How To Read The Catcher In The Rye

Literature has always relied on techniques to catch the reader’s attention and format the story, and “the Catcher in the Rye” is no exception. Salinger brought many different writing styles into his novel to make it a bestseller. With his knowledge, Salinger was able to depict the persona of Holden to the reader without directly stating his characteristics. Salinger proves Holden is a lonesome figure who wanted to fit in but struggles to be accepted. The Catcher in the Rye depicts Holden as one who struggles with his sexuality and adulthood and wants to save children from adulthood because of the difficulties that it has brought himself. Salinger greatly expresses Holden through the use of metaphor, imagery, symbolism,

The Catcher in the Rye is a book that not only grabs a hold of your emotions, but also transforms you into the life of Holden Caulfield. In 1951, J.D. Salinger published what is still being taught in schools all around the United States. Todays adolescents can still relate to the emotions displayed by Holden throughout the entire novel, much like the adolescents in the 1960's could. For instance, Holden is trying to find his way around life at such a young age. At the time, the age group "teenagers" did not yet exist. Holden was still a child, trying to be an adult. Today's children can also relate to this because, as teenagers, we jump into an age where we don't have our bearings yet. We begin to take on more responsibilities, but we still

The book, The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger, discusses many different aspects of the life of a young adult. The main character, Holden Caulfield, appears to be a typical self-absorbent teenager. Yet the majority of the time Holden makes valid points on what goes on in today’s society. Even though the book was set back in time, the issues discussed in the novel are still relevant today. Holden is often seen as an arrogant individual when in reality he wants a better world to live in.

The Catcher in the Rye, a story surrounding the teenage angst and downward spiral of main character Holden Caulfield, has captivated many audiences through its controversial writing. Although many consider Holden to simply represent the anger in adolescence and fear of becoming an adult with responsibilities, his angst, alienation, and depression represents much more: the stripping of childhood innocence all too soon. Due to Holden's need to rescue so many others and the consumption of the need to regain his innocence, he cannot rescue himself from his own downfall.

“You know that song ‘If a body catch a body comin’ through the rye’?” (Salinger, 224). This quote said by the main character of the novel, Holden Caulfield, gives a great view on why readers are either against Holden or supporting him. Through this quote you can either inquire that Holden is an impractical dreamer who just wants to save the childish innocence of kids everywhere or a vacuous young boy who has based his life’s ideals on a song that he didn’t even remember the right lyrics to. Some critics of Salinger’s, Catcher in the Rye, say that Holden Caulfield is a pessimistic and naive teen that doesn’t add any depth or complexity to the novel, but I disagree; I believe that Holden is misunderstood by his peers, as well as his mentors,

Thesis Statement: Throughout the novel, Catcher in the Rye, Holden demonstrates many traits of a typical teenager including emotions of loneliness, sense of independence, and the feeling of angst. Many people would say that Holden is in fact not a typical teenager. A typical teenager doesn’t run away from prep school late at night and flunk out of four prep schools like Holden. He flunked out of his fourth prep school, Pencey Prep, and leaves the school late at night just because he felt too depressed, which is not a behavior of a typical teenager. However, his disturbed mental state is justified with the death of his younger brother, Allie, due to leukemia.

Interviewer: Today, I am interviewing Gloria Anzaldua on her book, Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza. Gloria’s book is inspired by her memories of living on the U.S.-Mexico border as a Mexican-American. The book combines Gloria’s own writing along with works from other creative minds to express her ideas on the U.S.-Mexico border and how that border affects the lives of Mexican-Americans. I will specifically question her on the ways she thinks the border shapes the cultural development of the people living around it. Let’s begin.

Teenage adolescence is one the toughest transitions for a human to go through. It's the moment in our lives where we experience change both physically and mentally and emotionally. It is the transition between childhood and adulthood, the period where teens struggle to find their identify in life. It's also the point in which our minds have developed, eyes wide open to all the negative things that surround the world – and in the world Holden Caulfield lives in, he has expressed himself they only way he feels comfortable and the only way he knows how – rebelliously. Respectfully, Holden Caulfield differs from what a normal teenage boy appears to be but he does show emotions and characteristics that categorizes him as an “average teenager.” He’s portrayed as an adolescent teenage boy who is constantly struggling to find is identity in a world that he doesn't seem to fit in with. Holden actions and the way he expresses himself is very relatable to the modern day teenager. Whether it's through his sexually related encounters or his strive for independence.

Catcher in the Rye, written by J.D Salinger is a classic novel that is not only controversial but contains relatable characters such as Holden Caulfield. Holden is a 16 year old boy who has gone through so much pain and hurt throughout his life that he has given up in school and during the novel you start to see that he has given up at life itself as well. Holden struggles with depression, unhealthy drinking habits and with failing out of school. These three struggles are very relatable to teenagers these days. In the following paragraphs I will show you the connection between teenagers these days and Holden and the the similarities that make him such a relatable character. Holden is an ideal and universal representation of teenagers.

“You'll have to jump.' 'I'll jump.' 'Jump!' Major Danby cried. Yossarian jumped. Nately's whore was hiding just outside the door. The knife came down, missing him by inches, and he took off” (Heller 350). Yossarian ends his dialogue in a cheery and fun way because he is finally going to be free from the oppression of the US military. This also shows his increased morals, because in the beginning, he would have just killed the girl for trying to kill him. He also uses arrangement to show America at the time like, “ Heller's satirical masterpiece tells us something about the madness of America” (Pilger, John). This shows how the novel portrays the insanity of the war at this time and how these people need help or to get out. The main part of the novel is just the insane adventures Yossarian goes on throughout his horrifying experience.

I agree that The Catcher of the Rye tells the story of a sensitive youth doomed to frustration and disillusionment in his struggle to find truth and sincerity in a shallow ,pretentious world. The story focuses on Holden Caulfield’s struggle with growing up into a world he isen’t ready to accept. He emotionally battles himself with feelings of depression, obsession of death, and ethics. Holden believes alot of adults are “phonies” because they have been corrupted by a shallow society and have lost their innocence. He can’t accept the reality that he might grow up and be a phonie as well.

Teenage years are sometimes believed to be a fun time in many people’s lives; but the transition between childhood and becoming an adult can be tricky. In the novel, The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, the main character Holden is stuck in between the change of childhood to adulthood because he doesn’t want to let go of childhood and the care-free attitude he can have. In adulthood, people have to have some sense of maturity, and Holden demonstrates that he isn’t ready for that until towards the end of the novel. Holden is stubborn at the beginning of The Catcher in the Rye because he is not alert to the world surrounding him. The reader sees him transform and become mature because he comes to terms with his life and realizes that he was wrong about growing up, and that he is ready to come to terms with the end of his childhood.

"Anyway, I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of

JD. Salinger’s 1951 book, The Catcher in the Rye, shows us how society treated their confused and changing teenagers during their transition into adulthood. The book’s main character Holden Caulfield is being pressured into growing up even though he doesn’t feel ready, to lead an adult life. He is still struggling socially and mourning for his deceased brother whose death turned Holden upside down and into a negative, hopeless person from a young age, which causes him to be distracted, indifferent and to flunk every school he goes to.

Many readers will agree that The Catcher in the Rye is a coming of age, but some may disagree that it is not because of Holden’s personal view of children. The disagreement may have resulted from Holden’s childish acts, such as, being