Theme Of Innocence In Catcher In The Rye

1686 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Essays on the theme of the catcher in the rye

Growing up is something that everyone experiences, and along with growing up comes the loss of innocence. In J. D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, the protagonist Holden Caulfield wishes to be the “catcher in the rye” so that he can preserve the innocence of individuals. As Holden travels the streets of New York City, he realizes how ugly the adult world really is. As a troubled teenage boy, Holden does not want to grow up but soon concludes that he cannot stop himself from this process. Because of Holden’s belief that the adult world is full of phonies, his brother Allie’s death, and the loss of his own innocence, Holden feels compelled to protect the innocence of the people around him. Holden’s belief that the adult world is full of phonies makes him compelled to protect the innocence of the people around him. As the novel begins, Holden finds out he is getting kicked out of another preparatory school because of his pitiful grades. Retelling his journey from Pencey Preparatory School to New York City, Holden recalls many phonies he encounters on that trip. At Pencey Prep, Holden lives in the “Ossenburger Memorial Wing of the new dorms, [which] was named after this guy Ossenburger that went to Pencey” (Salinger 16). Later on, Holden discovers that Ossenburger made a great deal of money after he left Pencey, because “what he did, he started these undertaking parlors all over the country that you could get your family members buried for five bucks apiece” (Salinger 16). Holden states that Ossenburger is a phony because he is infatuated with making money by burying people with cheap funerals. After getting loads of money, Ossenburger gives a speech in a chapel that “lasted about ten hours… telling us we should always pray to God... ... middle of paper ... ...ck of it” (Salinger 172). Lying, drinking underage, smoking, and cursing are all factors that prove that Holden does not have his purity anymore. Holden is not innocent; he is in fact being sucked into the cruel adult world and does not even recognize it. Because of Holden’s opinion that the adult world is filled with phonies, his younger brother Allie’s death, and the deprivation of his own innocence, Holden feels the urge to protect the innocence of the important people in his life. From his weekend long journey from Pencey to New York City, Holden tries to discover the difference between the child world and the adult world. As his trip ends, Holden comes to the realization that growing up is a part of life that everyone experiences. In conclusion, growing up is a life process that every single person has to go through and which he cannot stop it from happening.

Show More
Related

  • Immaturity of Holden in J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye

    566 Words  | 2 Pages

    In J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, the main character, Holden, cannot accept that he must move out of childhood and into adulthood. One of Holden’s most important major problems is his lack of maturity. Holden also has a negative perspective of life that makes things seem worse than they really are. In addition to Holden’s problems he is unable to accept the death of his brother at a young age. Holden’s immaturity, negative mentality, and inability to face reality hold him back from moving into adulthood.

    Read More

  • Corruption in Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger

    1133 Words  | 3 Pages

    While he is at Pencey, Holden experiences corruption many times. This may be one of the reasons that he does not try in his classes. At some point, he joins a secret fraternity, not because he wants to, but because he is “too yellow not to” (167). Ackley tries to join as well, but again and again, “they [do not] let him…just because he’s boring and pimply” (167). This disgusts Holden, because the other students mistreat Ackley because of the way he looks and acts, something that Holden sees as corruption. Another time Holden observes corruption is when old Ossenburger, a rich businessman who once attended Pencey, and who donated money to the school, visits for the first football game. After the game, Ossenburger gives a speech in which he basically describes himself as a saint, telling the students that “he [talks] to Jesus all the time” (17). However, he drives a “big goddam Cadillac” (16), and when he arrived, all the students had to “stand up in the grandstand and give him a [cheer]” (16). This is corrupt, because if he was really a saint like he implies, he would be more modest instead of bragging about how good he is and showing off his wealth. Holden sees corruption in at least one of ...

    Read More

  • Preservation of Innocence In The Catcher in the Rye

    1009 Words  | 3 Pages

    Have you ever pondered about when growing up, where does our childlike innocence go and what happens to us to go through this process? It involves abandoning previous memories that are close to our hearts. As we can see in The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, we listen to what the main character; Holden Caulfield has to say about it. Holden is an average teenager dealing with academic and life problems. He remains untouched over his expulsion from Pencey Prep; rather, he takes the opportunity to take a “vacation.” As he ventures off companionless in New York City, we are able to observe many things about him. We see that Holden habitually states that he is depressed and undoubtedly, wants to preserve the innocence of others.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Maturity In Catcher In The Rye

    733 Words  | 2 Pages

    Growing up is not easy. The desire to slow down or stop the process is not unusual for adolescents. Resisting adulthood causes those who try to run away from it to eventually come to terms with the reality of life: everyone has to grow up, and fighting against it makes it much harder to accept in the end. In The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield often tries to resist the process of maturity in an effort to avoid the complicated life he might face as an adult, making him an unusual protagonist for a bildungsroman; this struggle, however, opens Holden’s eyes to the reality and inevitability of growing up, helping him realize that innocence does not last forever.

    Read More

  • The Catcher In the Rye Should Not be Banned

    793 Words  | 2 Pages

    At the beginning of his story, Holden is a student at Pencey Prep School. Having been expelled for failing four out of his five classes, Holden leaves school and spends 72 hours in New York City before returning home. There, Holden encounters new ideas, people, and experiences. Holden's psychological battle within himself serves as the tool that uncovers the coming-of-age novel's underlying themes of teen angst, depression, and the disingenuous nature of society. The novel tackles issues of blatant profanity, teenage sex, and other erratic behavior.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Ignorance In Catcher In The Rye

    953 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Symbolism In Catcher In The Rye

    1162 Words  | 3 Pages

    Innocence lies within everyone in at least one point in their lives, but as reality consumes them, that purity begins to vanish slowly as they learn new experiences. In the coming of age novel set in the nineteen-forties, J.D Salinger writes about a sixteen-year-old boy named Holden Caulfield who stands between a road that separates childhood from adulthood and is confused about which path to take. On a three-day trip in New York away from his family and fellow peers at school, Holden encounters many situations in which lead him to think twice about who he wants to become and how he wants to guide others who are in the same situation he is in. In The Catcher in the Rye, J.D Salinger utilizes symbolism, vivid imagery, and slangy diction to expose Holden’s struggle to preserve the innocence of the people that he loves while alienating himself from the adult world he calls “phony.”

    Read More

  • Why does Holden fear adulthood?

    1404 Words  | 3 Pages

    of them, but he doesn’t see he is already a phony. Holden finds hypocrisy in almost everything he sees but does not yet even realize. that he too is part of that corrupt world the minute he stopped being a child and wanted to be an adult. Holden fears becoming an adult in mind and heart, but wants to become one. one in his actions, he said.

    Read More

  • The Phony Theme of The Catcher In The Rye

    1338 Words  | 3 Pages

    Holden uses the word phony to identify everything in the world that he rejects. He always sees something wrong with everybody. People are too talkative, too quiet, or just weird. He thinks that he is the perfect person but no one believes that he is. With this, Holden believes that he is surrounded by "phoniness." Holden lives in Ossenburger Hall, which is named after a wealthy Pencey graduate who made a fortune in the discount funeral home business. Ossenburger went to the chapel and made a speech that lasted about "ten hours." Holden goes on to say that he cracked about fifty corny jokes and then Ossenburger emphasizes that "he talked to Jesus all the time, even when he was driving his car." Holden thinks this is a load of crap and asserts, "'that killed me. I just see the big phony bastard shifting into first gear and asking Jesus to send him a few more stiffs" (17). Holden can't believe what he just heard. He sees this big "phony" praying to Jesus to send him some...

    Read More

  • The Catcher In The Rye

    779 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Innocence In Catcher In The Rye

    1244 Words  | 3 Pages

    If there were one word to tell what the theme of the book was it would be innocence. How we are all innocent at some point, how to try to keep our innocence, and how no one can keep their innocence forever. We all fall from our innocence. Adam and Eve fell from grace and innocence and set the tone for all of our lives. Throughout the whole book Holden is trying to make people keep their innocence and he wants to hold onto it himself. What he needs to learn and does learn through the course of the book is that no one can keep his or her innocence. We all fall at some point, but what we have control over is how hard we fall.

    Read More

  • The Influence Of Adulthood In The Catcher On The Rye

    765 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the modern world, everyone must make the transition, no matter how scary or daunting it may be, into adulthood at some point in their lives. Most individuals are gradually exposed to more mature concepts, and over time, they begin to accept that they can no longer posses the blissful ignorance that they once had as a child. Others, however, are violently thrown from their otherwise pure and uncorrupted adolescent lives through a traumatic event that hurls them into adulthood before they are ready. The novel The Catcher on the Rye written by J.D. Salinger, explores the struggle children face to adapt to adult society through the main character Holden Caulfield, a teen that lost his innocence, and is still attempting to cope with the fact that everyone grows up.

    Read More

  • The Catcher in the Rye: Holden Caulfield's Coming of Age Story

    2363 Words  | 5 Pages

    It takes many experiences in order for an immature child to become a responsible, well-rounded adult. In J. D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, Salinger’s main character Holden Caulfield matures throughout the course of the novel. In the beginning of the novel, Holden is a juvenile young man. However, through his experiences, Holden is able to learn, and is finally able to become somewhat mature by the end of the novel. In The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield’s story represents a coming of age for all young adults.

    Read More

  • The Innocence of Childhood in The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

    1249 Words  | 3 Pages

    Growing up and becoming mature can be an intimidating experience; it is difficult to let go of one’s childhood and embrace the adult world. For some people, this transition from youthfulness to maturity can be much more difficult than for others. These people often try to hold on to their childhood as long as they can. Unfortunately, life is not so simple. One cannot spend their entire life running from the responsibilities and hardships of adulthood because they will eventually have to accept the fact that they have a role in society that they must fulfill as a responsible, mature individual. The novel “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger follows the endeavours of Holden Caulfield, a sixteen-year-old teenage boy who faces a point in his life where he must make the transition from childhood to adulthood. In an attempt to retain his own childhood, he begins hoping to stop other young children from growing up and losing their innocence as well. As indicated by the title, “The Catcher in the Rye” is a book that explores a theme involving the preservation of innocence, especially of children. It is a story about a boy who is far too hesitant to grow up, and feels the need to ensure that no one else around him has to grow up either. His own fear of maturity and growing up is what leads to Holden’s desire to become a “catcher in the rye” so he can save innocent children from becoming part of the “phoniness” of the adult world.

    Read More

  • How Is Holden Caulfield State Of Innocence

    1229 Words  | 3 Pages

    All children must one day grow and emerge from childhood into adolescence. In the novel, The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield embarks on a quest for knowledge. Throughout his journey, Holden attempts to save innocent children from maturing through preventing them from adult subjects such as profanities and death. However, at the end of his odyssey, Holden realizes how nothing can withstand change and growth hence, he accepts reality as he falls into a state of unconsciousness. The experiences and situations Holden comes across throughout his journey allows him to divert from a state of innocence to the retainment of knowledge.

    Read More

More about Theme Of Innocence In Catcher In The Rye

Open Document