Catcher In The Rye

The novel The Catcher In The Rye, by J.D. Salinger, contains many complex symbols, many of the symbols in the book are interconnected. A symbol is an object represents an idea that is important to the novel. I believe the most important symbol in this novel is Holden 's idea of being the "catcher in the rye".

In The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, the main character and narrator Holden Caulfeild walks many different paths of life. He jumps around different aspects of his life throughout the book, showing the reader many different sides to himself. This theme is presented through the author’s technique in crafting the characterization and symbolism. J.D. Salinger develops a puzzle of a personality for Holden throughout the book, to show the complexity and multitude of sides to Holden’s character.

J. D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye features a complex narrative surrounding a troubled young student, Holden Caulfield. Difficulties he faces throughout the story force Holden to confront his fears of adulthood and maturation and the responsibilities therein through the difficulties he faces throughout the story. Academic controversy surrounds whether Holden learns from these confrontations and adjust accordingly, maturing throughout the story. While initially this seems rather subjective, a thorough analysis of Holden’s actions throughout the story as well as of the symbolism injected by Salinger makes it quite clear that Holden does undergo a significant maturity arc as the story progresses. Holden’s social development and maturation

For example, in chapter 10, when Holden is staying at a New York City hotel, he goes to the Lavender Room and encounters three girls, Bernice, whom he is attracted to, Marty, and Laverne. A rare moment in the story as Holden steps up to interact with the opposite gender, asking them for a dance and a good time. To Holden’s misfortune, the girls don’t seem interested in him as they find his actions amusing. Phoniness is also present when Marty says she saw Gary Cooper, a movie star, in efforts to lie and impress others based off something that never happened. Holden thinks that the girls are coarse and rude, as they are looking out for celebrities instead of engaging in conversation. Holden is offended by their ‘phoniness’ and finds them pathetic. Although Holden has such a low opinion of these girls, he continues to seek for their company, in the end, dancing with the three of them. This example shows the extent to which others excluding Holden can truly be phony and not usually just exaggerated by Holden. But Holden, himself, also shows phony traits, that gives the reader a hypocritical, but true form of himself. Holden is able to

J.D. Salinger has written multiple novels, but his most famous is The Catcher in the Rye. Not only is this novel famous for its literary merit, it is also known as his most banned novel in certain schools. Even though this novel has been banned, J.D. Salinger’s themes and moralistic purposes serve literary worth.

In the coming-of-age novel, The Catcher in the Rye, throughout the novel Holden Caulfield is surrounded by many different people and places which bring him together as a whole. Holden begins the novel at his private school, Pencey Prep. In his last days at Pencey his roommate Stradlater and a schoolmate, Ackley is introduced. Being around Ackley clearly annoys Holden, he often has to ignore Ackley or be sarcastic just so he stops bothering him. It’s obvious that Holden swears, A lot! Most of his phrases are “Goddam bastard” or “crummy bastard”. Stradlater is also a big issue with Holden; he’s viewed as cocky, full of himself and rude. The last straw Holden had with Stradlater is when they got in a physical altercation over Jane Gallagher leaving

Going to a new place can be very frightening, it can make you want to turn around and go back to the comfort of familiarity. Holden Caulfield is reaching adulthood but he desperately wants to turn around and hold on the his familiar childhood. He makes the bridge between these two place out to be huge but in reality they're not as far apart as he thinks.

Several adolescents in today's world are wanting to grow up to become independently at a young age and decide on their own to leave school. In J.D. Salinger novel “The Catcher in the Rye” he introduces the life of Holden Caulfield a seventeen year old boy who experiences difficult times in his life. Holden was a young boy that was kicked out from several schools. When he was going to high school they school was going to kick him out because he was failing four classes and passing one which was English, but before they kicked him out he decided to leave and quit school. In today's world, there are still several young people that are experiencing and making their own decisions for what they have been through in life.

J.D Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye, is the story of Holden Caulfield’s loss of faith in society, and in particular adults. Salinger uses a number of symbols to demonstrate Holden’s rebellion against the phony facade of society and his desire to preserve the innocence of children, especially those he loves. Chief among them is Holden’s misinterpretation of Robert Burns’ poem “Comin thro’ the Rye”, wherein Holden mistakes the original line, “If a body meet a body”, with “If a body catch a body”. Holden fantasizes about being the “Catcher in the Rye” who saves millions of children from metaphorically falling off the edge of a cliff, in other words, losing their innocence and becoming phony adults, . Holden’s fixation with preserving innocence appears to emerge after the death of his brother Allie, three years earlier. For example, when Holden is asked what he likes by his sister Phoebe he responds with “I like Allie” even though Allie is dead. Holden idolizes his younger siblings, Allie and Phoebe, noting that children that still have their innocence and have not been corrupted by adulthood, an example of this is the way Phoebe still puts sentimental value in the pieces of the “Little Shirley Beans” record, and the way that Allie wrote poems on the inside of his baseball mitt so that “he’d have something to read when he was in the field and nobody was up at bat.”

A role model can be can classified as one of many things, but what is it exactly that distinguishes a good one from a bad? The novel, The Catcher in the Rye, written by J.D Salinger is utilized to present the character Holden Caulfield as an unsuitable role model. Firstly, Holden relies on drugs for a way out of his problems instead of facing them. Also, he cannot find his place in the world, which arises, from his natural inclination to lie and is a problem he can’t seem to avoid. Lastly, his view on the world is tainted with carelessness and failure.

The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D Salinger, consists of many minor characters. There are more than about sixty characters in the novel in which only three of them are major characters (Holden, Allie, and Phoebe) and the rest minor. Many of these characters are just mentioned with no lasting impact on either the novel itself or Holden. Salinger uses minor characters in the Catcher in the Rye to tell the readers about Holden and his views about the world.

Do you think that the “catcher in the rye” is still relevant to teens nowadays? “I dont give a damn, except that I get bored sometimes when people tell me to act my age.Sometimes I act a lot older than I am -I really do- but people never notice it. People never notice anything.” In the novel “The Catcher in the Rye” written by JD Salinger the main character Holden Caulfield feels isolated and also has a lot of trouble interacting with people such as adults and even teens that are his age due to the terrible death of one of his brothers that was caused by leukemia. We believe that the “catcher in the rye” is still relevant to teens nowadays because lots of teens suffer of many things such as family loss, bullying, and depression that would cause suicidal thoughts. Last but not least, Holden also had the problem of not wanting to become an adult he just wanted to stay as a teen forever which also affected him on not being able to really interact with adults.

Depression can come at many different times in your life and in many different ways. Dictionary.com defines clinical depression as: A depression so severe as to be considered abnormal, either because of no obvious environmental causes, or because the reaction to unfortunate life circumstances is more intense or prolonged than would generally be expected (Random House). Throughout the novel, “The Catcher in the Rye,” the reader is inside the head of the troubled and depressed main character and narrator, Holden Caulfield. We, as the readers are able to see every thought that Holden has throughout the novel. Many of Holden’s thoughts scream depression. Holden is an ideal example of how someone with clinical depression would behave, how he

“This sentence I’m reading is terrific” I can be quite sarcastic when I’m in the mood (28)

The 1950’s is usually associated with poodle skirts and purity but in The Catcher in the Rye everything you thought you knew about the era is changed when the narrator of the story, Holden Caulfield, tells the readers of his sexual exploits, underaged drinking, and views on the world. Scrutinization and criticism of the plot has followed the novel since its initial release in 1951. Holden does not hold back in telling the details of his life and rawly describes the events that take place. Often talking about his scandalous life, Holden even chooses to divulge his somewhat embarrassing encounter with a prostitute. Upon his request a prostitute named Sunny arrived at the door of Holden’s hotel room. Nervous and a little embarrassed Holden decides