Innocence Catcher In The Rye Analysis
(b) The purpose of this essay is to discuss Holden’s progression from innocence to experience in The Catcher and the Rye. In this essay I will be discussing Holden’s need to protect the innocent and innocence itself. I will be discussing the way Holden views society and adults. I will also be discussing Holden’s naivety in the way he views the world as well as his own innocence in regards to sex. This essay will be demonstrating how, although Holden makes progress towards the end of the novel in regards to gaining experience, he then regresses to his former state of innocence in the last chapter. The Catcher in the Rye is put into the category of a bildungsroman novel. A bildungsroman novel is typically a novel that moves the protagonist from a state of innocence to one of experience. Bildungsroman novels are coming of age stories. From the moment this novel begins there is evidence of Holden’s desire to protect the innocent, and innocence in itself (Graham, 2007: 39). The first demonstration of this desire of Holden’s, is his inability to throw the snowball he makes at anything in the street because it would disturb the purity of the snow. “I didn’t throw it at anything, though. I started to throw it. At a car that was parked across the street. But I changed my mind. The car looked …show more content…
Throughout the novel Holden ticks off all the criteria needed for his story to be called a bildungsroman novel. He progresses from a state of innocence to one of experience in almost every way except for in a sexual way. Holden remains a virgin throughout the novel and gains a lot of mental experience more than physical experience. Although Holden comes to point of reconciliation towards the end of the novel, he reverts back to his former ways in chapter 26 and subverts the closure of a typical bildungsroman, thus ensuring that The Catcher in the Rye does not entirely fit into the category of a bildungsroman
Holden Caulfield Unreliable Narrator
471 Words | 2 Pages(Salinger, 173). His obsession with being the catcher in the rye shows that he didn't want children to get caught up in the corrupt and complex world of adulthood, so he desired them to stay kids and preserve their innocence. Thus, proving Holden is naïve to the idea of losing his childhood innocence, since he’s being “forced” into
Holden Caulfield Satire
573 Words | 3 PagesThe Catcher And The Rye by J.D. Salinger is an epic novel where our main character Holden Caulfield faces many challenges that challenge him as a young man such as growing up, rebellion, and love. Holden like most teenagers is rebellious but to an extreme nature. After flunking out of his fourth school the last one being Pencey Prep he refuses to tell his mother and father. In wanting to avoid this confrontation he leaves three days earlier taking a train back to Manhattan. Where he goes on adventure that turns him into a young man.
Examples Of Holden Being Depressed In Catcher In The Rye
728 Words | 3 PagesHe talks to his brother as if he 's there searching for help from him. This novel is about him moving through New York and witnessing this and not wanting to be a part of it, yet knowing he has to fit in there somewhere. Holden grows a very dangerous drinking problem. In the novel The Catcher in the Rye, written by J.D. Salinger, Holden is a lost and depressed boy looking for a purpose in life. Holden believes that growing up is going to cause him to lose all innocence in himself.
Holden's Loss Of Innocence In Catcher In The Rye
1230 Words | 5 PagesHolden’s unusual fantasy metaphorically displays this desire to save children’s innocence on his quest, and literally displays his obsession with death and preventing it, as being the catcher in the rye would accomplish both goals. F. Literary Critics also note that Holden’s catcher in the rye job is a dream of his that he pretends to be a reality to hide the fact that he secretly knows that he is unable to save the innocence of all children. G. Authors James E. Miller jr, and Arthur Heiserman explicitly state that, “Holden delights in circles – a comforting bounded figure which yet connotes hopelessness” (Miller, Heiserman 496). H. The “comforting bounded figure” is Holden’s catcher fantasy that he literally uses to comfort himself against the reality he refuses to believe because it “connotes hopelessness” and he is still too innocent and naïve to accept that. I. Holden possesses this dream as a weak attempt to save the innocence of children and to avoid a hopeless reality of defeat he has yet to accept.
Holden Caulfield Journey
2122 Words | 9 PagesJ.D Salinger’s, The Catcher in the Rye, follows the main character, Holden Caulfield, and his experiences that lead him to be talking to a mental therapist. Told through Holden’s eyes, his profane and blunt explanations of major moments in his life allow readers to see that Holden is not crazy but is actually struggling with transitioning from child to adult. Throughout the story, he fondly remembers his early childhood and is trying the best he can to run from adulthood. He fears that he, like so many around him, may become phony when he becomes an adult. This fear drives his actions and gives him a feeling of hatred toward phony adults and a feeling of obligation to shield children from the harsh adult world.
Catcher In The Rye Holden's Journey Analysis
656 Words | 3 PagesThe novel “The Catcher in the Rye” was about the journey of a adolescent boy finding his way to adulthood. In the book Holden Caulfield was unsuccessful in finding his way to adulthood. Holden’s attitude in the novel throughout his journey was very immature. He also can't accept the fact that innocence can’t be forever protected. Lastly, Holden calls everyone a phony when in reality he is the real phony.
What Are The Causes Of Holden's Mental Breakdown
2021 Words | 9 PagesThis is most likely because Holden wants to continue living in the past when his brother was alive. Several occasions in the novel Holden expresses the feeling that he is responsible for protecting the innocence of children since he was unable to save Allie. The title of The Catcher in the Rye reflects this responsibility since when Holden is talking to his sister, he says, “I keep picturing all these little kids playing… And I’m standing on the edge of some crazy cliff… I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff,” (Salinger 191). To Holden, falling of the cliff represents the shattering of a child’s innocence, and Holden feels like he has to stop children from growing up.
How Is Holden Caulfield A Dynamic Character
1495 Words | 6 PagesSalinger's novel, The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield undergoes significant changes in his personality and outlook on life. Holden is introduced in the book as a disengaged, rebellious adolescent who rejects parental authority and personal relationships. Yet, as the story goes on, Holden grows more aware of how his actions influence others, open to asking for help and support, and tolerant of the hardships and challenges of life. These three factors have all assisted in Holden's character and personal development. Holden becomes more conscious of the value of interpersonal relationships after realizing how his actions affect other people.
Catcher In The Rye Internal Conflict
1032 Words | 5 PagesThe Catcher in the Rye is a novel that was written by J. D. Salinger in 1951. It was first published by Little, Brown and Company and was originally written for adults, but became popular among teenagers for its teenage main character, who deals with problems a large number of adolescents face in their transition into adulthood. It is not a difficult book to read, especially considering it is only 234 pages. The story revolves around the protagonist, a 16 year old boy named Holden Caulfield, who recently flunked out of a prestigious preparatory school.
Catcher In The Rye Adolescence Analysis
859 Words | 4 PagesIn the Catcher in the Rye, Salinger depicts the immature mentality of typical teenagers through Holden’s childish curiosity. Teens experience
Theme Of Innocence In Catcher In The Rye
1851 Words | 8 PagesMany people harbour a desire to accomplish something specific in life. Sometimes this desire stems from the background of a person, and sometimes desires are developed over time and with age. “The Catcher in the Rye” narrated by Holden Caulfield, who is an overly disturbed teenager, is about the change from childhood to adulthood. Holden, like many, has a burning desire to protect the innocence of children; this desire is tied to the themes of relationships, intimacy and sexuality which are carried throughout the novel. In a stroke of genius, the author, J.D. Salinger, sums up this desire in the title, which is taken from a poem by Robert Burns: Comin ' thro ' the Rye ( 1796).
An Alternate Ending to The Catcher in the Rye
1400 Words | 6 PagesPurpose: To show how a small change in choice could affect holden’s life The Catcher in the Rye is about Holden Caulfield, a 16-year-old boy from New York. The novel starts with Holden, writing in his book, hinting that he is in some sort of mental facility .Even though he comes from a wealthy family,because of his loss of interest in studies,and low grades, he gets expelled from all schools he has studied in .Holden leaves his final school, Pency Prep and decides that he will stay in New York City until his parents learn of his expulsion and “cool down” .Most of the novel is dedicated to Holden’s time in the city, Holden lives in a hotel room for a few days during his stay .Holden then starts meeting with people that he used know, some strangers and goes to places with. From his conversations, he
Coming Of Age Theme In Catcher In The Rye
1571 Words | 7 PagesThe Catcher in the Rye is often categorized as a coming of age novel and its title is directly related to Holden Caulfield 's longing to preserve the childlike innocence of those about whom he cares. Holden explains that he would be the “catcher in the rye,” saving children from falling off of a cliff—a
Character Analysis: The Catcher In The Rye
720 Words | 3 PagesHolden Caulfield, the main protagonist in The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, embodies the classic teenager in the process of discovering himself, and how the world works. But, regardless of Holden 's rich, prep school lifestyle, the series of events that have mapped out his life up to this point have utterly affected his emotional well being and perception of the world. Many traumatic events such as the death of holds brother Allie, the death of a class mate, and countless numbers of awkward incidents with adults have all added up to affects Holden 's well-being and detach him from reality. The death of Holden 's younger brother Allie has caused him to confuse his perception of reality and to alienate himself.
Catcher In The Rye: Bildungsroman Analysis
1134 Words | 5 PagesAn important part of a person’s life is when they finally learn how to be more mature and have basically come of age. When a character achieves this quest in a story it is called the Bildungsroman. In this genre of literature, the story displays and demonstrates how the character grows up and becomes an adult. They learn how to be mature in important situations and most importantly they are able to leave behind their ties to their childhood. In The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield is very immature throughout most of the story.
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