Holden Caulfield Essay

the ingenuine nature of society. Throughout the novel Holden Caufield is conflicted between commenting on the “phoniness” of things around him, “a heading under which he loosely lumps not only insincerity but snobbery, injustice, callousness to the tears in things, and a lot more,”(Behrman) and the impulsive, self-loathing mentality he portrays. Salinger utilizes many aspects of his own life and displays them in the fluctuating character of Holden Caufield, showing his conflicted opinion on society

story with the character grows amateurs. However, for 17-year-old Holden Caulfield this is not the case. Holden shows no urge to want to enter adulthood as he constantly lies about the smallest things, escapes the real world through fantasy and makes no effort to turn his life around. Holden seems to always feel like he has to create a reality for himself which makes him a phony, rather than tell the truth and live his own. When Holden meets Ernest, a boy from school’s mother he uses the name Rudolf

In J.D. Salinger’s novel, The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield is the seventeen-year-old narrator and protagonist of the story. He is a very troubled teenager; he cannot seem to cope with his younger brother Allie’s death, has been kicked out of four schools, and is constantly criticizing and judging other people, which he does in a hypocritical manner. Holden is often nostalgic about his childhood, seeming to be in the happiest state when he thinks about being a child, and resents growing up

The Catcher in the Rye, explores multiple themes, but the most significant topic is the preservation of innocence. Preservation specifically means to protect something from damage or harm. The main character, Holden Caulfield, wants to protect children from growing up. Throughout the book, Holden tries to save other kids and himself from becoming mature. Consequently, three symbols in the book provide the reader with clear evidence that supports this concept. First, a symbol that epitomizes the

In The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, Holden Caulfield lets us in on the struggles of a seventeen year old boy who has been kicked out of how many schools and is on his own in New York, scared to reveal his academic failures to his parents. He makes it clear that he is unhappy and feeling immensely isolated, which causes him to undertake many questionable and potentially harming activities and conversations, including hiring prostitutes, playing games with himself and imagining being shot,

Rye by J.D. Salinger, at the last chapter of the novel, the narrator, Holden states “D.B. asked me what I thought about all this stuff I just finished telling you about. I didn't know what the hell to say. If you want to know the truth, I don't know what I think about it (234)” Throughout the novel, Holden Caulfield, is a lost adolescence, trying to navigate his way through society as he perceives as “phony” and corrupt. Holden has demonstrated his inability to recognize the patterns of his mind and

‘The Catcher in the Rye’ is a classic novel set in the 1950’s. Holden Caulfield is a young 16 year old boy walking through life, hardships, and criticism towards life. Throughout Holden’s story, his odd behavior is displayed in a manner which opens the readers’ eyes to an entirely new persona. One that sees the worst in everything, one that doesn’t see the reality of things, a mind unable to decipher the beauty which the world holds within. Through his behavior and thoughts, the reader is led to

the novel “The Catcher in the Rye”, Holden Caulfield has experienced a significant amount a trauma. He has had unfortunate, traumatic experiences, surrounding death. Due to Holden being so young; his immaturity affects the way he analyzes the traumas and pushes him into the depths of depression. Displaying signs of depression, Holden unknowingly rejects life and is resisting change. He does not show the drive to learn and to grow into an adult; disastrously Holden demonstrates depression and suicidal

Holden Caulfield: Navigating Through a World of Gray In Holden Caulfield’s mind, he lives in a world that can be split into two halves: the world of the innocent and the world of the corrupted. These worlds are equated with children and adults, respectively. He despises “the adult world and its cruelty and artificiality” (Chen) otherwise known as “phoniness”. With The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger explores an adolescent’s journey as he navigates through the gray area of an otherwise black and

When reading page eighty through 110 J.D Salinger really emphasizes that Holden is lonely. Holden is not having as much fun as he thought in New York. Salinger’s methods in creating Holden are very confusing. He makes Holden seem very mature at the beginning of the book. He leaves his home and he leaves school acting as if he was mature but really when he got to New York he was very callow. The whole time he is away in New York he tries is to lose his virginity. He believes that if he conquers