Literary Techniques In Catcher In The Rye

The Catcher in the Rye is one of J. D. Salinger's world-famous books about the disgruntled youth. Holden Caulfield is the main character and he is a seventeen- year-old dropout who has just been kicked out of his fourth school. Navigating his way through the challenges of growing up, Holden separates the “phony” aspects of society, and the “phonies” themselves. Some of these “phony” people in his life are the headmaster whose friendliness depends on the wealth of the parents, and his roommate who scores with girls using sickly-sweet affection. This book deals with the complex issues of identity, belonging, connection, and alienation. Holden senses these feelings most of the time and is guilty about many things in

Lies, failure, depression, and loneliness are only some of the aspects that Holden Caulfield goes through in the novel The Catcher in the Rye written by J.D. Salinger. Salinger reflects Holden’s character through his own childhood experiences. Salinger admitted in a 1953 interview that "My boyhood was very much the same as that of the boy in the book.… [I]t was a great relief telling people about it” (Wikipedia). Thus, the book is somewhat the life story of J.D. Salinger as a reckless seventeen-year-old who lives in New York City and goes through awful hardships after his expulsion and departure from an elite prep school. Holden, the protagonist in this novel, is created as a depressed, cynical, and isolated character and he

Common themes in the book, Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger are sexual confusion and loss of innocence. As a 16-year-old boy, Holden Caulfield struggles to find himself throughout the entirety of the book. After he fails out of many schools, and has to deal with the heavy weight of the death of his brother, he is profoundly confused about his fast approaching future, which ultimately leads to unstable and rash decisions. Being a teenage boy, Holden is very interested in sex, in much of the book he tries to lose his virginity. Confused and intrigued, Holden pursues many unknown women, yet cannot follow through. He has many mixed feelings on how to deal with his sexually driven desires.  As the book continues, Holden turns out to be a sensitive

Castronovo writes that The Catcher in the Rye is much more than just a novel. Instead, influences young adults on the experience of Holden Caulfield. This book has power and lessons that connect to the real world. It describes Holden and all the struggles he faces throughout his life. This becomes more personal when interpreted from real life experience rather than just a story, because the battles Holden faces within this novel can be one’s exact life in the real world. It describes his character, his emotions, and the setting of the

For example, his opinion on sex is that it is dangerous, promiscuous, and it should not be shown or spoken to the innocence. Yet, during half of the book he tries to lose his virginity to various people. Another example might be Holden's red hunting hat. Holden says that he bought the hunting hat to stand out: "I put on this hat that I’d bought in New York that morning. It was this red hunting hat, with one of those very, very long peaks....The way I wore it, I swung the old peak way around to the back—very corny, I'll admit, but I liked it that way. I looked good in it that way" (Salinger 21). Although, he always tries to lose the hat when he is in crowds, indicating that he is a bit self conscious of himself even though he tries to make himself stand out. Holden does not like “phonies” because they are foolish and immature. Yet again, he is foolish and immature himself. For these reasons, Holden is indeed a

J.D. Salinger utilizes extensive measures of symbolism as a part of his novel to precisely pass on the emotions of his primary character, Holden, and, generally, to uncover data relating to human slant. A number of these symbols contain incongruity, numerous implications, and fluctuating degrees of unpredictability. Through the cognizance of Salinger's remarkable symbolism, notwithstanding, The Catcher in the Rye can be genuinely comprehended and acknowledged. The character of Holden Caulfield is a capable symbol himself which speaks to individuals as they genuinely may be.

This shows just how shallow Holden can be. Moreover, on pages 168- 171, Holden refers to Sally as being “goddam stupid” and a “phony” because she physically/mentally was absurd and didn’t agree with Holden when he suggested they leave to go somewhere far away. This shows that if you didn’t agree with Holden or match his standards, you would be seen as lesser of a person in his eyes. By using repetition of the words “phony”, “goddamn”, and “moron” the meaning of the word is lost. He refers to almost everyone including teachers, parents, friends, and siblings (except Allie) as a “phony” or “moron”.

Salinger’s writing focuses on Holden’s deeper emotions which have made him into the disturbed, unhappy teenager he is today. The presence of depression throughout The Catcher in the Rye gives no option for it to involve a coming of age story. Multiple key points emphasize this, such as Holden’s perverted confrontations with children, the distinct change in tone when Holden speaks about the past to the present, and Holden’s frightening confrontation with Mr. Antolini. Some readers of Salinger may infer this novel as being a bildungsroman, mainly due to the scene in which Holden’s innocence is revealed with Phoebe in the park. He claimed to be the happiest he’s ever been, but this is only a glimpse of positivity compared to the majority of the novel.

    J. D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye is the chronicle of a young man's metamorphosis from immaturity to unsure manhood. Holden Caulfield, the protagonist, is a sixteen-year old boy who leaves the prep school he has been expelled from to escape the frightening reality of dealing with his parents. However, during his visit to New York City he is faced with the harsh reality that he cannot continue to hold onto his childhood. Holden is an extremely complex character and it is only by examining each layer of him that the reader is able to understand his painful metamorphosis.

This shows how holden is trying new things even know they're different from society. This shows how holden is changing from society by doing the opposite of everybody. Another scene was when Holden went to Mr. Antolini house to spend the night, but is rudely wakened by Mr. Antolini touching him, so he hurries out to get out of there because he thinks he was molested. Holden said “I couldn’t remember where i put my tie. I put my jacket and all without it”(Salinger 192).

Holden Caulfield plays a timeless character in the sense that his way of life is common for the American teenager, in his time as well as now. Today parents dread the terrible and confusing adolescent years of their child's life. In J.D. Salinger's book, The Catcher in the Rye, Holden is in this terrible and confusing point of his life. At this point in his life, as well as in modern teenager's lives, a transition occurs, from child to adult. Holden takes this change particularly rough and develops a typical mentality that prevents him from allowing himself to see or understand his purpose in life.

Holden’s story takes place in the 1950s. Because of this, it is necessary that the reader reads the story from multiple points of views. As Foster puts it, “don’t read with your eyes” (Foster 228) meaning that it is sometimes necessary to read from a perspective that will let you relate to and sympathize with the characters. The time period is shown many times such as when Holden goes dancing and asks a girl if she feels like “jitterbugging a little bit” (Salinger 72) referencing an iconic dance from that era. What people said and how they said it were very different in the past, and it is important to keep that in mind while reading.

The author has put in plenty of themes, messages, ideas, issues, and motifs. The character, Holden Caulfield is alienated from society, is experiencing the painfulness of growing up, thinks that the adult world is full of phoniness, and is sick of hearing about the American Dream from his teachers. JD Salinger has created a book that has raised plenty of questions and controversy towards the readers. The Catcher in the Rye shows how a teenage mind works. JD Salinger has used a stream of consciousness writing style where the character (Holden Caulfield) talks in first person as he presents his thoughts and feelings to the readers. The setting has taken place in the early fifties and the book uses a lot of profane words. The New York

Between Holdens smoking and drinking addictions and his sexual fantasies, he needs to learn to enjoy the little things in life. J.D Salinger uses those motifs to symbolize that Holden is trying to grow up too fast, and is wishing his childhood away without thinking of the consequences of his actions. You need to cherish the memories while they

The feelings and certain experiences Holden goes through are universal, and with his age, increase how much teens are able to relate to this work of literature. J.D. Salinger’s Catcher in The Rye is still relevant to many readers, especially teens, today, because the experiences and feelings that Holden has are similar to that of teens