Catcher in the Rye Essay The Innocence of Holden - 897 Words

The Innocence of Holden in The Catcher in the Rye nbsp; In J. D. Salingers novel The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield, the protagonist, spends several days wandering around New York. During this time, he learns many things about himself. He seems to have some sort of mental problem, but this problem fortunately begins to be less serious by the end of the story. But more interesting that the things he knows about himself are the things he does not know about himself. Holden is constantly holding children on a pedestal and dismissing adults as phonies. Holden, though he does not know it, subconsciously protects the innocence of childhood within his mind. nbsp; In the book, Holden constantly reminisces about Jane†¦show more content†¦nbsp; Holden also reminisces about his younger brother, Allie, who has passed away. He views his brother, at times, as a god. When he is walking down Fifth Avenue, he is afraid that he will fall off the curb every time he reaches the end of a block and will die, so he prays to Allie: nbsp; Then I started doing something else. Every time Id get to the end of a block Id make believe I was talking to my brother Allie. Id say to him, Allie, dont let me disappear. Allie, dont let me disappear. Allie, dont let me disappear. Please, Allie. And then when Id reach the other side of the street without disappearing, Id thank him. (198) nbsp; This quote shows how Holden feels about Allie. Holden views his brother as an image of perfection, since he is dead and Holden cannot see any of Allies flaws. Allie died at the age of ten, and Holden thus sees him as dying while he was still an innocent child. Since Holden has no contact with children other than his sister Phoebe, who herself has an urgent desire to become an adult, Holden idolizes Allie. He protects his brother as an image of innocence that he will forever be able to remember. nbsp; Finally, Holden remembers the times in his childhood that he spent at the Museum of Natural History. He thinks of the many trips that he took there with his class in elementary school. He remembers how the museum was always the same every time heShow MoreRelatedPreservation of Innocence In The Catcher in the Rye Essay545 Words   |  3 Pagesthe reader. In The Catcher in the Rye, there are several themes that can be found in the words and actions of the narrator, Holden Caulfield. The dominating theme in this novel is the preservation of innocence, especially of children. We can see this throughout the novel, as Holden strives to preserve innocence in himself and others. In The Catcher in the Rye, Holden’s outlook in life is either the innocence of childhood or the cruelty of adulthood. He believes that the innocence of childhood isRead MoreHolden Caulfield s The Catcher Of The Rye824 Words   |  4 PagesThe Catcher in the Rye Symbolism Essay J.D Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye, is the story of Holden Caulfield’s loss of faith in society, and in particular adults. Salinger uses a number of symbols to demonstrate Holden’s rebellion against the phony facade of society and his desire to preserve the innocence of children, especially those he loves. Chief among them is Holden’s misinterpretation of Robert Burns’ poem â€Å"Comin thro’ the Rye†, wherein Holden mistakes the original line, â€Å"If a body meet aRead MoreThe Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger1005 Words   |  5 PagesHolden Caulfield, the protagonist of J.D. Salinger’s classic coming of age tale The Catcher in the Rye, entices readers through his hyper-critical scrutinization of the post-war consumer world. The novel itself is acclaimed to be quite autobiographical; the similarities between Salinger and Holden are numerous. Holden is an avid critic of materialistic American ideals, and he aims to preser ve innocence in others, and to save himself from falling into the land of adulthood. After failing out ofRead MoreThe Catcher In The Rye Analysis1657 Words   |  7 Pagesdaunting face of adulthood. In J. D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, Salinger depicts the disheartening journey from adolescence to adulthood that Holden Caulfield endures. Although holden seeks the freedoms that mark adulthood, he has yet to take up the role of a truly mature citizen as the society conforming nature of those adults disgust him, leading him to his gradual mental decline. J. D. Salinger uses the immature character of Holden Caulfield as a means of revealing the difficult transitionRead MoreF. Salinger s The Catcher Of The Rye1121 Words   |  5 PagesD Salinger’s Catcher In The Rye deals with Holden Caulfield’s past trauma which is the triggering factor in his depression, anxiety and alienation. Holden tells an unnamed person what has happened in the three days prior to his mental breakdown. Through Holden’s relatable characteristics and Salinger’s narrative treatment, the book continues to engage audiences across generations. The way that Salinger writes gives the audience a very personal and insightful look into what Holden is feeling. It’sRead MoreCatcher in the Rye4413 Words   |  18 PagesThe Catcher in the Rye â€Å"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 Read MoreThe Catcher in the Rye Essay1442 Words   |  6 Pagescharacteristics 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 ofRead MoreReview Of The Perks Of Being A Wallflower 1569 Words   |  7 PagesEssay Organizer Adolescence is the stage in human development that prepares individuals for the transition from childhood to adulthood. Stephen Chobsky’s novel, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and J.D. Salinger’s novel, The Catcher in the Rye, are critically acclaimed coming of age stories that document the turbulence of adolescence. The protagonists of these novels, Charlie and Holden Caulfield, both encounter common themes in adolescence such as alienation, confusion of sexuality, and loss ofRead MoreJ.D. Salingers Catcher In The Rye and Burr Steers Igby Goes Down1493 Words   |  6 Pages Comparative Essay The Catcher In The Rye by J.D. Salinger and Igby Goes Down by Burr Steers are both displayed as rites of passage texts. The respective protagonists of these two texts are Igby Slocumb and Holden Caulfield. These two characters are both on a journey motif, a journey of self discovery in which they both attempt to find meaning in life and understand societies values and attitudes. The two protagonists demonstrate non-conformity and rebel against the apparent hypocrisy present inRead MoreCatcher in the Rye and Dead Poetry Society Compression Essay640 Words   |  3 PagesCatcher In The Rye and Dead Poets Society Essay Sometimes in literature, two different forms of writing tell two different stories with lots of similarities through characters. The book The Catcher and The Rye by J.D Salinger and the movie The Dead Poets Society directed by Peter Weir is a perfect example of two different literary works that share similarities through characters. The Dead Poet Society follows half a school year of 5 main characters at Welton Academy each with a different connection