ipl-logo

Catcher In The Rye Guardian Angel Of Innocence Analysis

1505 Words7 Pages

Someone is always crossing the line between childhood to adulthood, and innocence to experience. The trick is though, one has to be on one side of the line. It is not possible to walk on the line, it’s an all or nothing kind of thing. However, Holden tries to be the guardian angel of innocence and preserve the things that remind him of his childhood because of Allie stuck in the state of innocence—dead and preventing Phoebe from entering the realm of adulthood—maturity. Holden finds ways to be the guardian angel of innocence, even if it means he would lose his own innocence. He tries to protect Jane Gallagher, who holds special meaning to him because she keeps her kings in the back (31-32). The metaphor of Jane keeping her kings in the back row represents her innocence. She is careful and reserved, since in the game the whole point is to travel the king to the other side. However, if a king gets taken away then she would lose her innocence, or purity—her virginity. He shows an act of violence toward Stradlater because he hinted to Holden that he gave her the time in Ed Banky’s car (43). Holden, who doesn’t like many things in life, likes Jane genuinely and the …show more content…

He wants to be able to catch the children from falling off the cliff, or falling from innocence to adulthood. Hence his name is Holden because he wants to “hold” the children and be their safety net, catching them as they try to descend into adulthood. The descending into adulthood is equivalent to hell because he believes that being an adult is monstrous and that they are phonies. He doesn’t want to grow up and change because he rather lives in a world where things are constant. He doesn’t like change because he doesn’t know what the future holds, he wants to be in his safety zone. Therefore, he protects the people he loves the most from entering the realm of adulthood because he believes that it is a

Show More
Related

  • Analyzing The Conscious Mind Of Holden Caulfield

    808 Words  | 4 Pages

    The loss of his older brother and the absent parents have really affected Holden’s behavior. He lives a life without any care but with exception of younger children. Holden has a fascination with younger children and their innocence possibly because he wasn’t able to enjoy his adolescent years and nor did his brother. Holden mentions “‘Every time I'd get to the end of a block I'd make believe I was talking to my brother Allie. I'd say to him, "Allie, don't let me disappear.

    Read More

  • Symbolism In 'Catcher In The Rye'

    464 Words  | 2 Pages

    He tries to give himself up for this cause of saving children but he shows that he is not mature enough be able to make a meaningful impact in this perceived problem. It is clearly shown that Holden believes that there is a problem in society. He believes that children need to keep their innocence. He feels that loss of innocence negatively impacts people and feels that he has to save them. We can first see his personal issues about the lack of innocence when he discovers that Stradlater and Jane Gallagher had sex casually with no intention

    Read More

  • Examples Of Loss Of Innocence In Catcher In The Rye

    1177 Words  | 5 Pages

    One cannot keep a child innocent forever. Holden needed to learn to let Phoebe go, so he watched her ride the carousel from the outside. Letting Phoebe go was one of the happiest moments in Holden’s life. He learned to accept that Phoebe will not be innocent forever and she will no longer be a naive child. One’s innocence will eventually expire, even if attempted to be

    Read More

  • What Is The Catcher In The Rye Critical Lens

    1496 Words  | 6 Pages

    Inner struggles 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

    Read More

  • Catcher In The Rye Rite Of Passage Analysis

    1142 Words  | 5 Pages

    He talks quite a bit about sex, but his virginity is the last existing innocence to him. Holden pays for a prostitute to have sex with, but he cannot go through with it. He is very hesitant about losing his innocence. Holden wants to be “the catcher in the rye” (191) and save all the innocence in the world. He believes that that is what he wants to do in the future as he tells his little sister, Phoebe.

    Read More

  • Catcher In The Rye Analysis

    1035 Words  | 5 Pages

    Throughout the course of the novel, Holden is constantly attempting to find somebody who is willing to both listen and

    Read More

  • Catcher In The Rye Holden's Struggles Essay

    830 Words  | 4 Pages

    The ending chapter of the novel Holden finds the loss of innocence he’s been searching for. When Phoebe is riding the carousel and she reaches for the ring, it represents maturing. Phoebe is a symbol for youth and innocence, and she is reaching for maturity. 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

    Read More

  • Holden Caulfield's Song

    316 Words  | 2 Pages

    **in' special.” Through this excerpt of “Creep”, you can connect it with Holden putting Jane up on a pedestal, even though it is communicated through her family history that she is anything but perfect. He doesn’t feel equal to her socially, or physically, because he, as I said before, is very critical of himself ,especially now that she is dating his seemingly “perfect” roommate,

    Read More

  • Catcher In The Rye Loneliness Analysis

    1305 Words  | 6 Pages

    The failure to do this leads to missed opportunities for recovery. Nowhere is this greater emphasized than in his relationship with Jane Gallagher, the only character similar to Holden while having the ability to save him. The motif of games is shown when he remembers that Jane always kept her kings in the back row when playing checkers. She tries to keep the game moving forever just how Holden desires to remain a child forever. Like Holden, she also comes from a toxic family environment, keeping her kings in the back is a sign of possible sexual abuse from her alcoholic stepfather.

    Read More

  • Holden's Loss Of Innocence In Catcher In The Rye

    1230 Words  | 5 Pages

    Overall, he wants to believe he can protect everyone else’s innocence because he wasn’t able to protect his own

    Read More

  • Catcher In The Rye Allie's Mitt Analysis

    779 Words  | 4 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Catcher In The Rye Holden's Journey Analysis

    656 Words  | 3 Pages

    Holden says that all he want to do is be the catcher in the rye protecting children from falling. The whole novel Holden makes observation around him that are taking away from children's innocence. This is what upsets him the most the fact that everyone will eventually have to grow up. While he is trying to go get Phoebe he is reminded this in the following quote. “I went down by a different staircase, and I saw another "Fuck you" on the wall.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Maturity In Catcher In The Rye

    837 Words  | 4 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • Holden's Fragile Side In Catcher In The Rye

    289 Words  | 2 Pages

    Although most of the time, Holden demonstrates his rebellious side, he actually still has fragile side. “What I was really hanging around for, I was trying to feel some kind of good-by”(7). “Good-by” is a word can brings a sense of sadness. Holden’s thoughts about “good-by” demonstrate he is a fragile boy who is like a piece of glass, easy to be broken. This shows that Holden is a person who has desire to love and care from others.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Innocence In Catcher In The Rye

    1851 Words  | 8 Pages

    Holden wishes that people could keep their good qualities by “sticking them into glass cases and leaving them alone.” (Chapter16). While he realises that this is just a fantasy, it does not stop him from wanting to protect the children from falling into the emotional and mental distress of personality changes that occur in the journey from childhood to adulthood. This ties into the

    Read More

More about Catcher In The Rye Guardian Angel Of Innocence Analysis

Open Document