Holden is able to see people as human beings, as opposed to sexual objects, he appreciates women and has great respect for them. The prostitute entered the room: “She was very nervous, for a prostitute. She really was. I think it was because she was young as hell. She was around my age … She had a tiny little wheeny-whiny voice. You could hardly hear her. She never said thank you, either, when you offered her something. She just didn't know any better (Salinger, pg. 105)” ... “I took her dress over to the closet and hung it up for her. It was funny. It made me feel sort of sad when I hung it up.” (pg. 107). Despite Holden’s reluctance to see her as a human being and not a sexual object, his ability to see her as her own person makes Holden as an asset. …show more content…
Holden analyzes her and everything she does. He thinks about her emotions, tries to guess her age, he notices her tone of voice, and even thinks about how she might feel ashamed of herself for being a prostitute. “I used to play checkers with her all of the time.” “You used to play what with her all the time?” “Checkers.” “Checkers for Chrissake.” ... “Stradlater didn’t say anything.... Stradlater wasn’t hardly listening. He was combing his gorgeous locks (pg. 36-37).” Holden appreciates Jane as a person, whereas Stradlater views her as a sexual object for him to have fun with. Stradlater doesn't care about what Holden's telling him, and Stradlater is distracted by his hair. Indeed, Holden is a humanist and Stradlater is not. This helps Holden be a more moral
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.
Holden is a very judgemental and immature character and often has vulgar language. Holden often criticizes everyone he comes in contact with and does not try to comprehend the mindset they may have. His childish nature and vocabulary are what make most of his comments laughable. “It was funny. You could tell the waiter didn’t like her much, you could tell even the Navy guy didn’t like her much, even though he was dating her.
Emily Muzi 10/29/15 G How Holden Treats Women Holden Caulfield has trouble connecting with everyone but when it comes to women, he views them as objects to admire or protect. He doesn’t feel that they’re smart, nor hold any depth of character. Although, he holds a very intense love for some such as his younger sister Phoebe or his childhood friend, Jane Gallagher. Holden seems to be attached to them and they’re the only people that Holden is psychologically connected to.
This shows how he is a genuine and caring person. He talks about Jane, a girl whom he likes. He talks about the way she plays checkers. It shows how is able to notice and appreciate even the smallest things about people, and look at a girl with respect, not as an object. Holden is very mature in this way, but
It's quite obvious that Holden is far from a normal character, but his obsession with sexual interactions seemed disturbing in nature. "In my mind, I'm probably the biggest sex maniac, you ever saw" (). After checking in the Hotel, Holden went to the Lavender Room tried to chat up 3 girls. He then ended up at Ernie's Nightclub with Lillian Simmons. When these girls proved to be uninterested he turned to a prostitute, to talk.
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.
He flirts and dances with three women who are older than he is. They seem amused but uninterested. After tolerating him for a while, they begin to laugh at him. When Holden lies to one of them about having just seen Gary Cooper, she tells the other two that she caught a glimpse of Gary Cooper as well. Holden pays for their drinks, then leaves the Lavender Room.
How much can the death of a loved one really take from us? In the novel ‘The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D Salinger is about a boy named Holden Caulfield who is deeply affected by the death of his brother Allie but also has a problem with accepting the fact that he soon has to enter adulthood. The novel explains his idea of the world and what he feels his purpose is in it. I think that this novel relates to teens today a lot because most teen that don 't know what they want to do, the thought of them getting older and becoming an adult scares them. Just like teens today Holden just wants someone to hear him out and understand what he’s feeling but at the same time he feels like explaining his feelings is useless.
Holden begins trying to be older than he actually is, still scared to lose innocence he grasps so hard to be a different person. He is a teenage boy in a grown up’s world. Trying to be an adult isn 't as easy as it seems and Holden is starting to learn that. “She had a terrifically nice smile. She really did.
The first girl introduced to have a deep connection with Holden is Jane. When Stradlater said that he is dating Jane, Holden immediatly wants to see Jane. Sadly, Holden missed his chance because he was "not in the mood" to (Salinger, 42). Since Jane is dating, Holden knows that she is no longer as innocent as she were before. To protect his alusions, Holden isolates himself from Jane, making Jane a girl stuck in his past.
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 says, “This next part I don't remember so hot… I tried to sock him, with all my might, right smack in the toothbrush, so it would split his goddamn throat open.” (Salinger 49). In this scene, Holden pounces on his roommate, Stradlater, when he tells Holden he just spent the night with Jane Gallagher, Holden's close childhood friend. Holden had always viewed Jane as a symbol of purity and innocence, so learning that his roommate may have put the works on her leaves him rather devastated. Stradlater is known for his infamous reputation with girls, and Holden knows that deep down
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
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.