reminiscences, “The best thing, though, in that museum was that everything always stayed right where it was. Nobody’d move. . . . Nobody’d be different. The only thing that would be different would be you. Not that you 'd be so much older or anything. It wouldn 't be that exactly. You 'd just be different, that 's all” (121). Holden says the source of his pleasure at the museum is because everything stays the same, in other words, everything is stable that he does not have in his life, and he desperately desires. When he says the last sentence of the quote it can be viewed that J.D. Salinger’s intention for Holden using this generality that he does not understand why “you” would have changed, but the reason why a person would have changed is because they are growing up and losing their adolescence, but he does not say it in the direction of himself he says it towards others which shows his belief that everything else is wrong except himself. This museum where things seem to be frozen which he desperately desires to be part of reason being is his only happy memories are in from his childhood and he is getting farther and farther away from them which is painful for him. When Holden is on the carousel with Phoebe, he reflects, “Then the carousel started, and I watched her go round and