Released in 1951, Salinger's novel "The Catcher in the Rye" is a story of a seventeen year old American schoolboy Holden Caulfield, who was excluded from his school before Christmas for academic failure. The main idea of the novel is the rejection of falsehood, which is manifested in the moral standards prevailing in the society and in the people, events, and objects. This is closely linked to the image of the protagonist. Holden Caulfield introduces the reader not only to the external part of his life (time-space of the novel consists of three days, one of which the hero stays at school in Pansy, and the other two - in his home of New York City), but also internal perceptions of the people familiar to him, of certain situations, his own character. …show more content…
The protagonist behaves as a seventeen year old teenager should: recklessly, impulsively, with a challenge. Everything that he says is presented with maximum sincerity: The Pansy school is where children with “loaded” parents are seen by Holden, as a place full of crooks and with quite a few "brave and noble young men," as stated in the advertising inscription of the institution. His personality is best described through the following three theories / constructs: Erikson’s psychosocial stages, Freudian psychodynamic defense mechanisms and coping styles. According to Erikson's theory, the specific development-related conflicts become critical only at certain points of the life cycle. Though Erikson suggests the existence of eight stages of development of the individual, considering Holden Caulfield, it seems feasible to consider only the first six. His character is still in the process of development and he is only 17 years old. 1. Trust or mistrust. By the way children are cared for in infancy, children learn whether the world deserves trust. If their needs are met if they are treated with care and attention and consistently, the general impression about the world is made that it is a place of safety. On the other hand, if the world is inconsistent, causing them pain, it causes stress and threatens their safety, children learn to expect the same out of life, and believe that it is unpredictable and untrustworthy. Holden with his present day attitude is showing hostility to the world. It is not stated in the book, but we clearly see him mistrusting the whole world as if all his life has been filled with pain and disdain. And the only person he seems to trust is his little sister Phoebe. He does not trust his parents to behave accordingly, which is why he decides to stay at the hotel instead of going straight home from school. 2. Independence or shame. Starting to walk, children are discovering the possibilities of their body and ways to manage it. They learn how to eat and dress, use the toilet, and new ways of movement. When a child is allowed to do things on its own, it gains a sense of self-control and self-confidence. However, if the child constantly fails and is being punished for it, or called sloppy, messy, incapable, poor, he gets used to feeling shame and doubt in his/her own abilities. Now this concept is slightly off in a way that Holden does not really feel shame or independence. He is a sort of nihilist who simply does not seem to care about the way life was taking him. Of course, Phoebe does spark up a little glow of shame in him for being chucked out of yet another school, but it is swiftly subdued. 3. Initiative or guilt. Children aged 4-5 years are shifting their research activity outside their own body. They learn how the world works and how they can influence it. Their world consists of both real and imaginary people and things. If their research activities in general are effective, they learn to deal with people and things in a constructive way and gain a strong sense of initiative. However, if they are severely criticized or punished, they get used to feeling guilty for many of their actions. Caulfield is more irritated than he is feeling guilty. He has learned how to deal with people to make himself most comfortable. When he visits Spencer, the elderly teacher of history starts to reprimand Holden, to which he becomes increasingly annoyed. Caulfield himself knows what he wants, but the school is unable to give it to him. 4. Industry or a sense of inferiority. At the age of 6 to 11 years, children develop many skills in school, at home and among their peers. According to Erikson's theory, a sense of "I" is significantly enriched with realistic growth of the child's competence in various fields. It becomes increasingly important to compare themselves to their peers. During this period, especially strong damage can cause a negative evaluation of them compared with others. This stag is highly controversial, as Holden has grown up to be a good person. In the scene where he meets the mother of one of his fellow schoolmates, he lies about her son’s behavior showing him in a better light than he is, and the truth is that he cannot even stand him. 5. Identity or confusion. Before the onset of adolescence, children learn a variety of different roles – student or friend, older brother or sister, a student of sports or music school, etc. Adolescence is important to understand these different roles and to integrate them into a coherent identity. Boys and girls are looking for the basic values and attitudes that cover all these roles. If they fail to integrate a core identity or resolve a serious conflict between two important roles with opposing value systems, the result is what Erickson calls the diffusion of identity. Holden has been expelled from a fourth school running. He does not accept the morale and the norms he was placed in. His academic excellence is failing, and he does not seem to make contact with the people. Just as Erikson claimed, Holden Caulfield has a diffusion of identity. 6. Intimacy or isolation. In late adolescence and early adulthood the central contradiction of the conflict is between intimacy and isolation.
In Erikson’s description intimacy involves more than sexual intimacy. It is the ability to give a part of yourself to another person of any gender without fear of losing their own identity. Success in establishing this kind of intimate relationship depends on how the five previous conflicts have been resolved. However, the only person Holden feels comfortable with is his little sister. He cares about her and they have an exceptional relationship. Recall the scene where Phoebe came to meet Caulfield when the later planned to run off. Phoebe brought a suitcase of her belongings wishing to run away with Caulfield. The latter refused and instead took her to an amusement park for a ride. At the same moment we see a delicate thread of intimacy between the two as Holden’s thoughts were now solely about succeeding at a new school to make his little sister …show more content…
proud. All of Holden’s actions and deeds are aimed at protecting him from the foul word he cannot accept. Freud believed that the ego of a person reacts to the threat of an undesired action in two ways: 1) by blocking the expression of impulses in the conscious behavior or 2) their distortion to such an extent that their original intensity is significantly decreased or deviated. In the case of Holden he can pinpoint two defense mechanisms which he initiated to protect himself. The first is projection, which is a process by which an individual ascribes his own unacceptable thoughts, feelings and behavior onto others or the environment. Thus, the projection allows a person to put the blame on someone or something for their shortcomings or mistakes. Just like the scene with Sally Hayes, when Holden implored her to run away with him to Massachusetts. The result was obvious and she refused. At this moment Holden started to blame her for the misdoings he was experiencing. Naturally, Sally left even though Holden did apologize for the comments he made. Substitution is also present here. As a defense mechanism, substitution is a manifestation of an instinctive impulse redirected from a more threatening object or person to a less threatening one. Caulfield calls all of his old acquaintances: Jane, Sally, Carl, Luce. He feels lonely and is wishing to substitute this intimidating feeling of loneliness with a chat with someone who will be ready to listen However, the girls have had enough of him and Carl seeing that the conversation is not bringing him to anywhere good and has opted to bail instead. Another construct worth our attention is the coping theory. Stressful event begins with an assessment of any internal (for example, thought) or external (e.g., reproach) stimulus, the result is a coping process. Coping reaction is triggered when the complexity of the task exceeds the power capacity of the usual reactions. If the situation is evaluated as back-breaking, its overcoming may take the form of a psychological defense. In the story with Holden Caulfield we observe the emotion-focused style throughout, even all the way until the end.
This is a consequence of an emotional response to the situation. It is not accompanied by concrete actions, as is manifested in the form of trying not to think about the problem, the involvement of others in their experience, the desire to be forgotten in a dream, drown the miseries in alcohol, drugs, or food to compensate for negative emotions. Holden is shown drinking and smoking a lot trying to contact his old acquaintances so as not to be alone and somehow get their help in overcoming the troubles he has
had. However, by the end of the story Holden is moving more towards the problem-focused style. He is shown standing next to the carousel watching his little sister Phoebe ride and we see a glimpse of rationale coming through as he promises himself to make it work at the next school. We clearly see the problem-focused style, which is a rational analysis of the problems associated with the creation and implementation of the solution to a plan for a difficult situation. This manifestation can be seen in the following reactions: an independent analysis of the case, recourse to another person, to seek further information. Seeing the shortcomings of other people (both physical and mental), Holden Caulfield does not close his eyes on his own flaws: he knows what he is - a liar, because in conversations with adults (old Spencer, mother of Ernest Morrow et al.) he is shamelessly lying to them, saying what they want to hear. He realizes that he is a coward, when he reflects on his inability to hit a man in the face. Nonetheless Holden has a deep sense of nature. He likes to read good books, the main measure of the quality of which for him is the desire to make best friends with their authors. He loves his little sister Phoebe, because she understands everything, as it should, and his younger brother Allie, who died of leukemia. He appreciates people in their strengths. He is inclined to philosophical reflection while others care about their ego, Holden can reflect on what is happening with the ducks from Central Park in winter, or to dream of a time that has stopped, as occurred with the exhibits of the Museum of Ethnography, in which he went to from an early age. He appreciates not only the physical side of love, but also spiritual. This is what Holden Caulfield was like.
Holden Caulfield, the teenage protagonist of Catcher In The Rye by J.D. Salinger, struggles with having to enter the adult world. Holden leaves school early and stays in New York by himself until he is ready to return home. Holden wants to be individual, yet he also wants to fit in and not grow up. The author uses symbolism to represent Holden’s internal struggle.
Jerome David Salinger’s only novel, The Catcher in the Rye, is based on the life events shaping main character, Holden Caulfield, into the troubled teen that is telling the story in 1950. The theme of the story is one of emotional disconnection felt by the alienated teenagers of this time period. The quote, “ I didn’t know anyone there that was splendid and clear thinking and all” (Salinger 4) sets the tone that Holden cannot find a connection with anyone around him and that he is on a lonely endeavor in pursuit of identity, acceptance and legitimacy. The trials and failures that Holden faces on his journey to find himself in total shed light on Holden’s archenemy, himself.
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger is a popular novel that was originally published in the 1950’s. In the book, Salinger explores various themes through the main character Holden and his interactions with others. Some of these themes include, alienation, loss and betrayal. Holden constantly feels betrayed throughout the novel by several people, including his roommate, teacher, and sister.
Holden’s childhood was far from ideal, with Allie dying, his dysfunctional parents and the revelation that he had some “perverty” stuff happen to him when he was a kid. Due to this, he isn't ready to step into adulthood and leave his childhood behind. This is why Holden is mostly alienated from adults and connects more to the innocence of children like the girl at the park and his sister, Phoebe. However, Holden is disillusioned with both adulthood and childhood. He already knows how it feels to be an adult; drinking alcohol, being independent, living by himself and caring for Phoebe, but isn’t ready to immerse himself in it.
Catcher in the Rye is one of the most famous books in American literature. Written by J. D. Salinger, it captures the epitome of adolescence through Salinger’s infamous anti-hero, Holden Caulfield. Holden Caulfield learns about himself and his negative tendencies, and realizes that if he does not do something to change his perspective, he may end up like his acquaintance James Castle whom he met at Elkton Hills. Holden tries to find help to mend his outlook on life through Mr. Antolini so he does not end up like James, who did not want to face the problems he created for himself. This is proven by the similarities between James Castle and Holden, Mr. Antolini’s willingness to try and help Holden, and Holden’s future being forecasted by James.
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is an enthralling and captivating novel about a boy and his struggle with life. The teenage boy ,Holden, is in turmoil with school, loneliness, and finding his place in the world. The author J.D. Salinger examines the many sides of behavior and moral dilemma of many characters throughout the novel. The author develops three distinct character types for Holden the confused and struggling teenage boy, Ackley, a peculiar boy without many friends, and Phoebe, a funny and kindhearted young girl.
The Catcher in the Rye is a novel by J.D. Salinger that is told from the point of view of Holden Caulfield. Holden is a young man struggling with growing up and facing the adult world. As a misunderstood teenager, Holden learns to deal with the deception of the adult world and the consequences of his choices.
To begin, The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger is unique. The novel is written from the perspective of a teenager who lives in New York in the 1950's. From the context in the beginning and the end of the book, "I'll just tell you about this madman stuff that happened to me around last Christmas just before I got pretty run-down and had to come out here and take it easy" (page 1), "I could probably tell you what I did after I went home, and how I got sick and all, and what school I'm supposed to go to next fall, after I get out of here, but I don't feel like it" (page 213), we can infer that Holden Caulfield, the aforementioned teenager, is in a mental hospital. However, he tells the story through flashback of a three-day period sometime before Christmas the year before. This is unusual because most novels cover much more time than three days. This is one reason why this novel is so unique. Although the novel is spread over only three days, we learn so much about the protagonist, and many other characters, because all Holden's thoughts and feelings, especially about other characters, during these three days is portrayed, nothing is left out.
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.
“Catcher in the Rye”, written by J.D Salinger, is a coming-of-age novel. Narrated by the main character, Holden Caulfield, he recounts the days following his expulsion from his school. This novel feels like the unedited thoughts and feelings of a teenage boy, as Holden narrates as if he is talking directly to readers like me.
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.
Lies, failure, depression, and loneliness are only some of the aspects that Holden Caulfield goes through in the novel The Catcher in the Rye written by J.D. Salinger. Salinger reflects Holden’s character through his own childhood experiences. Salinger admitted in a 1953 interview that "My boyhood was very much the same as that of the boy in the book.… [I]t was a great relief telling people about it” (Wikipedia). Thus, the book is somewhat the life story of J.D. Salinger as a reckless seventeen-year-old who lives in New York City and goes through awful hardships after his expulsion and departure from an elite prep school. Holden, the protagonist in this novel, is created as a depressed, cynical, and isolated character and he expresses this attitude through his dialogue, tone, and diction.
Holden's parents never got him any counselling or professional help, so Holden's feelings of loss and inadequacy eat at him from the inside. Because he is dealing with this internal conflict, Holden lashes out at others causing external conflicts. For example, Holden gets into a fight with his roommate Stradlater because Stradlater does not respect Holden's memories of Allie which Holden wrote about in the composition he did for Stradlater. Holden does not try to understand anyone else, and this causes external conflicts in his
The Catcher in the Rye is a historical fiction novel by J.D Salinger. The book starts with Holden Caulfield, the main character, explaining a little about himself and goes on to tell his story of what happened after he left Pencey. Everyone strives to set themselves to a place in life where they feel safe, comfortable, and secure, that is the American dream. The journey to achieve this dream is known as the American experience. In the novel, Holden tries to act and look older. He reflects on his shortcomings and the setbacks in life, and leaves to collect himself, all reflecting elements of the American experience.
J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye is a remarkable book that gives readers a unique and perhaps gloomy perspective of the 1950's through Holden Caulfield, a cynical and peculiar teenager. Through The Catcher in the Rye Salinger describes important aspects of the 1950's. Salinger emphasizes several key characteristics of the 50's and criticizes them through Holden. In addition, Holden Caulfield is a very interesting character with several traits that put him at odds with society.