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Essay on holden caulfield
The effects and importance of freedom of speech
Character analysis of holden caulfield
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America is a nation founded upon a set of unified core beliefs that were never meant to be opposed or infringed upon known as the Bill of Rights. As America has grown and developed over the years, these core beliefs do not seem to be as sacred as they once were. Many great pieces of art and literature have been produced, but society expectations of what is acceptable. Censorship occurs when a group of people impose their beliefs upon others, thus removing material at the request of the group. Book censorship is one of few areas that are censored from the public, and it is a shame that a select few individuals can determine what is acceptable and what is not. Books are banned for several reasons: sexual material, profanity, homosexuality, religious views, racism, unsuitable material for children, etc. J.D Salinger’s novel The Catcher and The Rye is a perfect example of literature that every student should have the opportunity to read, because Holden Caulfield is a character most teens are able to relate to. The Catcher and The Rye is a piece of art that expresses strong meaning and messages that many people can relate to by being such a relatable novel. I believe that it should not be banned on the fact that Holden is a character that epitomizes the struggle against external pressure, and because banning books, whether it is for profanity or not, violates the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights (Gould, 2010).
J.D Salinger was a literary genius in the fact that he was able to create stories and character that the mass public could relate to in one way or another. The Catcher and The Rye is a book about a boy named Holden Caulfield who is torn between being a teenager and facing adulthood. It is widely accepted that Holden suffers...
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... that go against conventional society, but are important to literature because those same morals and meanings are relevant in the lives of every American citizen at that point in their lives. Censoring material and banning books go against the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights and should not be permitted under the court of law. If society continues to censor material that it views as unacceptable, Americans will never really know the full truth behind the smoke and mirrors.
Works Cited
Salinger, Jerome David. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1951.
Gould, Autumn. “Book Censorship.” Lehigh.org. Lehigh University. 2010. Web. 09 Nov 2013.
“Catcher in the Rye – Holden Caulfield Character Analysis.” E-Scoala.ro. 2011. Web. 09 Nov 2013.
Ivy, Mary P. “First Ten Amendments to the Constitution.” Life123.com. IAC Co. 2013. Web. 09 Nov 2013.
J.D Salinger as born in New York City on January 1, 1919, he didn’t wright many novels in which he was renowned for. But one day, he did write one novel that brought him instant fame. In J.D. Salinger’s, Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield, a sixteen-year-old teenage boy on the brink of adulthood, and he is trying to make sense of his existents and where he belongs. He also refuses to lose his innocence even though he knows is inevitable.
Did you ever think that books that have sex, obscene language, and immoral subjects can make a good book? The Catcher in the Rye has been on the banned reading list for exactly those reasons. The book was mainly put on disapproval from between 1966 and 1975 in almost every school district in the United States. The book was said to be so bad that in 1960 a teacher in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was fired for assigning the book to an eleventh-grade English class. Despite some opposition to the novel, however, J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye should be on a reading list for the freshman students because it gives a crystal clear image on how the world is in violence, sex, and obscenity and the book also teaches the motifs of lying and deception.
American Literature is widely known for possessing themes of disillusionment. Faulkner, Harper Lee, Fitzgerald, and Hemingway dominate this category of literature. However, the most influential piece of American Literature is arguably J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye. What makes this piece of art stand so far out from any other work of literature is the attributes that make this novel so relatable. The source of this raw, real emotion that completely captivates the reader is Salinger himself. The Catcher in the Rye ‘s main character Holden Caulfield is undeniably Salinger. This work of fiction nearly resembles an autobiography. J.D. Salinger uses his novel to express his disillusionment through motifs, pathos, and symbols.
The Catcher in the Rye is a novel by J.D. Salinger that is told from the point of view of Holden Caulfield. Holden is a young man struggling with growing up and facing the adult world. As a misunderstood teenager, Holden learns to deal with the deception of the adult world and the consequences of his choices.
Holden Caulfield, portrayed in the J.D. Salinger novel Catcher in the Rye as an adolescent struggling to find his own identity, possesses many characteristics that easily link him to the typical teenager living today. The fact that the book was written many years ago clearly exemplifies the timeless nature of this work. Holden's actions are those that any teenager can clearly relate with. The desire for independence, the sexually related encounters, and the questioning of ones religion are issues that almost all teens have had or will have to deal with in their adolescent years. The novel and its main character's experiences can easily be related to and will forever link Holden with every member of society, because everyone in the world was or will be a teen sometime in their life.
The banning of books started way back, back in 1637 to be exact (America’s First Banned Book and the Battle for the Soul of the Country). The banning of New English Canaan by Thomas Morton ignited a spark, but as years gone by, the spark has evolved into a roaring flame(America’s First Banned Book and the Battle for the Soul of the Country). In 1951, The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger was published ("Catcher in the Rye is published"). Ever since its publication, it has been the target to many people for this simple question: should the book be banned? As a matter of fact, in a mere 10 to 20 years, the book was added to the banned book list(Banned Book: The Catcher in the Rye). This angered many readers in the United States, and some tried
Jerome David Salinger, best known for his first and only published novel The Catcher in the Rye, is one of the most mysterious American authors in history. Born on January 1, 1919 in New York City to Sol and Miriam Salinger, Salinger grew up faced with criticism from the public, as his parents were of different ethnicities, and mixed marriages were highly looked down upon. His youth was spent transferring from different preparatory schools before he attended Valley Forge Military Academy, and upon graduating from Valley Forge, Salinger attended numerous colleges but did not graduate from any, but did excel in a short story class at Columbia University. He was drafted for World War II and fought in Europe, and when he returned to America, Salinger began to write more stories, and in 1951 he published what would be his only full-length novel, The Cather in the Rye. His remarkable novel set a new precedent for post-World War II literature and thrust Salinger into the lime light of literary fame, pushing Salinger into reclusiveness. J. D. Salinger’s attendance at Valley Forge Academy and fighting in World War II led to the creation of Holden Caulfield, the protagonist of his sole novel, The Catcher in the Rye.
Holden Caulfield, a controversial main character in J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, is common and in many ways a true representation of an average teen going through adolescence. “Holden Caulfield is nor clown nor is he a tragic hero; he is a 16-year-old lad whose vivid encounter with everyday life is tragically humorous-or humorously tragic.” (Heiserman and Miller 8). Holden is constantly being discussed and interpreted to discern his true character. “Holden would find himself the subject, by 1981, of 344 essays and two reviews, 21 books, 142 references and articles, and 14 dissertations in the U.S. alone.” (Schriber 101). Holden faces many challenges that he must overcome throughout the novel. While overcoming the challenges set in front of him he is also dealing with “normal” teenage problems including being forced to grow old but yearning for innocence, the need for love and relationships, and fighting away insecurities within while searching for his true identity.
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.
Holden Caulfield, the teenage protagonist of Catcher In The Rye by J.D. Salinger, struggles with having to enter the adult world. Holden leaves school early and stays in New York by himself until he is ready to return home. Holden wants to be individual, yet he also wants to fit in and not grow up. The author uses symbolism to represent Holden’s internal struggle.
J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye is a remarkable book that gives readers a unique and perhaps gloomy perspective of the 1950's through Holden Caulfield, a cynical and peculiar teenager. Through The Catcher in the Rye Salinger describes important aspects of the 1950's. Salinger emphasizes several key characteristics of the 50's and criticizes them through Holden. In addition, Holden Caulfield is a very interesting character with several traits that put him at odds with society.
The Catcher In The Rye, by J.D. Salinger, portrays many different ideas in an everyday society. These ideas and thoughts are expressed through the protagonist in the novel, Holden Morrissey. Holden views many things in society as fake or “phony” at an idealistic point-of-view. This contributes to many conflicts and biased thoughts throughout the novel.
The most debatable and controversial form of censorship today is the banning of books in school libraries. Banning books that educate students is wrong and selfish. Censorship of books in school libraries is neither uncommon nor an issue of the past. Books with artistic and cultural worth are still challenged constantly by those who want to control what others read. The roots of bigotry and illiteracy that fuel efforts to censor books and free expression are unacceptable and unconditional. Censoring school books in libraries can often lead to censorship of our basic freedoms guaranteed in the First Amendment. In some cases, a minority ends up dictating the majority in censorship cases. To be told what is permissible reading material and what is not is a direct violation of the First Amendment of the Constitution.
Many readers are able to relate to J.D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye making it a classic. The characters display a variety of personalities making it easy for readers to understand and follow the different dilemmas throughout the novel. However, the greatest dilemma is Holden’s downfall, not only his alienation from society but himself. He believed throughout the whole novel that he had a grasp on his life all while it continued to slip away. Holden’s estrangement following Allie’s death caused him to become dormant, abrasive to others, and cynical.
The Catcher in the Rye, like many other great works, was met by scornful criticism and unyielding admiration. However, many literary critics also marveled at Salinger's use of language, which was used to make Holden Caulfield, the main character, extremely realistic. Such language includes both repetition of phrases and blatant cursing, in order to capture the informal speech of the average, northeastern American adolescent. Through Holden's thoughts and dialogues, Salinger successfully created a teenage boy.