Catcher in the Rye Rough Draft “The whole point of being alive is to evolve into the complete person you were intended to be” (Oprah Winfrey). The person you are now is not the person you want to be. Life is a journey in which you have to look for the exit towards a more complete you. There are certain objects in your life that will lead you towards the right path. But you will need to find it and learn to transform through . In the classic novel Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, the main character, Holden Caulfield uses three things to look for freedom, protection, and happiness. His interaction with them allows us to see his evolution of maturity and his perspective of the adult world. He changes from an immature child to a adult who …show more content…
He constantly thinks about them and where they went in the winter. “I was wondering if it would be frozen over when I got home, and if it was, where did the ducks go. I was wondering where the ducks went when the lagoon got all icy and frozen over. I wondered if some guy came in a truck and took them away to a zoo or something. Or if they just flew away” (13). Holden thinks about the ducks in Central Park because he wants to be free, he does not want to stay in Pencey and live with phonies. He wants to move out and live on his own, to be independent and free. This allows Holden to change dramatically throughout his adventure. He sees the world more closely than he ever did before, he sees the behaviors of phonies and people who are actually honest. These are the changes Holden makes while traveling into the adult world and it allows him to become a mature teenager. “‘Hey listen,’ I said. ‘You know those ducks in that lagoon right near Central Park South? That little lake? By any chance, do you happen to know where they go, the ducks, when it gets all frozen over? Do you happen to know, by any chance?’” (60). Holden’s desperation over the ducks shows that he is also desperate for freedom and guidance. He wants to find the ducks in order for him to know where he will go after he attains freedom. This behavior also shows that Holden
To achieve true peace and comfort, rather than trying to find love and comfort from others, an individual will search for someone who will give them a sense of belonging. This is seen through the novel, “the Catcher in the Rye” by J. D. Salinger where the persona, Holden, is seen searching for someone or a relationship. For example, the Holden tries to form many relationships including romantically, make friends, and with family members. Thus, to belong with a sense of peace and comfort, Holden attempts to interact with others.
Kylie Hart Ms. Chelsky English 11 22 January 2018 Theme: Adaptation and Strength Song: Silence by Marshmello This song relates to The Catcher in the Rye because they both have the theme of adaptation and strength. In silence he talks about how he found peace in their violence and how he will always keep getting back up into the fight. ¨ I found peace in your violence Can't tell me there's no point in trying I'm at one, and I've been quiet for too long¨ which shows that he's overcoming his previous weakness.
These quotes show a contradiction between what Holden outwardly claims and what he genuinely believes. In the first quote, Holden openly admits that he is "illiterate," suggesting that he lacks literary knowledge and thinks he is not smart. 2. During his conversation with Mr. Spencer, Holden gets distracted thinking about ducks in Central Park in New York City. What are some things he wonders about them?
He describes the Arctic Refuge by providing an anecdote to when he and his wife visited. On paragraph 2 he says, "We had hoped to see caribou during our trip, but to our amazement, we witnessed the migration of tens of thousands of caribou with their newborn calves". He provides the anecdote in order to give the audience a firsthand experience of what the Arctic Refuge is like. This story from the President allows the audience to understand the beauty of the Arctic Refuge and why it is important to preserve it.
The truth, however, was that they did not feel comfortable sitting out on the ice exposed. “Tapete suspected that Sklemucks was a little spooked himself.” They were letting their imagination run wild and free, leading them to assumptions about supposedly mythical creatures. In the other story by Alexie, the little boy lets his imagination run wild when he likens his problems to storms or tornadoes. When his uncles begin fighting, Victor thinks to himself “sudden rain like promises, like treaties.”
Holden’s Struggle To Find Himself: Throughout the novel, The Catcher In The Rye, by J.D. Salinger, Holden struggles to find himself and who he truly is in order to be happy. His struggles relate to many things that he does or say in particular. Holden lacks with a social status with women and his family, whether it’s a relationship or being antisocial. Throughout The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield experiences the complexities and struggles involved with both physical and emotional relationships.
This shows that the Museum is a symbol of Holden’s reluctance for change, in himself and in the world. Central Park is the location where Holden goes in order to answer his question of where the ducks go in the winter. This question could represent Holden’s
Usually considered a controversial novel The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger can often express the feelings of being an outcast and the desire to find a meaning in the world. Holden Caulfield, the protagonist of the novel, though often complains of the phoniness of the world around him, has a way of creating a deeper meaning within the readers. While the truth may be that Salinger purposely set the story in such a way that the readers will be able to connect with Holden, not often do readers find it easy to do so. While Holden believes that everything around him are wicked and phony, there is part of him trying to protect the innocence of those not corrupted by such phoniness. Although Holden wants to protect and save the innocence of children, can he really do so if cannot protect himself and trust those around him.
Change Can Be Good As one grows up they may experience dramatic changes in their life that they wish had never occurred. In The Catcher in the Rye, written by J.D Salinger, the main Character Holden Caulfield, goes through loss as his life begins to change right in front of him. His brother Allie who Holden was very close with, passes away, and his family and friends are all moving forward with their lives.
Finally, he is ready to grow up. He has long understood that he needs to mature, and he now recognizes that the person that he need to depend on the most is himself to find the ability to become an adult. By going to Central Park specifically, he shows that he is really ready to face his question with nothing standing between him and the adult he wants to become. After he reaches the lake, Holden begins to walk around the entire pond looking for ducks. When he doesn’t see a single duck, he suspects that they are resting in the nearby grass so he looks harder.
This scene is exceptionally important, as it sets the entire tone for how Holden perceives adults and their attitude towards death, as something insignificant that doesn’t deserve closer inspection. Holden feels that death is being cheapened by who he deems to be the “phonies”. Another allusion to death is Holden’s frequent thoughts about the ducks in central park. He wants to know what happens to them during winter, asking the cab drivers in chapters 9 and 12. When Holden locates the lagoon and realizes that the ducks aren’t there, he starts thinking about suicide.
In The Catcher in the Rye, Holden demonstrates the struggle of transitioning between childhood and adulthood by revealing his hassle to grow up. Maturity comes through being an adult and growing up is all about becoming more mature. Throughout the book, Holden goes through numerous conflicts and problems. In the beginning of the book, Holden is gives information about himself.
The lagoon itself is symbolic of Holden’s longing for an eternal childhood, the frozen state representing a lack of change. The ducks represent the rest of society which Holden fails to assimilate with. Another symbol of this is the Museum of Natural History which Holden enjoys visiting, for similar reasons as the lake. He enjoyed going to the museum because “Nobody’d move.” and “nobody’d be different”. Holden visits this museum twice throughout the novel.
The ducks in Central Park are first mentioned when Holden visits Mr. Spencer. As Mr. Spencer is discussing Holden’s failing grades, Holden thinks to himself, “The funny thing is, though, I was so sort of thinking of something else while I shot the bull… I was wondering if some guy came in a truck and took [the ducks] away to a zoo or something or if they just flew
Holden believes he cannot live up to what his parents expect of him, but he cannot be so sure. He never talked to them to actually Nguyen 5 know what they want. Holden would rather run away from home, without proper preparations, then to just tell his parents what is really going on and how he really feels. His secretive feelings cause him to be alienated from his mom and dad.