Being classified as a regular among teenagers is a difficult feat. It is a difficult task when trying to fit into society, a task in which main character Holden Caulfield struggles with. In the novel The Catcher in the Rye, author J.D. Salinger reveals how alienation can impact one’s life. The utter carelessness about life, the lack of motivation to apply himself, and rarely veering from the consistent pattern of his past all relate to how the ducks consistently revisit the same lagoon. Holden’s carelessness about life displays his overall difficulty taking position among the norm. Holden states “I’m the most terrific liar you ever saw in your life. It’s awful. If I’m on my way to the store to buy a magazine, even, and somebody …show more content…
asks me where I’m going, I’m liable to say I’m going to the opera. It’s terrible”(Salinger Ch.3). This quote connects to Holden’s lackadaisical mentality in the way that he views himself. Morale is not a popular emotion within his thought process, but not caring about how others view his dishonesty is present. When Holden explains “One of my troubles is, I never care too much when I lose something -- it used to drive my mother crazy when I was a kid”(48). Giving no emotional insight to losing an item is clearly an uncommon aspect about Holden Caulfield. Usually children would be ridden with sadness when grieving loss, but Holden would rather not bother, depicting his careless nature. Not only does Holden fail to apply himself socially, but also academically.
He does not have the unmitigated drive to succeed. When Holden responds “I’m the one that’s flunking out of the goddam place, and you’re asking me to write you a goddam composition”(28), he realizes that many people are slightly dishonest. Holden also has the realization that even the successful aren’t necessarily the most motivated, and this realization does not relieve his issue. Explaining another form of lack of motivation would be Holden consistently having the desire to be alone in situations that are usually social. Holden says “Usually I like riding on the trains, especially at night, with the lights on and the windows so black, and one of those guys selling coffee and sandwiches and magazines”(29), depicting how he pays attention to what surrounds around him, and how he enjoys night train rides which tend to have little passenger …show more content…
numbers Holden keeps falling back into his pattern of life.
Like how the ducks in New York migrate during the winter, and revisit the lagoon come spring time. He asks “You know those ducks in that lagoon right near Central Park South? … do you happen to know where they go, the ducks, when it gets all frozen over?”(Ch. 9) illustrating how Holden’s curiosity is relating to his personal consistency, how he goes through the same happening of flunking out of school then re-entering. This depicts a similar process to how the ducks are migratory and always revisit their previous spot annually, and overall how the ducks relate to him in how they search for a new home when their current one is frozen over. For example, when Holden says “I don’t care if It’s a good-bye or a bad goodbye, but when I leave a place I like to know I’m leaving it. If you don’t, you feel even worse”(3) represents Holden’s general knowledge about the consistent goodbyes he has gone through, almost all of them relate to his template of failure, but undoubtedly contribute to his alienation. His infatuation in how one must say goodbye leaves him like an esoteric black sheep among other teenagers, usually people tend not to focus about how a goodbye should be given. Holden can rarely relate to someone besides himself because of his experiences, and this quotation defines his thought process on exiting another chapter of his young
life. In this novel, Salinger reveals how alienation can undoubtedly impact someone’s life no matter the age. Failing to care about life, having little to no motivation to succeed, and falling into the same despairitive pattern all go hand in hand when relating to a strong motif of the migratory ducks that take home in New York during the spring. Alienation is an important happening throughout today’s society, and how it is an important issue that is raised far too often among America’s teenage generation. The feeling of estrangement from others within he or she’s generation can give the impression of powerlessness, meaninglessness, and purposelessness. Alienation is an issue, but alienation is also a vivid breeding ground for unique mind-sets, shown through the example of Holden Caulfield.
In chapter 2 of The Catcher in the Rye Holden ponders while conversing with his teacher “where the ducks go when the lagoon got all icy and frozen over.” Holden views himself as one of the ducks that are forced to adapt
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.
Holden twice inquired about the “disappearing” ducks in Central Park. When the pond is frozen in the winter, where would the ducks go? This symbolizes that Holden is curious about his own mortality which was affected him by his brother’s death. So he came here to look for answers, but he didn’t find any duck. “I nearly fell in, but I couldn’t find any…Boy, I was still shivering like a bastard… I thought I probably get pneumonia and die.” (154)
Holden's idealism is first brought forth when he describes his life at Pency Prep. It is full of phonies, morons and bastards. His roommate, Stradlater, " was at least a pretty friendly guy, It was partly a phony kind of friendly..." (26) and his other roommate, Ackley is "a very nosy bastard" (33). Holden can't stand to be around either one of them for a very long time. Later, he gets into a fight with Stradlater over his date with Jane. Holden is upset because he thinks that Stradlater "gave her the time" and that he doesn't care about her; 'the reason he didn't care was because he was a goddam stupid moron. All morons hate it when you call them a moron' (44). Holden not only sees his roommates as phonies and bastards, but he also sees his headmaster at Pency Prep as a "phony slob" (3). This type of person is exactly what Holden doesn't want to be. He strives to be a mature adult; caring, compassionate, and sensitive.
Holden Caulfield is the narrator of the novel The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. At first introduction, Holden is very judgemental about different characters and seems annoyed about his life. At times, the narrator is rude and has a sarcastic tone towards others when speaking. Holden would be a friend of mine because I enjoy the company of a friend who makes corny jokes.
Holden also feels a continual need for affirmation of what he just said with phrases such as, "He really would."(pg. 25) or "It really isn't." (Pg. 89) This continual need for approval shows a lowered level of self-assurance. This lowered self-assurance probably stems from his self-awareness that he is an unreliable source. The reason he is unreliable is due to his deceitful narrative of occurrences.
J.D. Salinger’s novel The Catcher in the Rye is a compelling narrative on the themes of isolation and individualism. Holden Caulfield’s loneliness, a distinct manifestation of his isolation problem, is a driving force throughout the book. A majority of the novel portrays his almost frantic quest for companionship as he darts from one meaningless encounter to another. However, while his behavior is a stark indicator of his loneliness, Holden consistently shies away from self-reflection and therefore doesn’t really know why he keeps behaving as he does.
At various points during the course of the novel, Holden inquires as to what happens to the ducks who are normally on a pond in Central Park, when winter comes and the water freezes. As he inquires, the answers he receives range from as farfetched answers as the idea that the ducks still remain there under the ice, just as the fish do, to uncaring answers such as a simple "What a stupid question!" remark. Despite the answer he gets, Holden is never satisfied with the reply. Holden doesn’t consciously realize that the ducks relate to him. Whether he will admit it or not, Holden is scared. He has been kicked out of numerous schools, he can’t get good grades, his parents are angry with him, and he spends his days wandering through New York City. He doesn’t know where he is going to go, reflecting his question about the ducks. Perhaps if he knew where the ducks went, he could follow their example.
“I was crying and all, I don’t know why, but I guess it was because I was feeling so damn depressed and lonesome” (53), Holden says. As humans, we have a hard time belonging in society. This is the same case for Holden Caulfield, the main character from the Catcher in the Rye. The Catcher in the rye, a novel by J.D Salinger, is about Holden, a lost boy in desperate need of help. Throughout the novel, Holden seems to be excluded by the world around him. He continually attempts to try and belong in a world in which he is isolating from. In this novel, Salinger uses symbols such as the red hunting hat, the ducks and Allie’s glove to support the theme, belonging and isolation.
that he is trying to hide his true identity. He does not want people to know who he really is or that he was kicked out of his fourth school. Holden is always using fake names and tries speaking in a tone to persuade someone to think a cretin way. He does this when he talks to women. While he is talking to the psychiatrist he explains peoples reactions to his lies like they really believe him, when it is very possible that he is a horrible liar and they are looking at him with a “what are you talking a bout?” expression. Holden often lies to the point where he is lying to him self.
Throughout the book, certain values of Holden start to show through. He speaks a lot about how he dislikes "phonies" and tries to separate himself from them. Every time Holden tries to run away from these "phonies," it starts to give you an idea about how he values honesty and his reaction towards people who don't have this particular value. In chapter seventeen, Holden tries to rationalize himself being kicked out of school by saying he wants to accomplish something different and not just be a phony. "It's 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 131)." In life, and as his days go by, he will realize that many people in society and people who run it, are indeed not genuine. The reality angers Holden and he fantasizes about running away, escaping from society, and living in a cabin away from everybody. This is a far-fetched idea that is hardly even an option for him. He decides that if he can't fit in a society where he isn't wanted, then he won't be a part of it. This thought would have never come across Holden's mind if he was like everybody else, but he isn't. Holden obviously can't deal with the environment around him and one day may lash out to the elements of life that aren't in agreement with him.
From the protagonists’ point of view, the adult world Holden and Franny are entering and living in is a very superficial place. Holden who is sixteen years of age is going through a time of crisis where he is almost forced to become an adult. This concept is the very thing that makes Holden afraid, causing him to misbehave at school. His latest school, Pencey Prep, expels Holden due to his failing grades. When asked for the reason of his lack of academic enthusiasm, Holden simply states that he is not interested in anything. In every school he has attended, Holden has managed to find different reasons not to care and possibly even hate the institutions.
The narrator of The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, Holden Caulfield fails to acknowledge his identity. Born to a wealthy family, Caulfield feels lonesome and depress after his younger brother, Allie’s death. Caulfield eventually becomes confuse of what he wants for himself. He constantly longs to maintains his innocence self, yet some other times he wishes to be view and respects as an adult. Caulfield’s addiction towards alcohol and cigarettes, as well as his desires for intimacy relationships demonstrates Caulfield’s attempts to be a grownup. In addition, throughout the novel, Salinger mentions the recurring idea of the ducks in the Central Park. The ducks and its habitat illustrates
For example, there was a football game going on but Holden did not go to see it in the stands with the others. Instead he felt like avoiding everybody and sitting at the top of a hill watching the game by himself and when he was asked as to why he did not come down to the stands he used the excuse of being the manager of the Fencing team and that he left all the equipment for the team on the Subway. Holden does not even open himself up to his roommates but instead he is always criticizing them and talking bad about them. He does not get long very well with his roommates as he talks about Stradlater and how stuck up and cocky he is and his other roommate Ackley he calls pimple-faced and criticizes his hygiene. Holden also will not detach himself from being a child and he does not want to grow up and face real world problems. He shows this detachment by flunking in all of his subjects and eventually
It is safe to say that the way a person spends their teenage years is the way they begin to define themselves. People are always talking about how teenagers now are so different from the way teenagers were in the 1940s. Their interactions, methods of entertainment, even the way their brains are wired is different. Perhaps teenagers are not the ones changing. It is possible they can remain authentic, despite the fact that society is completely different than it was back then. The Catcher in the Rye is a book written to take place in New York, during the 1940s. The author, J.D. Salinger, writes about a troubled teen attending Pencey Prep, or rather, formerly attending Pencey Prep. He has gotten kicked out of the school and, rather than staying