In Class Essay- Catcher in the Rye In the excerpt from Catcher in the Rye, the author: J.D. Salinger tries to effectively describe Holden Caulfield and define his view of life of discontent and apathy. His apathy is directed to minute details and discontent is towards his life and wanting to be more and bigger than everyone around him who lives the mainstream way of life (being occupied with their own lives). The author presents Pheobe so the reader can see these traits of Holden better. To effectively show this, he uses rhetorical strategies such as italicizing words, and the use of punctuation and repetition.
People like Ron Frantz who was like a dad to Chris while he away from home, tried to give Chris advice about how to have a better life. “When you forgive, you love. And when you love, God's light shines upon you.” A similar connection was made with Jan and Rainey where Chris shared good times with them and he got a taste of people that love him. Before his death, he has regrets and writes “Happiness only real when shared”after everything , he realizes that there is no happiness without human relationships. Everything is worthless unless shared with with his dearest friends and
This novel has very significant features, from ducks and fishes to red hunting hats. This novel shows the journey of a 16-year-old boy finding his path to adult life. Holden character develops throughout the book, at first you think he is a bad boy but then at the end of the novel Holden gets very emotional, as a reader it makes me feel likes there are two sides of Holden Caulfield. PENCEEY PREP The novel starts of with him in Pencey Prep. This is the first sign of Holden not being a typical teenager.
According to Holden, Allie was the nicest person he knew and Holden compared his brother to innocence. On the day Allie died Holden was so broken up that he did not know how to express his feelings about the event. Holden could not deal with the immense pain of losing Allie, so he started to induce physical pain on himself. Holden said “I slept in the garage the night he died, and I broke all the goddam windows with my fist, just for the hell of it” (Salinger 39). In the process of breaking the windows Holden also breaks his fist and is forced to visit the hospital.
The Catcher in the Rye shows clear relations to the quote as the experiences of adulthood and the corruption that comes along with it brings about a strong desire in Holden to protect the innocence in children, as he cannot return to his own childhood to escape adulthood. The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger brings about Holden’s desires through his experiences to protect innocence from the corruptions of the outside world. Holden’s experiences throughout the novel show a clear desire of him wanting to return to his childhood. Holden’s depression through his experiences with the outside world reflects as he becomes desperate for love. His desire for love and someone to care for, as well as the need for someone to care for him becomes evident, as his usual adult-like rationality reverts to that of a child’s when he pleads for an escape attempt with Sally.
Holden Canfield’s root of his problem was caused by death of his brother Allie. “I was only thirteen, and they were going to have me psychoanalyzed and all, because I broke all the windows in the garage. I don't blame them. I really don't. I slept in the garage the night he died, and I broke all the goddam windows with my fist, just for the hell of it.
The reason this song resonates with Holden so much is because he desires to be the “catcher” to protect children from falling off of the cliff, which would represent their transcending into adulthood. This is what Holden longs for the most: “That’s all I’d do all day. I’d just be the catcher in the rye and all.” (pg. 173) Retaining childhood innocence is important to Holden because letting go of it would mean change; change into the adult
Christina Trouchon Mrs. Dolan English- 5 5 December 2011 Catcher in the Rye Symbolism In the novel, The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger there are many places and things that are usesd for symbolism. As you are reading the book and you start to really put the symbols together, it also shows you how the main character, Holden thinks of things and who he is as a person. Each symbol affects Holden in many different ways such as something that he uses as s security item, how he feels about childeren and what truely will make this very depressed boy happy for at least a moment. One of the phrases used in The Catcher in the Rye would be just those words alone. In the novel Holden believes that all of the youth in the world needs to
Death is a determining factor that turns the main character, Holden Caulfield’s, life upside down. Death is also a recurring theme in the “Catcher in the rye.” You’d think that Holden, a seventeen-year-old boy, would be more interested in sex and friends than death. Holden’s brother Allie died of leukemia a few years back and Holden also witnessed a young boy named James Castle committing suicide at the prep school. Allie’s death was one of the most fundamental changes that happened in Holden’s life so far. At points in the story, Holden can’t stop thinking about death.
He is doing this by being jealous, just like any other person would. Phoniness begins the structure of the book from the very beginning by Holden saying phony multiple times right off the bat. This gave Holden a sense that something is very wrong with the kid. Truthfully speaking there is nothing wrong with Holden because many people just act similar or just like Holden, and this would be normal of anyone who experiences trauma in their growing period to adulthood. Though, the only unlikable thing about Holden is he might judge people a little too much.