Catcher In The Rye
Imagine this: a school without an emphasis on letter grades. It may seem like a utopian ideal, however, this idea is being tested in English 1 classes. So that brings the question, can this concept be applied school–wide or will we succumb to society's desire to quantify us?
Currently, all English 1 Poetry/Drama classes participate in this initiative of non–letter grading as an effort to combat students' extrinsic motivation to attain As. Instead, students are being assessed on how well they embody and work on "the aims of a Punahou education": things like critical thinking, persistence, resilience, and interpersonal collaboration. Over the course of the semester, teachers take notes on how students are applying these aims; for example, if a student creates an English 1 project about the symbolism of Holden's red cap in The Catcher in the Rye using thoughtful outside research and supporting quotes from the text, a teacher may construe that as an excellent example of critical thinking. At the end, students are still administered a letter grade for the semester, based on how well students worked on these aims and not due to aggregate point values converted to percentages and letters....show more content...
On one hand, the traditional grading system is universally recognized; its simplistic nature allows teachers, students, and parents to easily interpret, understand, and directly compare others in the same class. But on the other hand, there also significant cons, such as its subjectivity, lack of explanation, and cultivation of testing culture. This is exactly what non–letter grading is intended to
Catcher In The Rye Essay Outline
The Catcher in the Rye is written by J.D. Salinger and published July 16, 1951. This story in short is about a boy named Holden Caulfield in the 1950s who is undergoing treatment in a mental hospital. It begins with Holden at a private school named Pencey Prep School in Agerstown, Pennsylvania. This was Holden fourth school as he'd been failed from the previous three, also he was soon to be expelled from Pencey to. Holden visits his old history to say goodbye and that he would not be returning after the break. Back in his dorm, Holden's roommate Stradlater had been on a date with Jane Gallagher who Holden has some affection for. when questioning Stradlater about if he performed coitus with Jane, Stradlater teases Holden in a fit Holden attacks...show more content...
The call was an attempt to get her to have intercourse with him but Holden hung up without making a date. Holden went to the lobby as he walked he remembered Jane Gallagher and began to reminisce about their past together. Holden left the hotel he was staying, but not before the elevator operator Maurice offered a prostitute for five dollars Holden agreed. Part way Holden begins to feel "peculiar" and asks the prostitute to leave, she does , but returns with Maurice who demanded he pays a ther five Holden refused and was punched in the stomach feeling tired he falls asleep. Holden wakes up and takes a cab to Central Park to find his little sister Phoebe. After some more useless interaction with past acquaintances, Holden sneaks into his own apartment where Phoebe is sleeping. He is forced to admit his expulsion to his sister who gets quite angry. Later Holden speaks to his former English Teacher who speaks to him about his expulsion and his future after their chat Holden falls asleep at the Grand Central Station. Waking up sometime later Holden writes a letter to his sister Phoebe saying he would be leaving home for good and should meet him at the
Catcher In The Rye Theme Essay
Have you ever had this feeling of being so stressed out that you would escape to hopeless dreams, causing you to withdraw yourself from others? Among many themes that J.D. Salinger expresses in his novel, The Catcher in the Rye, there is one that fits that type of feeling perfectly. That theme is: isolation is a product of the individual's reaction to the environment and often leads to downfalls and other negative consequences. This is clearly demonstrated through the influence of the allusions and symbols that Salinger uses to subtly apply the theme mentioned above.
Allusion is seen multiple times throughout the book. Holden makes these allusions towards many famous poets and novels during that time. For instance, Holden himself agrees...show more content...
Modernism basically moves away from the romanticism trend to focus more on the individual in the story, which is seen throughout the story. For example, "If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born and what my lousy childhood was like..." (Salinger 1). That quote is exactly how the story starts off, so a couple of things are already clear: The story is in a first–person point of view and the tone is that of an average attitude–filled teenager. On top of this, while the entire story is being narrated by Holden, the reader doesn't get the chance to be able to interact with him and vice versa. Thus, creating a type of mood that makes it seem as though the reader is stuck in Holden's head, but the upside of this is that the reader is able to read and understand the character and his values much better.
In conclusion, Salinger portrays isolation being the product to an individual's reaction to the environment, often leading to downfalls and other negative consequences. By choosing to use different allusions and symbols in the story, ranging from the red hunting hat to the shared similarities between one character and another, having a tinge of influence from the modernism trend that was happening during that literary time, not to mention the influence that Salinger himself on Holden, for they were very similar, Salinger got his point
"The limits of my language means the limits of my world."– Ludwig Wittgenstein. The narrator, Holden, tells the story in the vernacular language of a teen in the 50s: slangy and colloquial. J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye is about a teenager's major struggle against death and growing up in the 1950s. The book takes place in Agerstown, Pennsylvania. Holden Caulfield, Phoebe, Allie, D.B., and Mr. Antolini are the main characters. There are plenty of symbolic things in The Catcher in the Rye. A major one is 'the catcher in the rye'; Holden wants to save himself and other children from having to grow up into an adult world he thinks is bogus. Another is Holden's red hunting hat. It is a symbol of his alienation and attachment to childhood....show more content...
Foreshadowing, imagery, symbolism, and irony are all used in the novel. "I'll just tell you about this madman stuff that happened to me around last Christmas just before I got pretty run–down and had to come out here and take it easy." – Holden (1). Here, Holden is foreshadowing to him ending up in the hospital for going mad. The rest of the story is the events that led up to this. Imagery is a visually descriptive or figurative language. In this next quote Caulfield visually describes how he would beat the man if he caught him. "I kept picturing myself catching him at it, and how I'd smash his head on the stone steps till he was good and goddam dead and bloody." – Holden (201). There is plenty of irony this novel by Salinger. For instance, "I told her I loved her and all. It was a lie of course, but I meant it when I said it." – Holden (125). This irony because he always talks about people being "phony", but yet he was being phony himself. The biggest literay device is symbolism. There is a lot involved in The Catcher in the Rye. There is the red hunting that Holden wears and the title of the book itself. Those are just two; There are plenty more. "I took my red hunting hat [...] and put it on–I didn't give a damn how I looked" – Holden (88). The red hunting hat is a symbol of his alienation. It protects him, and makes him feel unique, but also singles him out as weird or strange. It also stands for an
Catcher In The Rye Phoebe Analysis
Catcher in the Rye Essay(Prompt 2) In the Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, Phoebe, despite not appearing in the book as often as other characters, serves as the confidante for Holden in order to bring out his true character and reveal his true emotions and thoughts. She brings out his emotions of depressed thoughts, guilt, happiness, and how he values authenticity.
First, Phoebe acts as a confidante for Holden by showing the reader Holden's true emotions and thoughts. Phoebe reveals his moods of happiness and depression and why he feels the way he does. When Phoebe is on the carousel, Holden "felt so damn happy all of sudden[because] the way old Phoebe kept going around and around.[Holden]was damn near bawling, [He] felt so damn...show more content...
This further develops Holden's character to vent over the death of Allie and reinforce his moral code. When Phoebe is with Holden, Holden mentions Allie when he snaps and explains that, "[He] know he's dead!" He then says "I can still like him, though, can't I? Just because somebody's dead, you don't just stop liking them. [...] Especially if they were about a thousand times nicer than the people you know that're alive." This allows Holden to vent his frustration allowing him to move along the stages of grief. (Salinger Chapter 22) Phoebe's character also heavily complies with Holden's moral values. Holden values a attentive and authentic persona rather than the fake and passive persona that he perceives many people to possess. When he was younger he noticed "When[he talked to] Allie[...]old Phoebe'd be listening. Sometimes you'd forget she was around, because she was such a little kid, but she'd let you know. She'd interrupt you all the time. She'd give [Holden and Allie a] push or something, and say, Who? Who said that? Bobby or the lady? And [they'd] tell her who said it, and she'd say, Oh, and go right on listening and all. She killed Allie, too. He liked her, too. She's ten now, and not such a tiny little kid anymore[...] Anyway, she was somebody you always felt like talking to on the phone. " (Salinger Chapter 10) This reveals how he value the authenticity and attentiveness of Phoebe and he strongly relates and connects with his siblings. This evidently reveals that Phoebe works as a confidant for
Rye Essay Prompts
ENG 3U1 – The Catcher in the Rye Essay Outline Assignment
Task: Pick one of the essay prompts below. Your answer to the prompt will be the thesis of your essay. Thoughtfully and carefully craft an essay outline to develop and defend your thesis. Be concise and to the point, this is only an outline!
You may consult your agenda, previous notes and our class for essay writing tips. Be sure to use text–based evidence to support your thesis.
Essay Prompts
Throughout the novel, Holden is a tormented adolescent. He feels alienated and isolated at Pencey Prep, he is belittled and dismissed by women he wants to impress, he is beaten up twice, he dreams of escape from the world he lives in and he even considers suicide. Yet, despite these hardships,...show more content...
He escapes his life by living another. All of these are showing how he is not healthy at all and needs help. Holden tries not to think about these issues in his life, so he choses to make jokes about them
Proof: The humour was used to point out all the flaws in nature.
Analysis: The one thing that Holden hated most was phonies. He constantly ranted about how he hated these so called people. Salinger used Holden as a way of speaking his mind. about his subject without going out publicly about it himself. He was able to speak his mind behind the disguise of a character. In Chapter 22 Holden says that adults are inevitably phonies and the worst part is that they can't see their own phoniness.
Proof: The larger meaning of the story is that childhood can never remain, meaning you can't stay a child forever.
Analysis: Holden's humour shows the childish–like qualities that he possess within him. He switches moods very often. When with the women or out on the town, he has a very grown up personality then he would have a child–like quality while doing something else. Overall, although Holden acts older then his age, but wants to preserve his youth, he will never get his way, it's just impossible.
Supporting Argument 3
How would the story be different if humour wasn't used? Humour is an important aspect in this
Catcher In The Rye Essay example
From the Outside, Looking In
Despite the debate that may wage on regarding the status to be afforded J. D. Salinger's writings, the author's books have not quietly faded into obscurity. Although published almost a half–century ago, the author's most famous work, Catcher in the Rye, enjoys almost as healthy and devoted a following today as the book did when it was first published. Because of a self–imposed exile that began almost at the same time the Salinger's career was just taking off, much of the substance of the writer's lifehis thoughts, ideals, writing objectivesremain shrouded in mystery. The few writings Salinger did offer up for public consumption, though, provide his audience cryptic clues into his inner most thoughts and...show more content...
Perhaps the reason the author has become such a recluse is because it is only by withdrawing from society that Salinger has been able to resolve his personal conflicts with the workings and objectives of the society in which he lives. Take religion for example. If his writings truly do offer some insight into the private thoughts and beliefs of the author, J. D. Salinger is a God–fearing man who has the utmost respect for his Creator. It is not the reverence of a divine being that causes Salinger difficulty; it is the mind–numbing customs and practices that cause parishioners to lose focus on the basic reason they engage in religious worship that compels the writer to speak out. The formal practice of religion at times places a greater emphasis on conformance with rituals than it does on fostering a better understanding and appreciation of the basic notions upon which a religion is based. In Salinger's mind, some religious practices have run so far afield of the original premise upon which the religion was based that he questions whether the customs today can even loosely be tied to actual religious worship. Salinger's most noteworthy character, Holden Caulfield, struggles with how society has lost sight of the foundations upon which Christianity was organized. The setting for Salinger's novel, Catcher in the Rye, is the Christmas season in New York City. Christmasthe time–honored tradition by which Christians pause to reflect on the birth of their
The Catcher in the Rye Essay
The Catcher in the Rye is a novel by J.D. Salinger. It is narrated by Holden Caulfield, a cynical teenager who recently got expelled from his fourth school. Though Holden is the narrator and main character of the story, the focus of Salinger's tale is not on Caulfield, but of the world in which we live. The Catcher in the Rye is an insatiable account of the realities we face daily seen through the eyes of a bright young man whose visions of the world are painfully truthful, if not a bit jaded. Salinger's book is a must–read because its relatable symbolism draws on the reader's emotions and can easily keep the attention of anyone. Salinger's full use of symbolism goes unnoticed until his novel is read a second or third time. Most of it...show more content...
This character is going to tell it like it is, and he does. The most powerful emotional standpoint in the story is when Holden goes to his sister's elementary school to deliver her a note. While he is there, he discovers two words scribbled on the wall. "Fuck you." Most people would look at that and think nothing of it. Some would bow their heads in shame at the person who thought it was funny. Others might laugh. Not Holden. He did not think about the normal persons response to the note. He thought about the child's response. About how a little kid is going to see that seemingly meaningless phrase and wonder what it means; about how some dirty kid would explain what it meant; and about the person who wrote it and how they are destroying the childhood of everyone who reads the 'harmless' graffiti. This section takes the reader to the door of Holden's mind. It is at this point that one truly understands his emotions. As previously mentioned, it is obvious of Holden's intentions from the first chapter. The reader learns that they are not going to be following the life story of some random kid; they are going to read about the introversive thoughts and assumptions everyone makes at some point of their lives. Throughout the tale, it is obvious that Caulfield is depressed and as the story progresses, he seems to lose himself in the real world. As he moves
An Essay On The Catcher In The Rye
I have broken down in tears in despair and have been unable to contain my own laughter countless times. I will undoubtedly do so another countless number of times the rest of my life. Of course, the reasons for my despondency and gaiety have evolved with time from not getting a cookie to not being able to go Trick or Treating and from hearing a funny joke to getting to spend time with friends after a stressful week of finals. And I am the product of the accumulation of all those moments. All that pain. All that happiness. In a world centered around the present and the prospects of the future, it is difficult to remember that there exists something arguably more important: the past, and more importantly, childhood – the days of what seems like a life–time ago. But our childhood is actually probably closer to us than anything else. With a little provocation, the dam constructed of our current burdens is breached and all the childhood memories flood us with nostalgia. And that is precisely what childhood is: a constant reminder of the past and its everlasting impact on us. Time is unmerciful and makes aging a painful but ultimately inevitable process. But no matter how old we...show more content...
For instance, after a troubling day, he recalls a museum that he often visited when he was younger and decides to visit it in hopes of finding consolation there like he once did. To Holden, the museum is the symbol of his childhood and his fantasy of a world that he could forever live in which would preserve the simplicity of those days. However, Holden realizes the unfortunate brevity of youth and decides to become a guardian angel for the unsuspecting victims of aging, helping them retain their innocence so when in time of need, they can be better solaced by their
Catcher in the Rye
The Catcher in the Rye
"Is The Catcher in the Rye, as a work of literature still relevant for today's youth?"
Name: Sara Sigurdson
Course: English A1
Supervisor: Mr. Peter Steadman
Word count: 3851
Candidate number: 00136022
Table of Contents
Content Page Number
Abstract 3
Introduction 4
The Actual Catcher in the Rye 4
The Sexual Matter 5
The Caulfield Family 6
Narrator and Protagonist 8
Role Model 9
Mr. Antolini 10
Targeted Audience 10
Guidance 12
It is not Criticism 13
Exposing Culture 13
Conclusion – Fall of Innocence 15
Works Cited List 17
Abstract This essay is a detailed analysis about The Catcher in the Rye investigating whether it is relevant for youth and...show more content...
In his dream, Holden gets to play a guardian, saving the pure and innocent from falling over the edge, a topic that plays very well on why this novel is appropriate for youth in our society today. Just like in the 1950's when the book was written, this example stands for the hope of protecting a juvenile teenager's innocence all through the step towards becoming an adult. Salinger enlightens us of that the beauty of keeping purity – in this case the children growing up too fast – is important to everyone, everywhere. (Aldridge, 128) There is also symbolism to be found in Holden's name (Hold on), about him holding on to his childhood. "Hold on" works as a symbol for how Holden expresses the theme of keeping innocence in his life as he personally acts as the catcher in the rye.
The sexual matter
The same pattern of guarding purity is found in the sexual matter of this novel. When it comes to the theme of sexuality it is easy to find a relationship between what the society looked like in the 1950's and what our society looks like today. Sexual revelation is a constantly growing pattern through different media, and The Catcher in the Rye acts like guidance for misplaced and confused teenagers growing up in this continuous
The Catcher in the Rye Essay
This paper proposes to delineate the characteristics of Holden Caulfield, the adolescent protagonist hero of J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye and illuminate the reasons as to why this prototype of brooding adolescence, displaying a rather uber–cool style of disaffection, disenchantment and disillusionment became an indispensable figure of interest, in literary circles as well as popular culture. The paper seeks to take issue with the wider dimensions attached to the 'incapacitation and debilitation' Holden is often accused of and address Salinger's vision behind etching Caulfield precisely the way he is. The paper also wishes to foreground the socio–political implications that reverberate within the rubric of the novel, Holden's...show more content...
The sales figures of the book evince the case of its popularity. Needless to point out, the immense popularity of The Catcher in the Rye can be attributed to Salinger's ingenious creation– Holden Caulfield. Holden Caulfield is the primary reason of the novel's sustained readership.
Anyone even remotely familiar with the text can point out that the protagonist who uses 'crazy' verbatim and mentions the cognates of that word over fifty times, has been alleged to be a misanthropist, a human "who dislikes everything." Christopher Parker contends, "Holden likes the only things really worth liking...because he is sincere and he won't settle for less." Several critics in the recent past have concurred with Parker's line of thought. They have dismissed the initial response to the 'incessant rant of Holden Caulfield" as adolescent babble as a misreading of the text, and instead placed the novel in its rightful place as a text that seriously engages in the exploration of the picaresque, an acute intensity of longing and yearning for the shared tenets of authenticity and innocence. While Holden's choice of being the 'catcher in the rye' clearly depicts his yearning for a bygone era, the innocent experience, his choice is rooted at once in his fate of being both beloved and banned, as is that of his narrative The Catcher in the Rye, in its character of
The Catcher in the Rye
The Catcher in the Rye a novel written by J.D. Salinger, the book starts off by Holden Caulfield, main protagonist, talking about his experience alone the weekend before he went home. Holden struggles to fit in society, communicating with others but most of all he is struggling to find himself. Holden lurks for advice from different people in order to get some insight of their perspective. Even though Holden seems to be embracing the growing up mentality yet he wants to keep his innocence. Holden is quite an interesting character because his attitude toward life in general is very complex. He pretends to be an adult by drinking heavily, yet he complains like a child. You can clearly see the struggle Holden is going through in finding...show more content...
Holden interprets people's action differently because according to him, they have different motives. Holden seems to think that all his surrounding is phony because it's not to his expectation. The only thing that he considers worth of value is a child's innocence. Holden has a significant attachment to his little sister and the warm memories they shared together. It's probably the only thing that keeps him from carrying out his thoughts and keeps him from losing his mind. Holden's relationship with his sister Phoebe is a strong one like any other brother and sister relationship. Although he is a bit too caring and protective of her because he doesn't want her to indulge the process of being an adult, he wants her to stay ten year old forever. Holden knows from his own experience life isn't easy growing up and most of all he doesn't want his sister to lose her innocent. Holden soon learns that Phoebe can stay ten forever and he can't avoid being and adult. He realizes it while he is watching Phoebe ride the carousel in Central Park and fears Phoebe will fall off her horse while reaching for a gold ring which gives the winner a free ride, he says, "The thing with kids is, if they want to grab for the gold ring, you have to let them do it, and not say anything. If they fall off, they fall off, but it's bad if you say anything to them." Holden acknowledge that children must grow up and move on. He can't always believe that children will never reach the "phonieness"
Catcher In The Rye
J.D.Salinger's the Catcher in the Rye is a classic American novel. The novel is based in the time period of the 1950's. It's a first person telling of a teenage boys life after his brother passes away and he is kicked out of his fourth school. Not wanting to attend school anymore with a bunch of "phonies" he decides to have himself a little vacation before returning home to his parents. On his night out on the town he acts the way a teenager would act when alone with a good sum of dough. He goes to a couple of bars and successfully gets drinks, buys his own room at a hotel to stay in for the night, even hires a prostitute. The reason behind all of his rebellion and getting kicked out of school is simply because he's lonely and depressed. The...show more content...
J.D. Salinger makes his book very unique and original. He uses the main character Holden as a prime example. Holden acts like an overly emotional teenager that isn't afraid to state his opinion. He's very enthusiastic about things he believes in and will be very blunt. "C'mon let's get outa here," I said. "You give me a royal pain in the ass, if you want to know the truth." (133). Along with the character being unique he also has a very original writing style. He wrote the novel in the style of how a teenage boy would think. He stops and changes topics mid paragraph like any young person would do. His excessive use of curse words is a risky decision but it helps you understand the character and his views on things in a more intense level. When he curses about things it shows how strongly he believes in what he does. The author also leaves many holes throughout the book to engage the reader and make them have to infer what happens. Throughout the book Holden brings up a love interest named Jane. She is always on his mind and he contemplates calling her but never actually does it, leaving you as the reader to determine if he ever actually goes and finds her eventually. His biggest hole in the story is the ending. He is at the park with his sister and he still hasn't seen his parents or ran away and it just ends with you leaning on the edge of your seat waiting for the answers to what
Essay about The Catcher in the Rye
Catcher in the Rye
Chapters 1–3
Discussion Questions
1. Who is telling the story? What are your impressions of the narrator? Would he be a friend of yours? Holden Caufield maybe because he seems rebellious and open
2. How much time has passed since the events in the story? What do you think is Holden's purpose in telling the story? 7 months has passed and to make sense of everything that has happened
3. What is Pency Prep like? Why is Holden leaving? How does he feel about leaving? It is a formal prestigious private school, because he failed classes and everybody there hates him and a little bit sad
4. Why does Holden go to see Mr. Spencer? Why does he regret the visit? To say goodbye to him and Pency and he regrets it...show more content...
Why does he lie to her? Have you ever done anything like that? A students mum, to make her son look good and make her feel proud and no
2. In what sort of hotel does Holden stay? What sorts of "perverts" are there? Why doesn't he just go home? A real kind of extravagant hotel and cross dressers
3. Who is the first person Holden calls? Why do you suppose he doesn't arrange to meet her the next day as she suggests? A prostitute and not to sure doesn't want to wait that long perhaps
4. Who does Holden meet in the nightclub of the hotel? Why do these women depress him? Why does he spend time with them then? Three older women, because they are obsessed with movie stars
5. What is Phoebe like? How can you tell that Holden adores her? She's intelligent and because he is always talking about how great she is
6. Why do you think Holden says of Allie, "She killed Allie, too," then amends his comment to, "I mean he liked her, too"? Cause it sounds like Phoebe literally killed allie
7. Holden remembers the time Jane cried and he kissed her. Why does he think she was crying? What do you think? Because of her stepdad
8. What sort of place is Ernie's? How does Holden know about Ernie's? Nightclub sort of fancy environment and through D.B
9. You learn a lot about Phoebe and Holden's tender feelings for her from the flashback on page 68. Using that passage as a model, describe someone you know. As Holden does, begin your
Literary Analysis Essay: The Catcher In The Rye
The Catcher in the Rye Literary Analysis Essay
Teenage years are difficult. Time tells this story of struggle again and again. The Catcher in the Rye is a classic novel showing the struggles a teenager goes through while transitioning into adulthood. The main character, Holden Caulfield, is a judgmental and temperamental boy who struggles to see the positivity in life. Throughout the story, Holden searches to find himself, as he feels forced to grow up. He holds onto aspects of his childhood and isolates himself so much that it is even harder for him to transition. J.D. Salinger uses the red hunting hat, the museum and cigarettes as important symbols in the story to convey the themes of transitioning from childhood to adulthood, loneliness, and isolation.
Salinger uses the symbol of a red hunting hat to suggest and develop the themes of transitioning from childhood to adulthood, isolation and loneliness. Holden...show more content...
Holden enjoys certain aspects of adulthood. Holden likes to smoke, drink and have sex. These are all new aspects of adulthood that many children do not face. Holden is going through a transition stage in his life where he is figuring out who he is, and what he likes as a young adult while still grasping onto safer feelings aspects of childhood. Holden smokes cigarettes when he feels lonely. On page 97, Holden says, "I'd probably go down to the can and sneak a cigarette and watch myself getting tough in the mirror." In this quotation, Holden implies that he is by himself and feels isolated from everyone because he says he would get tough in the mirror. This is the time that Holden chooses to smoke because he feels safer and isolated from everyone else. This quotation also suggests that Holden smokes to feel older because it is something he knows adults do even though he is not sure yet how to be an
Catcher In The Rye Narrative Essay
The Cather in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, is the story of a troubled young man named Holden Caulfield. Holden meanders through New York for two days contemplating his place in the world and what his future will look like. The duration of Holden's stay in the city is filled with depression and loneliness, but also small glimpses of hope and happiness. Through the use of repetition and the use of anecdote, Salinger spins a cautionary tale which all adolescents should heed.
Through the entirety of the novel, Salinger intentionally has Holden use phrases such as, "and all", "or anything", and "or something" multiple times to create an authentic representation of the 'average American teen' in the fifties. Salinger writes in this manner in order to attract the attention of the real 'average teens' in the era the novel was written. However, the repetition which is used to spin a cautionary tale is found within the voice of Holden when he is speaking about something he is passionate about. From...show more content...
The anecdote Salinger includes about the death of Holden's younger brother Allie is a commentary on the loss of innocence in the world. Holden is deeply troubled by Allie's death at a young age. Allie's death is one of the factors which have contributed to Holden's skewed view of the world. Because of Allie's death, Holden's childhood and youth is spent in sadness and anger at the world and at himself. Holden associates 'phonies' with older, duller, and denser people. Further, the anecdote about Holden witnessing an acquaintance commit suicide shows that Salinger wants the reader to understand the severity of depression among the youth. Holden witnessing the suicide is key to his decision to push forward and not take his own life. Salinger is leading the reader to see that suicide is no joking matter and that nothing is worth taking your own
Argument For The Catcher In The Rye
Holden Caulfield, a boy who struggles with his mental health, starts his story by saying, "I'm not going to tell you my whole goddam autobiography or anything. I'll just tell you about this madman stuff that happened to me around last Christmas" (Salinger 3). Published in 1951, The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger depicts a three–day journey of Holden as he tries to find out more about himself. Through his struggle, Holden experiences many obstacles and events, such as depression and profanity, that take place in most teenager's lives, making the book a primary target for banning due to offensive language, suicidal tendencies, sexual content, violence, and outright negativity (Information). Though The Catcher in the Rye contains controversial topics, such as depression, vulgar language, and sexual discrimination, the novel is still relevant and relatable to teens today; therefore, the story should remain an option for students to read.
The Catcher in the Rye features a multitude of examples in which Holden is overwhelmingly suicidal and represents undesirable viewpoints. At one point in the novel, Holden admits, "what I really felt like though, was committing suicide" (Salinger 116). His pessimistic attitude and outlook on life can have a negative effect on the reader. "[The book] has been banned on the lighter premises of using profanities and being sexually explicit/suggestive, while it has also been banned for darker interpretations of the book, such as being part of a Communist plot, anti–religious, and promotive of homosexuality and perversion" (Bohan). The supports for banning are prevalent throughout the book, with no doubt that they are factual reasons. Nevertheless, the literary value and representation of adolescents in any time period overwhelm the reasons for banning the book.
Though Holden focuses on his depression, he represents a large part of the United States' population. On several occasions, he describes his desolation. Mentally lost and lonely in New York City, Holden finds himself with a headache and the inability to sleep, saying, "I think I was more depressed than I ever was in my whole life" (Salinger 214). Relatively, the highest rate of depression occurs from ages 12–17 (Pratt)
Holden Caulfield, the protagonist and main character of The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, seems to have many dislikes and much fewer likes about life, as a whole. In many situations throughout the book, Holden seems to have negative thoughts about every little thing. From his school, Pencey Prep, to movies or actors; even to the word "grand," Holden seemingly holds a distaste in just about anything that crosses paths with him. However, further into the novel, it becomes apparent that one of the causes Holden holds dearest to his heart is to keep the innocence of children for as long as possible. Holden wants to be the "catcher in the rye" because one of the things he loves is young kids and the catcher saves them. Holden didn't seem to care about much in the world, but near the end kids seemed to be what he adored most. He cared about them and knew what to do to take care of them. "The thing with kids is, if they want to grab for the gold ring, you have to let them do it, and not say anything. If they fall off, they fall off, but it's bad if you say anything to them." (Salinger, 211) From this quote Holden is explaining to us how to interact with kids. He is saying let them fail at something so they can learn the lesson rather than telling them...show more content...
He realizes this when he hears a song "Catcher thro' the rye" and mistakes the lyrics to be "Catcher in the rye" which he thinks of as a man who stands at the edge of a cliff at the end of a rye field and catches the children who are running around in the rye field with no clear vision. He determines that this is what he wants to do with his life in a figurative way, which means that he wishes to keep the last bit of innocence in children that is left in them. This shows his passion for kids and explains why he seems to only like children and everything else is negative in his
The Meaning Of Catcher In The Rye
The title If you remember what the title meant, "catcher in the rye", the title refers to the song "if a body catch a body comin thro the rye." Holden mistakenly interprets the song to be about a person who stands in a rye field, near the edge of cliff, to stop the children from falling off the cliff. Similarly, James Castle's name alludes to this theme of falling in the story. Castle falls out of his window to his demise, or out of his castle of higher ideals. His name is a kind of metaphor that Salinger uses to say that maturing is sometimes a harsh reality, or otherwise that allowing society to control you is a bad thing. Even while he is being pressured and tortured by the large group of boys, he chooses to jump out of his window rather
The Importance of Language in The Catcher in the Rye
J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye has captured the spirit of adolescence, dramatizing Holden Caulfield's vulgar language and melodramatic reactions. Written as the autobiographical account of a fictional teenage prep school student named Holden Caulfield, The Catcher in the Rye deals with material that is socially scandalous for the time (Gwynn, 1958). As an emotional, intelligent, and sensitive young man, Holden puts his inner world to the test through the sexual mores of his peers and elders, the teachings of his education, and his own emerging sense of self. Throughout the years, the language of the story has startled readers. Salinger's control of Holden's easy,...show more content...
Another colloquialism can be seen in the last two examples. Holden has a habit of ending his descriptions with tag phrases such as "and all" or "or anything." (Salzman, 1991). Not only does Holden speak like this in the beginning of the novel, but throughout the book, making this pattern a part of his character. One could imagine Holden frequently ending his sentences with "and all," and realize it is a character trait of his, since not all teenagers used that phrase. Therefore, the "and all" tag to Holden's speech served to make his speech authentic and individual. (Salzman, 1991). Salinger intentionally used such speech patterns to individualize Holden but also to make him a believable teenager of the early 1950's.
Another example of how Holden's speech helped define his character is his constant need to confirm his own affirmations, as if even he did not quite believe himself. These confirmations include phrases such as "...if you want to know the truth," or "...it really does." Holden repeats the first phrase several times throughout the novel: "I have no wind, if you want to know the truth," "I'm pacifist, if you want to know the truth," and a variation: "She had a lot of sex appeal, too, if you really want to know." In each of the above instances, Holden makes a statement and then feels compelled to clarify that is he is not making it