Catcher In The Rye Mummies

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Thesis: In The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger argues how innocence is easily corrupted and can’t be fully preserved, through using the symbols of the mummies and carousel . As the symbol of the mummies develop, which Holden sees as he tours the museum, Salinger shows that innocence is tried to be kept pure but easily ruined, even when taken care of. “I was the only one left in the tomb room then. I sort of liked it, in a way. It was so nice and peaceful. Then, all of a sudden, you’d never guess what I saw on the wall. Another “Fuck you.” (264) It was written with a red crayon or something, right under the glass part of the wall, under the stones.” In the following passage and chapter, Holden realizes that even though mummies are preserved …show more content…

Holden has a very hard time throughout the book trying to keep people’s innocence, only to come to notice that it really can’t be tamed pure. “All the kids kept trying to grab for the gold ring, and so was old Phoebe, and I was sort of afraid she was going to fall off the goddam horse, but I didn’t say anything or do anything. 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 of, the fall of, but it’s bad if you say anything to them.” (273) In the quote, Salinger changes Holden into learning that innocence is something that is learned about and can’t be kept fully pure forever. The carousel is usually thought of a place where kids are set free and have fun all around, and in the book the carousel going around is seen as how life and innocence goes. Kids trying to grab the golden ring, is a very common thing, but Holden is seeing it as failure always teaches a lesson. The whole book he is trying to fight the loss of innocence and is looking for an unrealistic society where ”phonies” don’t exist. The loss of Allie, had really affected and confused Holden causing him to not relate to others decisions. At the end though he finally realizes that innocence is the cycle of life and something everyone will have to deal with and to try and make the

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