Revealing Caulfield

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Recommended: Writing style of catcher in the rye

In Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye, the physical and psychological unraveling of the narrator, Holden Caulfield, is related through his inarticulate, but sincere voice. Salinger weaves Holden's narration in a way that reflects the young character's age through his words and thoughts. At 16 years young, Holden's narration is often pessimistic, at times enthusiastic, and above all else contradictory. The same could be said about his thoughts concerning the topic of sex, which is a growing source of anxiety for the 16 year old. And Holden is confronted by it quite often in the course of his weekend-and-a-bit adventure. But, unlike most of the teenagers surrounding him, Holden views sex in a different light. Through the narration of his actions and attitudes concerning sex, Holden reveals his sensitivity, innocence, and fear of change.

Holden's sensitivity is revealed, throughout the novel, by his actions and attitudes towards sex. The first reference made to sex in the novel comes when Holden refers to his roommate, Stradlater, as a "very sexy bastard" (32). Holden thinks this after Stradlater expresses interest in hearing about Holden's old friend Jane and her experiences with her "booze hound" stepfather, "running around the house naked, with Jane around" (32). Stradlater's lack of sympathy provokes Holden to think of him as a "bastard." While Holden does sympathize with Jane, Stradlater is more interested in the perverse connotations of Jane's past because "Only very sexy stuff interested him" (32). On the other hand, Holden "knew her like a book" and has come to the realization that "you don't have to get too sexy to get to know a girl" (76). Holden also demonstrates his sensitivity in the form of respect for the ...

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...d, Holden gives up and does not pursue the subject any longer, as he prefers not to know so that he can keep his own memory of Jane intact. Upon Holden's encounter with Sunny, Holden's eventual refusal to have sex reveals that he fears change in himself as well. Although Holden is curious he is not yet ready to take that step into adulthood.

Holden Caulfield is an intriguing narrator who guides us through his world with amazing honesty. By experiencing the world through his words and ideas we are in a position to understand the character better than anyone else in the novel. Specifically through his comments and attitudes about sex he reveals his sensitive and caring nature, his innocence and naïveté, and a fierce fear of change. Above all else it is revealed that Holden is not prepared to grow up and whether he ever will be is left uncertain.

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