In, The Catcher in the Rye, J. D. Salinger explores the 1950s adult society through the eyes of an emerging young adult. Holden Caulfield navigates through unidentified pressures at Pencey Prep School and New York City. As Holden longs for some genuine intimacy he discovers “phony” attitudes, which many individuals have. He soon resents “phony” attitudes, as they are hypocritical, resulting in the avoidance of these individuals. This problem progresses as it only touches the surface of the adult world and its adverse traits. Holden’s hatred for “phony” people and pursuit for intimacy produce damaging effects. Thus, realizing that, the adult world removes the innocence of children because it creates a desire for intimacy. Contributing to depression …show more content…
and isolation. Ultimately, it’s solved by interacting with children and immersing himself, into the world of the young to achieve happiness. One of the first discoveries Holden dreads is intimacy, he ends up having mixed feelings about this part of the adult world. Holden associates the desire for intimacy to “phony” individuals, yet he occasionally is intrigued by it while at the same time trying to preserve the innocence of individuals. The motif of intimacy involves itself among many of Holden’s events. When Salinger writes, “I held hands with her all the time, for instance. That doesn't sound like much, I realize, but she was terrific to hold hands with...We'd get into a goddam movie or something, and right away we'd start holding hands, and we wouldn't quit till the movie was over” (103). The way Salinger highlights the importance of holding hands it emphasizes Holden’s concept of intimacy. The diction choices continue to back up his beliefs. Holden feels comfortable with only holding hands, he’s emotionally attached and isn’t in it for the physical appearance. Also, he does this to maintain the innocence of each other. By holding hands he can express his feelings, while at the same time preserving their childlike emotions. Holden tries desperately to keep his innocence with the adult influences of intimacy; ultimately he can only hold on for so long, as he soon begins to spiral down into darkness. As Holden continues to pry himself into society he comes into a dilemma. Salinger demonstrates Holden’s change in idea when he writes, “Then, just to show you how crazy I am, when we were coming out of this big clinch, I told her I loved her and all. It was a lie, of course, but the thing is, I meant it when I said it. I'm crazy. I swear to God I am” (163). Salinger hints at the motif of intimacy, but slides in Holden’s breaking point. This quote is an important point of Holden’s state of mind, as the previous quote exemplified his desire for innocence and limited intimacy. However, this time around he only desires unrestricted love and ends up betraying his own ideology. Salinger hints at this with the use of “crazy” slightly increasing more as each intimate interaction Holden has goes on. Holden becomes a hypocrite of his own beliefs, he becomes “phony” and dreads further interaction with intimacy involved. As I stated before, “he can only hold on for so long”. As Holden ends up regretting unrestricted intimacy, he attempts to isolate himself from the, “phony”, young adults who crave for it. As Holden continues to get fed up and confused about society's destruction of innocence, his isolationist behaviors make him depressed. Salinger writes, “I was way early when I got there, so I just sat down on one of those leather couches right near the clock in the lobby and watched the girls… it was sort of depressing, too, because you kept wondering what the hell would happen to all of them” (160). The diction of salinger slows the pace of the text and forces you to feel Holden’s depression. The long sentences and commas help produce this pace and type of emotion. The intention is to really understand that Holden has become depressed. His distance between “phony” people have taken a toll on him mentally, he makes anything he thinks about depressing. So, the conflicting adult pressures of intimacy have led Holden to isolate himself and become depressed. Since, he associates intimacy with “phony” individuals which he realizes is all adults and young adults, he can’t interact with anyone. Holden’s state of mind continues to worsen as he wanders around New York City, “When I finally got down off the radiator and went out to the hat-check room, I was crying and all. I don't know why, but I was. I guess it was because I was feeling so damn depressed and lonesome” (198). At this moment Holden finally realizes his problem, Salinger constantly repeats this motif to emphasize the character development and slow progress of his feelings. The continuance of the motif is a way to monitor Holden's mental state, he may know the problem, but doesn’t have a conclusion. Again, Holden’s grudge toward “phony” characteristics, which is created by the adult world, has lead him to isolate himself and become depressed. Holden may finally find his answer, regardless if he’s aware of it. When children become increasingly introduced to the adult world their innocence begins to disappear. Due to this, Holden becomes depressed and hateful of the adult world. Instead, he is drawn to the innocence of children as a source of happiness and friendship. J. D. Salinger writes, While I was waiting around for Phoebe in the museum... these two little kids came up to me and asked me if I knew where the mummies were. The one little kid, the one that asked me, had his pants open. I told him about it. So he buttoned them up right where he was standing talking to me--he didn't even bother to go behind a post or anything. He killed me. (262) Salinger tends to give underlying motifs and meaning behind his writing and events in the book.
The motif of innocence is developed by this particular incident, Holden finds it hilarious that the kid doesn’t feel embarrassed with his zipper down. Appearances in the adult world is a significant part of society, any mishap can be embarrassing and cause pain. Holden enjoys that this kid doesn't give it a second thought, he finds it easier to be happy around the kid than a roommate. So, as Holden dives further into the adult world he finds it harder to appreciate certain adult traits. Holden’s innocence becomes dismantled, therefore, finding less joy in life and people. J. D. Salinger continues this motif of innocence when he writes, “You never saw a kid with so many notebooks...I sat there on D.B.'s desk and read the whole notebook. It didn't take me long, and I can read that kind of stuff, some kid's notebook, Phoebe's or anybody's, all day and all night long. Kids notebooks kill me” (208-209). Again, Holden finds it enjoyable to read the crazy thought process and carefree nature of kids. His sister, Phoebe, writes anything that comes to mind and to him that’s a real person. This quote emphasizes Holden’s frustration of the adult world, “phony” people who don’t act true to their nature. Thus, he distances himself from adults and people his age, as they have lost their innocence and are driven by intimacy. To find laughter and joyful moments he unconsciously gravitates toward children. Holden inadvertently finds the answer to his pain too late, yet he understands to avoid the madness of the adult world he must immerse himself into the world of the
innocent. By writing The Catcher in the Rye, J. D. Salinger expresses the intense adult influences upon a growing young adult. Holden Caulfield’s resentment for “phony” individuals and commitment to find intimacy result in isolation and depression. As he continues to learn from the adult world and depression he unexpectedly finds joy around children. Salinger conveys this underlying message through the motif of intimacy, which helps build up the intensifying pressure Holden has to battle through. A stronger desire results in stronger encounters with “phony” people. Salinger then continues the build up with diction and repetition, unfolding the poor mental health Holden has from isolation. The audience can continually pickup traces of a bigger picture, each choice and event Holden experiences draws him closer to the solution. Finally, Salinger conveys the motif of innocence, Holden finding joy and amusement for the first time since entering the adult world. Repeated incidents of the motif with Phoebe or random children provide Holden with humor. In all, the adult world wasn’t a fit for Holden nor did he feel any enjoyment experiencing it. Instead, Holden finds himself resenting most aspects of society. However, through the underlying messages Salinger hides between his word choices and motifs, Holden finds his joy and humor by immersing himself in the world of innocence.
...others, Holden does not want to grow up and Holden does not want to advance into the world of adulthood. Holden wants to preserve the innocence of him and the innocence of others but he can't simply because that is how life is. An example is “All the kids kept trying to grab for the gold ring, and so was Phoebe, and I was sort of afraid she’d 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” (Salinger 211). This is a quote were Holden finally noticed that he can’t help the kids to keep their innocence because he can't. Holden just needs to let them reach for the gold rings and if they fall you should let them get back up. This is an important thing Holden learned throughout his adventure, that he can’t become The Catcher in the Rye.
J. D. Salinger’s novel, Catcher in the Rye explores the ambiguity of the adult world Holden must eventually learn to accept. Throughout the novel, Holden resists the society grownups represent, coloring his childlike dreams with innocence and naivety. He only wants to protect those he loves, but he cannot do it the way he desires. As he watches Phoebe on the carousel, he begins to understand certain aspects of truth. He writes:
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 is very valuable and it should be protected from the cruelty and phoniness of the adult world. Therefore Holden has a desire and is compelled to protect a child’s innocence at all costs. This is revealed when Holden tells Phoebe that he wants to be the catcher in the rye. Holden says to Phoebe, “What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff - I mean if they’re ru...
...oes want them to turn into “phonies.” Holden seeks for a peaceful and uncorrupt world but he cannot obtain that due to the actions of others. Despite Holden’s attitude and outlook on life, he is quite passionate. Although he is a firm pessimist, calling every person he comes across a “phony,” there is an alternate side to him. In his interaction with Phoebe and the other children in the book, he tries to protect them from the rest of society, since children are still naïve and pure. It is justifiable why Holden craves to preserve the innocence of others. For most of us, growing up, we begin to understand more. We start to look at life in a different perspective, different from the one we did when we were young, but as a person who has seen and experienced more in life.
When Phoebe asks Holden what he wants to do with his life he replied. This reveals Holden’s fantasy of an idealistic childhood and his role as the guardian of innocence. Preventing children from “going over the cliff” and losing their innocence is his way of vicariously protecting himself from growing up as well. Holden acknowledges that this is “crazy,” yet he cannot come up with a different lifestyle because he struggles to see the world for how it truly is, and fears not knowing what might happen next. Holden’s “catcher in the rye” fantasy reflects his innocence, his belief in a pure, uncorrupted youth, and his desire to protect it. This fantasy also represents his disconnection from reality, as he thinks he can stop the process of growing up, yet he
What was wrong with Holden, the main character in The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D.Salinger, was his moral revulsion against anything that was ugly, evil, cruel, or what he called "phoney" and his acute responsiveness to beauty and innocence, especially the innocence of the very young, in whom he saw reflected his own lost childhood. There is something wrong or lacking in the novels of despair and frustration of many writers. The sour note of bitterness and the recurring theme of sadism have become almost a convention, never thoroughly explained by the author's dependence on a psychoanalytical interpretation of a major character. The boys who are spoiled or turned into budding homosexuals by their mothers and a loveless home life are as familiar to us today as stalwart and dependable young heroes such as John Wayne were to an earlier generation. We have accepted this interpretation of the restlessness and bewilderment of our young men and boys because no one had anything better to offer. It is tragic to hear the anguished cry of parents: "What have we done to harm him? Why doesn't he care about anything? He is a bright boy, but why does he fail to pass his examinations? Why won't he talk to us?"
In his novel Catcher in the Rye, J. D. Salinger portrays childhood and adolescence as times graced by innocence when his protagonist, Holden Caulfield, is faced with the reality of becoming an adult. Holden’s desperation to maintain his innocence and the manner in which he critiques those he deems to have lost theirs, emphasizes his immaturity and ignorance while highlighting the importance the author places on childhood.
Innocence lies within everyone in at least one point in their lives, but as reality consumes them, that purity begins to vanish slowly as they learn new experiences. In the coming of age novel set in the nineteen-forties, J.D Salinger writes about a sixteen-year-old boy named Holden Caulfield who stands between a road that separates childhood from adulthood and is confused about which path to take. On a three-day trip in New York away from his family and fellow peers at school, Holden encounters many situations in which lead him to think twice about who he wants to become and how he wants to guide others who are in the same situation he is in. In The Catcher in the Rye, J.D Salinger utilizes symbolism, vivid imagery, and slangy diction to expose Holden’s struggle to preserve the innocence of the people that he loves while alienating himself from the adult world he calls “phony.”
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger is a coming-of-age novel set in New York during the 1940’s. Holden Caulfield, the protagonist of the story, is a detached seventeen-year old boy harboring feelings of isolation and disillusionment. He emphasizes a general dislike for society, referring to people as “phonies.” His lack of will to socialize prompts him to find nearly everything depressing. He’s alone most of the time and it’s apparent that he is very reclusive. This often leads him to pondering about his own death and other personal issues that plague him without immediate resolution. Holden possesses a strong deficit of affection – platonic and sexual – that hinders and cripples his views toward people, his attitude, and his ability to progressively solve his problems without inflicting pain on himself. The absence of significant figures in his life revert him to a childlike dependency and initiate his morbid fascination with sexuality. In this novel, Salinger uses Sunny, Sally Hayes, and Carl Luce to incorporate the hardships of discovering sexual identity and how these events affect adolescents as they try to understand their own sexuality.
If there were one word to tell what the theme of the book was it would be innocence. How we are all innocent at some point, how to try to keep our innocence, and how no one can keep their innocence forever. We all fall from our innocence. Adam and Eve fell from grace and innocence and set the tone for all of our lives. Throughout the whole book Holden is trying to make people keep their innocence and he wants to hold onto it himself. What he needs to learn and does learn through the course of the book is that no one can keep his or her innocence. We all fall at some point, but what we have control over is how hard we fall.
In J.D. Salinger’s controversial 1951 novel The Catcher in the Rye, the main character is Holden Caulfield. When the story begins Holden at age sixteen, due to his poor grades is kicked out of Pencey Prep, a boys’ school in Pennsylvania. This being the third school he has been expelled from, he is in no hurry to face his parents. Holden travels to New York for several days to cope with his disappointments. As James Lundquist explains, “Holden is so full of despair and loneliness that he is literally nauseated most of the time.” In this novel, Holden, a lonely and confused teenager, attempts to find love and direction in his life. Holden’s story is realistic because many adolescent’s face similar challenges.
The world today is very deceptive and phony. J.D. Salinger’s well known novels, The Catcher in the Rye and Franny and Zooey attack this fake and superficial society which is evident through the lives, ideas, actions, and words expressed by the characters in these literary pieces. The transition from childhood, through adolescence and into adulthood is inevitable. The protagonist of The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield goes through this stage and finds himself in a crisis. He alienates himself from everyone who is around him and tries his best not to grow up. Holden often dwells upon his childhood and the life he had with his family. Franny in Franny and Zooey has already passed this stage but finds it difficult to live in a world where everyone she is surrounded by is only concerned with outward appearances. In these worlds, both characters, Holden and Franny, reveal their struggle of growing up and trying to live as an adult in a world full of deception and shallow-minded people who only care about appearances.
Growing up and becoming mature can be an intimidating experience; it is difficult to let go of one’s childhood and embrace the adult world. For some people, this transition from youthfulness to maturity can be much more difficult than for others. These people often try to hold on to their childhood as long as they can. Unfortunately, life is not so simple. One cannot spend their entire life running from the responsibilities and hardships of adulthood because they will eventually have to accept the fact that they have a role in society that they must fulfill as a responsible, mature individual. The novel “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger follows the endeavours of Holden Caulfield, a sixteen-year-old teenage boy who faces a point in his life where he must make the transition from childhood to adulthood. In an attempt to retain his own childhood, he begins hoping to stop other young children from growing up and losing their innocence as well. As indicated by the title, “The Catcher in the Rye” is a book that explores a theme involving the preservation of innocence, especially of children. It is a story about a boy who is far too hesitant to grow up, and feels the need to ensure that no one else around him has to grow up either. His own fear of maturity and growing up is what leads to Holden’s desire to become a “catcher in the rye” so he can save innocent children from becoming part of the “phoniness” of the adult world.
Some people feel all alone in this world, with no direction to follow but their empty loneliness. The Catcher in the Rye written by J.D Salinger, follows a sixteen-year-old boy, Holden Caulfield, who despises society and calls everyone a “phony.” Holden can be seen as a delinquent who smokes tobacco, drinks alcohol, and gets expelled from a prestigious boarding school. This coming-of-age book follows the themes of isolation, innocence, and corrupted maturity which is influenced from the author's life and modernism, and is shown through the setting, symbolism, and diction.
There is a singular event that unites every single human being on the planet, growing up. Not everyone can say it was pleasant, but no one can deny that it took place. The transition between childhood innocence and adulthood is long and confusing; often forcing one to seek out the answers to questions that likely have no definitive answer. During the process, the adult world seems inviting and free, but only when we are on the brink of entering this cruel, unjust society can the ignorant bliss of childhood be truly recognized. Catcher in the Rye explores the intimidating complexities associated with adulthood and how baffling it seems to the naïve teenage mind. Through the main protagonist, Holden Caulfield, J.D. Salinger captures the confusion of a teenager when faced with the challenge of adapting to an adult society.