Catcher In The Rye Character Analysis Holden Caulfield

Holden Caulfield’s story begins on a December Saturday at Pencey Prep School in Pennsylvania, where he 's just been given the ax for failing all his classes except English. As it turns out, getting the ax is a frequent theme in Holden 's past. Before he leaves the school Holden runs to his favorite teacher’s house to say goodbye to him. Back in the dorm, Holden goofs around with Robert Ackley, a pimply and annoying kid. We 're introduced to Holden 's red hunting hat, and we meet his roommate, Stradlater, who is getting ready for a date with Jane Gallagher, an old friend and sort-of romantic interest of Holden 's. Holden is not happy about this impending date, but agrees anyway to write an English composition for Stradlater.

Teenagers often attempt to find happiness through the acceptance of others, as they believe it will make their life whole. In the novel The Catcher In The Rye, written by J.D. Salinger, the protagonist and narrator of the novel is a sixteen year old junior who is expelled from his school Pencey Prep for failing 4 out of 5 classes. Holden Caulfield seeks acceptance from the people surrounding him, which affects him both positively and negatively. In the novel The Catcher In The Rye, the main character, Holden Caulfield, seeks acceptance from those around him when he goes home to look for Phoebe, when he goes to his old teacher expecting pity, and when he visits the nuns because he heard what good people they are.

Thomas Jefferson once wrote, “He who permits himself to tell a lie once, finds it much easier to do it a second and third time, till at length it becomes habitual”. In the book Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, Holden Caulfield’s lies become habitual throughout the book. Holden is a sixteen-year-old boy, who has been kicked out of several schools including, most recently, Pencey Prep. Holden’s younger brother, Allie, died when Holden was only thirteen and his older brother is too busy working for Hollywood to care about Holden. Although his mother cares immensely for him, Holden saddens her by failing academically. The only motivator that Holden has to continue living is his younger sister, Phoebe, who is extraordinarily intelligent for her age. After he gets kicked out of Pencey, Holden is lost in life. He speaks to many people, seeking advice and comfort, but they are not able to help him find a human connection. Holden’s depression increases throughout the novel, almost to the point of suicide. He criticizes many people and ideas, labeling them as ‘phony’. Holden lies as a result of his depression, in order to hide the fact that he’s lonely and bored with his life, to divert any questions which he believes are too personal, and to create his own reality. In this way, Salinger illustrates how, during difficult times, people resort to lying as a coping mechanism.

Holden is a very introverted character who hesitates throughout the book to share information about his life . J.D Salinger makes sure to portray Holden that way to

Holden struggles with growing up and facing reality. There are many examples of Holden’s immaturity that are displayed in many forms such as facing responsibilities, his speech, his actions, and etc. Holden’s outlook on adult life is that it is superficial and brimming with phonies, but childhood was all about looking pleasing and innocent. He wants everything to stay the same and for time to stop. As Holden progresses in age, he will discover more about becoming mature in the

Holden’s struggles during the novel, “The Catcher In The Rye,” he figures out the true loss of innocence lost in becoming an adult and the struggle to be one and Holden struggling to be the catcher in the rye to catch kids from losing adulthood. His relationship struggles are his key factors which makes Holden who he truly

The heart of the story was Holden grieving over the death of his brother. Holden needs a solution to his problem. So he pulls out the mitt and confront his feelings to discharge all his grief and depression. Indeed, holden does not understand why his smart nice brother dies. He feels guilty that he who is stupid and inferior is still living. Furthermore, Holden starts to hate all the adults or loses faith in them, calls them phony. Holden has a second thought of becoming an adult he loses hope in his future and it seems to him nothing in the world matters to him anymore. We can see that throughout the book. He smokes, gets drunk, and does daring acts like getting a prostitute in his room. He also tries to escape all this guilt and grief by wasting time with unnecessary people he calls phony. Hence it is Allie's mitt that the whole book is based

Today we are dealing with Holden Caulfield, a 17 year old student who attends Pencey Prep in New York City. Holden is maturing quickly and has happened to grow six and a half inches in the past year. He has grey hair at the age of seventeen and is very skinny for his age. Holden’s family consists of his mom and dad, his brother D.B, and his sister Phoebe. Holden did have another brother, Allie, but he passed away when Holden was thirteen years old. Holden does not communicate with D.B often but they keep in touch once in awhile. On the other hand, Holden cares for and loves Phoebe with his whole heart; he would never let anything happen to her and he continues to worry about her and care for her. Holden is very passionate about his family but

The beginning of Holden’s journey starts with the innocence and naivety of childhood. Childhood is the stage that ignorance is bliss with no care in the world. Holden goes to a prestigious boarding school for boys and he believes that everyone in that school is a phony in some way. Holden is an observant character as he stays in the background, but he can also cause the most trouble. Like a child, he asks many questions and he is very curious to the point that he can be annoying. Childhood is the stage of tantrums and Holden complains about a lot of people that he likes, but also hate. Ackley is an outcast that Holden describes as being ugly and a slob. Holden does not really like Ackley, however, he continues to talk to Ackley and be his friend. Holden’s actions are also hypocritical as he says he is annoyed with Ackley, but Holden is also lonely.

The death of Holden 's younger brother Allie has caused him to confuse his perception of reality and to alienate himself. Throughout the novel, the topic of death is reoccurring in Holden 's mind. Whether he 's in school, doing homework, or aimlessly walking around New York City, Allie 's presence or lack thereof is always looming. It escalates to the point that Holden is always thinking about his own death, but more more specifically he 's fear of being forgotten: "Every time I came to the end of a block and stepped off the goddamn curb, I had this feeling that I 'd never get to the other side of the street. I thought I 'd just go down, down, down and nobody 'd ever see me again. Boy did it scare me"(256). Allies reoccurring presence in Holden 's life causes him to obsess about the unknown future. Since Allie was on of the only people holden was able to relate to, his death took a

Phoebe was Holden’s push in the right direction. By directly asking, “name one thing [that you like]” (220), she is forcing him to think about changing his ways. While just thinking about change may not seem like a lot, it’s a lot more than he’s done already. While Spencer, Antolini, and Phoebe all give him virtually the same advice, he only listens to Phoebe. She makes Holden reconsider his actions and his aspirations, causing him to come to terms with his desire of being a “catcher in the rye,” keeping children from falling off of a cliff. This represents him wanting to keep

Finally, after reading the novel The Catcher in the Rye I have been able to relate to Holden in many ways. Just like Holden, I say what comes to my mind, I get anxious when things change and I have to deal with things I am not used too and I like being around kids. I am also a teen just like Holden who is trying to live in this world full of

In The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger portrays a fascinating juvenile misfit character extensively named Holden Caulfield. Holden goes to school at the age of sixteen and is said to be a misfit in society. However, even though society is corrupt in some ways, Holden Caulfield is a misfit no matter if people say he is misunderstood in the eyes of society.

Twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week, the ticking clock never stops, neither do the lives of about 7,214,958,996 people on this Earth. Each one equipped with their own set of personal strengths and weaknesses, yet out of those 7 billion people, no two people are exactly the same. Some would say you’re born with it in your DNA, and others say it takes time, but what really causes weaknesses with in oneself? Personal weakness is something that no human being can avoid in their lifetime, no matter how great they have it or think they are. Two works of literature that exemplify this idea are Anthony Burgess’ A Clockwork Orange and J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, which take you through the lives of two teenage boys who think greatly of themselves, yet carry around their weakness like a backpack full of rocks. Weakness is

Throughout one’s life it becomes evident very early on, that “nobody's perfect”. No matter the circumstances one is bound to need some sort of mischief in their life. This statement is also true for the following texts, whether it’s the subtlety of Catchers main character, Holden Caulfield or the obvious scheming ways of Odysseus in The Odyssey, tricksters play a crucial role in the plotline of the texts. However, being a trickster is not always considered to be a bad thing. It all depends on the intentions it is based upon and the way one goes about carrying it out. If both of those things correspond with inner kindness or positivity it is likely that the act will be perceived much better with less punishment also. The role of trickster characters throughout