As Louis L’Amour said, “When a man is one of a kind, he will be lonely wherever he is.” Wasn’t Holden Caulfield notorious for being lonesome? It was because J.D Salinger created a persona that was so emblematic in his novel, The Catcher in the Rye. The novel touches upon issues adolescents commonly experience, making the novel pertinent for today’s youth. Albeit, the protagonist’s reactions to themes such as identity, mental illness and growing up fail to perfectly capture the teenage voice or mentality. To varying degrees, Salinger expresses the ideals and attitudes of today’s adolescence in regards to these themes; but like the use of language and setting, this representation is outdated and no longer personifies our perspective on the world. …show more content…
In the 1950’s teenagers had yet to be stereotyped; but through Holden’s characterisation, the use of language and symbolism, Salinger helped create the expected image of modern teens.
However, as society changed with new trends and values, so has the teenage voice and mentality. Therefore, Salinger’s novel only captures the adolescent voice and way of thinking to an extent. Holden is not the typical teenager; he is extreme in nature, but most of all his manner is outdated. An underpinning theme is identity, at such a formative stage in life we look for a sense of Self. Like every adolescent, Holden is on the cusp of adulthood, and confronted with the pursuit of identity. Holden’s inability to find balance in belonging and being unique is explicit in the motif of loneliness. He can’t conform and grow up “…without disappearing,” (pg.218). Despite his desire for approval, he subverts from the socially acceptable to avoid being like the collective, a “phony”, and ultimately alienating himself. Even Stradlater said, “You always do everything backasswards… You don’t do one damn thing the way you’re supposed to,” (pg. 46-47). Holden consistently alienates himself by choosing to be different, he opposes society due to his anti-authoritarian stance and negative perspective of adults. During the 1950’s, where rebellion and rock n’ roll
was the craze, this ideology would’ve mirrored those of teens. Presently, the trends have changed. While teenagers may still be hellish in search for identity; they instead opt to define themselves through social media. The hunt for identity leaves teens vulnerable; Holden is no different, as symbolised by his red hunting hat. Just as teens are conscious of image on social media platforms such as Instagram, Tumblr and Facebook; Holden’s very self-conscious of his hat, inclined to hide it in front of those he knows. According to psychologist Catherine Steiner-Adair, “…outside affirmation… is a vital part of how teens form identity…” (Steiner-Adair, C. 2014). This attitude is apparent in Holden’s dialogue, “I took my old hunting hat out… and put it on… I wouldn’t meet anybody that knew me,” (pg. 135). The hat is an important symbol of Holden’s view on himself in respect to society, and the internal struggle with acceptance but also wanting to be unique. Teenagers relate as it intertwines with our sense of individuality and conformity. Although, it’s not standard to struggle with identity to the point of alienation, Holden’s voice shares some similarities to modern adolescence, ensuing relevance to current teen mentality. According to Beyond Blue, one in four young Australians currently have a mental health issue. The notion that teenagers such as Holden Caulfield or you and I, struggle with mental health is not such an abstract idea. Even so, can you really say you’re able relate to Holden’s attitude when he brags, “I’m the most terrific liar you ever saw in your life” (pg. 19) or when he’s casually says, “What I really felt like, though, was committing suicide. I felt like jumping out the window.” (pg. 117)? Not unless you’re a “madman”, a compulsive liar or mentally unstable. The first person narration presents mental health as a personal experience rather than technical psychoanalytical terms and statistics, making it relatable. It illustrates Holden’s perception of the world, allowing teens to empathise with his perspective but also see the difference in his extremities. Despite the relevance of mental health in youth, Holden’s stream of consciousness illustrates his severe inability to cope with typical adversities with mental stability and growing up. He outright admits insanity, “…I’m crazy. I swear to God I am.” (pg. 116). This highlights the gap between Holden Caulfield’s character and mentality, and those of actual teenagers. The gap is attributed to cultural changes from the social stigmas of Salinger’s time, to how we respond to mental illness nowadays. As the Journal of Heath and Social Behaviour suggests, “the evidence of the 1950s… indicate that… the public was ignorant about mental illness, [and] had a very negative image of persons identified as mentally ill…” (Public Conceptions Of Mental Illness, J. Phelan & co. pg.189-190). However presently, “there is… direct evidence [showing] change in public beliefs and attitudes” (Public Conceptions Of Mental Illness, J. Phelan & co. pg.189-190). Holden’s characterisation doesn’t entirely capture the modern adolescent voice or disposition. As his mental decline was so severe he suffered a physical and emotion breakdown, resulting in institutionalisation. Furthermore, the different time settings have contrasting responses for how teens perceive mental illness. Adolescents relate to the struggle of mental issues, despite that their mentality and values are not quite synonymous with Holden’s, due to his intensity and the change in attitude towards mental health. High school students continue to study this novel due to is its strong theme of growing up. This process is a confrontational time, where we learn to “step off the… curb… [and] get to the other side of the street” (pg.217) by ourselves. Holden’s fear of leaving behind childhood to bear the responsibilities of adulthood is understandable to adolescence, regardless of the time. However, his cynical attitude in describing mature acts, evident from his outdated language of “phonies” and “crumby”, don’t represent the typical teenage attitude. His distrustful mentality towards the adult world is emphasised by the repetition of such negative connotations. Holden’s reluctance to grow up is evident in the novel’s most prevalent use of symbolism – The Catcher in the Rye. Our protagonist’s concept in relation to being “the catcher in the rye” (pg.191) is symbolic of his values on children, innocence and purity. It also represents his unreliability as a narrator, since he interprets the lyric for what he wants, “If a body catch a body comin’ through the rye,” (pg. 191) rather than what it is, “If a body meet a body, coming through the rye,” (pg. 191). It’s ironic how misguided his perception of the lyric is due to his extreme aversion to adulthood. His interpretation reflects his desire to protect children from the “phoniness” of the adult world, from growing up. While any teenager will agree that becoming an adult is terrifying; it’s something we typically look forward to and celebrate, which is why we value becoming 18, a legal adult. These values of modern teens are reflected in the media such as tabloid websites like Hollywood Life, one of their by-line’s being, “Happy birthday, Kylie Jenner… Kylie is a legal adult… Let’s… celebrate her special day!” (Kylie Jenner: Kardashians’ Little Sis Turns 18 – Happy Birthday, Wilson, S.). There is an inconsistency in values between Holden and your everyday adolescent, as he fears growing up and we look forward to it. Salinger didn’t capture the adolescent voice and way of thinking perfectly in this respect; but underlined the importance of growing up despite the uncertainty, making the novel relevant today. Though adolescents can’t entirely relate to the “madman” that is Holden Caulfield, they empathise with the journey he experiences. We all undergo growing up differently; but not everyone has such a pessimistic view of the world like Holden, nor are they so unstable and lonely. However, the novel remains relevant and studied as it relays typical adversities of coming of age through first person narration, symbolism and characterisation. The novel is relevant since it explores the issues of identity, mental illness and growing up in regards to adolescence. And though, our values, ideas and attitudes to these themes may now differ from Holden Caulfield, for the most part Salinger has captured our voice and mentality as teenagers.
Due to J.D Salinger’s personal and relatable narrative treatment, Catcher in the Rye continues to engage audiences, even 64 years after it was first published. The way the book deals with alienation and disillusionment in regards to Holden’s past trauma - through the closeness of first person narration and conversational writing among other techniques - creates a personal connection to Holden’s character and helps adolescents relate his troubles to their own.
Holden Caulfield, portrayed in the J.D. Salinger novel Catcher in the Rye as an adolescent struggling to find his own identity, possesses many characteristics that easily link him to the typical teenager living today. The fact that the book was written many years ago clearly exemplifies the timeless nature of this work. Holden's actions are those that any teenager can clearly relate with. The desire for independence, the sexually related encounters, and the questioning of ones religion are issues that almost all teens have had or will have to deal with in their adolescent years. The novel and its main character's experiences can easily be related to and will forever link Holden with every member of society, because everyone in the world was or will be a teen sometime in their life.
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.
A remarkable and absorbing novel, J. D. Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye," may serve to calm the apprehensions of fathers and mothers about their own responsibilities, though it doesn't attempt to explain why all boys who dismay their elders have failed to pass successfully the barrier between childhood and young manhood. It is profoundly moving and a disturbing book, but it is not hopeless. Holden Caulfield, sixteen years old and six foot two inches in hei...
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.
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.
Protected by a cocoon of naiveté, Holden Caulfield, the principal character in the novel, The Catcher in the Rye, therapeutically relates his lonely 24 hour stay in downtown New York city, experiencing the "phony" adult world while dealing with the death of his innocent younger brother. Through this well-developed teenage character, JD Salinger, uses simple language and dialogue to outline many of the complex underlying problems haunting adolescents. With a unique beginning and ending, and an original look at our new society, The Catcher in the Rye is understood and appreciated on multiple levels of comprehension. The book provides new insights and a fresh view of the world in which adolescents live.
A human society is often described as a group of people involved in persistent personal relationships, or as a large social grouping sharing the same geographical or social territory. People tend to believe that doing what everyone else does, is the only correct path for life. If someone dares to break the pattern, does what he wants, or wears different clothes from what everybody else wear, he would frequently be seen as a strange or weird person. This is not it, every little thing someone does that differs from what it is “normal”, is seen as bad or bizarre. Holden Caulfield, of “Catcher in the Rye” is a character who stands out from common people. Holden doesn’t believe that he needs to follow what everyone else does. Contrary to that, Holden does what he wants and acts how he likes. By acting like this, Holden is not considered as a normal teenager, but as a unique one. Caulfield has often trouble fitting in society. Holden won’t fit into society because he doesn’t want to be a part of it. Hints displaying Holden not wanting to be part of society are his constant failing at school, his powerful revulsion for “phony” qualities, and his distancing himself from people.
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.
Many young people often find themselves struggling to find their own identity and place in society. This search for self worth often leaves these young people feeling lonely and isolated because they are unsure of themselves. Holden Caulfield, J.D. Salinger's main character in the book The Catcher In the Rye, is young man on the verge of having a nervous breakdown. One contributor to this breakdown, is the loneliness that Holden experiences. His loneliness is apparent through many ways including: his lack of friends, his longing for his dead brother, and the way he attempts to gain acceptance from others.
There is one event that unites all human beings. This event is the process of growing up and becoming an adult. The transition into adulthood from childhood can be very long and confusing. As a kid most of them can not wait to become an adult but once you experience adulthood you miss your childhood. The novel Catcher in the Rye shows how a teenager on the break of entering adulthood can get scared. 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. Holden is faced with many problems as some teens
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.
Holden attacks various weaknesses in the 50's society. He criticizes nearly everything that he observes, and refuses to pull punches. Often Holden uses his brilliant talent of observation to discover the true motives behind the people he calls "phony." Through his observations the reader can interpret Salinger's view of the 1950's culture. Holden's perceptions of paranoia, conformity, and the consumer culture convey Salinger's views.