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Explain the relationship between literature and society
Explain the relationship between literature and society
Theme of innocence
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As people in society grow up and their personalities start to change, they loose their innocence while acknowledging that others have lost their innocence as well. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger, emphasizes the aspiration to protect childhood innocence. However, everyone grows up eventually and this process can not be avoided. In The Catcher in the Rye, J.D Salinger proves that on the pathway to adulthood, loss of innocence is inevitable.
The Catcher in the Rye is set during the 1950s and begins with Holden Caulfield, the protagonist, narrating the story of his expulsion from Pencey, a prep school in Pennsylvania. This had been his 4th school he has attended and gotten expelled from because of his failure in his classes. Before
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Holden leaves, his unhygienic and irritable suite mate, Ackley decides to give him a visit. Holden’s roommate, Stradlater, also comes in the room to get ready for a date with Jane Gallagher, someone who Holden deeply admired and knew very well in the past. Holden feels uncomfortable with this and very anxious after his fights with his roommate, so he decides to go to Manhattan a few days early. Holden spends the next several nights drinking at bars and lingering around the city.
While in the city, he encounters many people who he believes are “phony.” This is one of the main reasons why Holden is afraid of growing up, he realizes that adults are phony and fake. He decides to go back to his house to visit his younger sister, Phoebe, who seems to be the only one who understood him at the time. He realizes that he wanted to be a catcher in the rye, someone who catches innocent kids before they fall into the trap of adulthood. But when he takes Phoebe to ride a carousel in the park, he realizes that growing up is inevitable, and he cannot do or saying anything to prevent …show more content…
it. When Holden gets expelled from Pencey, he felt that he needed to escape and go to a different city, so he went to Manhattan a few days before originally planned.
On a lonely city night, Holden goes to a bar with Sally Hayes, a girl who he has known for a long time and previously dated. Towards the end of the night, Holden asks Sally what she thinks of school. Sally does not hate it but she does think it is a bore, while on the other hand, Holden strongly despises it. “You ought to go to a boys’ school sometime,” I said. “Its full of phonies, and all you do is study so that you can learn enough to be smart enough to be able to buy a goddam Cadillac some day, and you have to keep making believe you give a damn if the football team loses, and all you do is talk about girls and liquor and sex all day, and everybody sticks together in these dirty little goddam cliques.” (Salinger, 170) This displays that Holden believes that school just a bunch of fake people under one roof, and those people do what they do just to be socially accepted. The loss of childhood innocence is inevitable, because according to Holden, in order to be socially accepted in the adult world, one must become a phony just like the
others. Although Holden despises the phoniness of the adult world, he still wants to preserve his relationship with the people that he loves. Holden loves his little sister, Phoebe, and the sibling bond he has with her. He feels that she is one of the only people who he can trust and understand him. Phoebe is intelligent and mature enough to guide Holden through adulthood and, although she is much younger than him, knows that growing up is something he can not avoid. One day, Holden took Phoebe to ride on a carousel near the park, but then he realized something. “All the kids kept trying to grab for the gold ring, and so was old 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 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, 273-274) The gold ring is a symbol for maturity and adulthood. Holden was afraid that Phoebe would fall into the trap of adulthood just like everyone else, but he realized that he can not do anything to prevent it, so it is best to not say anything and let the kids experience the journey towards adulthood. Holden wants to protect Phoebe’s innocence as much as he can while she is still young. When he walks up the stairs of her school to give her a note, he notices something very disturbing. “I went down by a different staircase, and I saw another "F*** you" on the wall. I tried to rub it off with my hand again, but this one was scratched on, with a knife or something. It wouldn't come off. It's hopeless, anyway. If you had a million years to do it in, you couldn't rub out even half the "F*** you" signs in the world. It's impossible.” (Salinger, 262) Holden wants children to hold on to their purity for as long as they can, but now that a child wrote such a phrase on a school, he knows that there is nothing he can do because it is impossible to prevent kids from the horrors of society as they grow up. As Holden figures out the harmfulness and painfulness of adulthood, he wishes that people in society would just stay the way they used to be, an innocent human being. When Holden asked someone in the park where Phoebe can be found, a girl says that she is at the Meauseum of Natural History. Holden knows that since it is a Sunday, the meuseum is closed, but he decides to go there anyway. He recalls and reminsices about his past visits to the meusuem when he was younger. “Certain things they should stay the way they are. You ought to be able to stick them in one of those big glass cases and just leave them alone. I know that's impossible, but it's too bad anyway.” (Salinger, 158) This illustrates that Holden wishes that everyone could forever keep there innocence. He knows that this is impossible and adoleecsnece is inevetable, but he has always longed that people would stay the way that have always been since childhood. Since Holden strongly despises loss of childhood innocence, one of his hopes is to become a catcher in the rye. He describes this to his little sister, Phoebe, when she asks him what he would like to become. Holden is inspired by a poem written by Robert Burns, to become a catcher in the rye, someone who stands on a cliff and catches children before they fall, or lose their innocence and plunge into the trap of adulthood and maturity. “What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff--I mean if they're running and they don't look where they're going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. That's all I'd do all day. I'd just be the catcher in the rye and all. I know it's crazy, but that's the only thing I'd really like to be.” Holden knows that this idea is crazy, and can not actually happen, but it is something that he really wishes to be. He knows that all children grow up no matter what.
He has nothing but nice things to say about her and wants to protect her. She makes many adult observations that you would not expect a ten year old to notice, yet still acts like a ten year old. She realizes that Holden got kicked out of school, and then responds by repeating, “Daddy’ll kill you!”(214). She corrects Holden about the words in a Robert Burns poem and realizes that Holden does not like anything, yet at the same time acts like a ten year old. She resembles Holden in the way she goes between adulthood and childhood. She is like a younger version of Holden. Holden wants to protect her and keep her from ending up like him. Holden gives his hunting hat to Phoebe, this shows how much he cares about her. He is able to give up the symbol of his independence and accept that he has ties to his family. The only time Holden is happy during his trip is when he takes Phoebe to the carousel. After deciding not to run away Holden realizes, “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,” (274). At this point he realizes that growing up might not be the worst thing in the world and that even if he gets hurt in the process it is something he needs to
Holden is not just abnormal, he has problems that other teenagers, including the students at Pencey, experience going through adolescence. An example of this is Holden's jealousy towards Stradlater when he finds out he is going on a date with Jane Gallagher, “Boy,was I getting nervous” (42). Every teenager has bouts of jealously especially about the opposite sex, and Holden is no different. Holden's rebellious nature, to an extent, is typical for a teenage boy. His rebellious nature of smoking when it is not allowed, “You weren't allowed to smoke in the dorm...I went right on smoking like a madman.” (41-42). Holden is also anxious about change, which again to an extent is normal, “Do you happen to know where they go, the ducks...”(60), and he has the right to be; change,especially during adolescence, is a terrifying but exciting ride into the unknown, and similar to other adolescents Holden is afraid but intrigued about the unknown.
Again, this is one of the few people that Holden likes and doesn’t consider a phony like everyone else. He talks highly of her and he sees himself in her in the way that she alternates between behaving like an adult and behaving like a child, the way he says he also does. It bothered him greatly when she asks him if he “got the ax again,” referring to his expulsion. She starts asking him questions about his future and what he likes (if he likes anything at all) and it forces him to wake up. Everyone has been telling Holden to realize his situation and put more effort into schoolwork and relationships and to start caring. Holden’s reality is very simple: he wants to be the catcher in the rye to protect children’s innocence and stop them from growing up because all adults are phonies. Again and again, being told that that isn’t plausible annoys him. He feels betrayed, when his own sister, someone who he thought would understand him, joins everyone else in telling him to put forth more
The Catcher in the Rye by, J.D. Salinger is told through Holden the narrative in the story. The setting of the novel takes place in the 1940's early 1950's. Holden is sixteen years old and he has a lot of problems in his life. He becomes seriously depressed to the point he cannot deal with people and life around him. The 1940's were different from today. However, Holden Caulfield is similar to many other teenagers who go through the same problems.
Holden wants to shelter children from the adult world (Chen). In Chapter 16, the catcher in the rye finally appears. This is also a symbol for what Holden would like to be when he grows older. He pictures a group of many kids playing in a field of rye, where it is his job to catch them from falling off the cliff. This shows Holden’s love for childhood and his need to preserve it in any way he can. According to Alsen, “The way Holden explains why he wants to be the catcher in the rye shows the kindness and unselfishness of his character. However, the surreal nature of the metaphor also reveals his unwillingness to face the real life choices he needs to make now that he is approaching adulthood.” By the end of the book, Holden realizes in order for kids to grow, there can’t be protection from all of potential harm. “He therefore gives up his dream of being the catcher in the rye and is ready to make a realistic choice of what he wants to do with his life” (Alsen). Holden’s dream world, that doesn’t involve change, is unrealistic. He is terrified by the unpredictable changes of the adult world, but there is no way for Holden to avoid the experiences and changes that the
Throughout the book Holden admits he doesn't like change. Holden fear of growing up , becoming an adult and thinking of of it disgust him. For example the museum, Holden like it because the exterior of it did not change and says the only thing that would change would be you.In the text Luce says “Same old Caulfield.When are you going to grow up already?”(144). Holden wants things to stay how they are and how his life is. Holden considers adults phonies and he doesn’t want to be consider phony as well. When he describes the museum he says the best part about it is that it never changes, only you do.Holden bonds with his sister taking her to the zoo, museum and the carousel.He wants to Phoebe to experience what he did and to get the memories alive. “What I have to do, I would have to catch everyone if they start to go over the cliff- what I have to do, I mean if they are running and they don't look where they are going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. That is all I have to do. I would just be the catcher in the rye”(173). This quote show how by holden is catching them from falling down the cliff which symbolizes stopping them from adulthood. “Thousand of little kids and nobody’s around- nobody big , I mean except me”(173). This quotes implies how young innocent kids won't be exerted by adults
Themes in literary works are central, recurring ideas or messages that allow us to understand more deeply about the characters. It is a perception about life or human nature that is often shared with the 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.
Have you ever pondered about when growing up, where does our childlike innocence go and what happens to us to go through this process? It involves abandoning previous memories that are close to our hearts. As we can see in The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, we listen to what the main character; Holden Caulfield has to say about it. Holden is an average teenager dealing with academic and life problems. He remains untouched over his expulsion from Pencey Prep; rather, he takes the opportunity to take a “vacation.” As he ventures off companionless in New York City, we are able to observe many things about him. We see that Holden habitually states that he is depressed and undoubtedly, wants to preserve the innocence of others.
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
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.
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 the beginning of The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield is an immature teenager. Holden gets kicked out of his school, Pencey Prep, for failing four out of five of his classes. He says, “They kicked me out. I wasn’t supposed to come back after Christmas vacation … I was flunking four subjects and not applying myself and all” (Salinger 4). Holden does not yet realize the severity of his actions. He does not comprehend that when he does not apply himself, he does not do well. This could partly be due to the fact that when he gets kicked out of one school, he knows that his family will just pay for him to be allowed into another boarding school. Part of the irony in Holden’s story is that physically, he looks mature, but mentally, he is still very much a child: “I act quite young for my age, sometimes. I was sixteen then, and I’m seventeen now … I’m six foot two and a half and I have gray hair ” (9). There is no middle ground, adolescence, for Holden. He can only be an adult, physically, or a child, mentally. Holden’s history teacher, Mr. Spencer, tries to appeal to him by using a metaphor: “Life is a game, boy. Life is a game that one plays according to the rules” (8). Holden then reflects on this to hims...
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.
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.
Growing up young adults believe that they know everything that they will need to know to survive in the real world, the “young and dumb” mentality. In the book The Catcher in the Rye, written by J.D. Salinger, our protagonist, who is Holden Caulfield, has a deep case of this mind set. However in some parts of this book it can be argued that he does convey in some instances, innocence. The Catcher in the Rye is a battle and transition between the environment of innocence and the world of maturity.