The Catcher In The Rye Phony Analysis

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Catcher in the Rye Motif Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger contains many symbols and motifs which explain teenage Holden’s personality to a further extent than what the text originally contains. The word phony is one of his favorite words to use, and seemingly connects to his past of what appears to be sexual abuse. This connects Holden’s view of phoniness to the motif of perversion, in a less than innocent way. A word Holden tends to use abundantly is "phony," which he applies to situations that to him appear fake. He uses it mostly while describing people’s looks or speech, and on occasion while describing their actions. The word is used in a derogatory sense, as Holden uses it clearly as an insult. One such example of this is when he is talking to his teacher, Mrs. Spencer. He says, “Grand. That’s a word I really hate. It’s a phony. I could puke every time I hear it.” (Salinger 9). His statement reveals that Holden is almost disgusted by phony acts, and despises people who do them. The novel clearly …show more content…

This is brought up sparingly in the novel, yet still holds significance in his life. While visiting Mr. Antolini’s house, the teacher is caught petting Holden’s head, setting him on edge. He mentions that perverted actions have happened to him about twenty times since he was a child. While the statement may be an exaggeration, this leads the reader to believe that he has experienced some form of sexual abuse which may be connected to his reasoning that not everyone is who they originally appear to be. The motifs of phoniness and perversion are themes common to Catcher in the Rye and contribute a major factor to the development of Holden’s character. Separately, these motifs appear to be mindless talk of the common sixteen year old male. Combined however, the themes introduce a crucial element to Holden’s background, and offer insight into what made him who he

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