Use Of Metaphors In 'Catcher In The Rye'
Sofia Wyszynski
Block 4 Yu Honors
Holden Caulfield, a troubled American teenager in the post-WWII era has a bone to pick with society. Why is it that people are taught to ignore the war, repress their memories and act as though nothing ever happened? This is where Holden’s struggles first arose. Through the classic novel, ”Catcher in the Rye”, the author J.D Salinger expresses Holden’s obstacles and frustration with the society-conforming people around him through large overarching metaphors: the most prevalent of which-Holden Caulfield’s need for guidance in a society where he struggles to conform to the rules.
Ever since Holden’s brother Allie died from cancer, Holden, very needy and dependent on other people, turned to his parents for
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He is constantly told to keep his emotions in, but hits a point where he can’t do it anymore. His hatred for the world arose as a child, through his rough childhood. Towards the end of the story, Holden has the lyrics of “Comin’ Thro’ the Rye” stuck in his head and tells his sister Phoebe about it. "You know that song 'If a body catch a body comin' through the rye'?” (Chapter 22). However, Holden has the lyrics wrong. The song says meet a body instead of catch a body. This brings us back to the fact that Holden need to be held; he needs to be caught if he falls. No matter what he does, it relates back to his need for a mentor, someone to guide him. He proceeds to tell Phoebe that he pictures children blindly running off a cliff into a rye below where he must catch them. “I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. That's all I'd do all day. I'd just be the catcher in the rye and all. I know it's crazy, but that's the only thing I'd really like to be. I know it's crazy." (Chapter 22) Holden feels obliged to catch the children who are in danger of losing their innocence in the game of life, where inevitably everyone becomes impure, even if they don’t realize it. This is why the children don’t realize that they are falling. Holden, a boy used by the world wants to save all the children he possibly can from suffering his unfortunate fate. Through this unrealistic fantasy he has where he’s the children’s “Catcher”, he expresses his own insecurities and needs to be “caught”. Holden’s afraid of the children losing their purity and innocence when they are exposed to the
Holden Caulfield Unreliable Narrator
471 Words | 2 Pages(Salinger, 96). This shows how Holden is naïve towards the subject of sex, since he thinks he’s ready, but he’s not. Furthermore, proving he’s afraid to grow up. As the book progresses, Holden stresses childhood innocence. He tells Phoebe that, “I’d just be the catcher in the rye and all.”
Why Holden Doesn T Holden Pass As An Adult
1359 Words | 6 PagesWhen Holden meets up with Phoebe, he takes her out to a carousel in central park. When Phoebe get onto the Horse and tries to the ring, Holden fears that she will fall. “All the kids kept trying to grab for the gold ring, and so was old Phoebe, and I was sort of afraid that she’d fall off the goddamn horse.” This passage proves that Holden fails to be an adult because he refuses to be one. He believes in a fantasy that he will be able to save children from the evils of Adulthood.
Is Holden Caulfield Selfish
462 Words | 2 PagesHe is unable to embrace the challenges and responsibilities of adulthood because he is fixated on the innocence and purity of childhood. His interactions with Phoebe, his younger sister, demonstrate this. When Phoebe asks Holden "you know what I'd like to be? I mean if I had my goddamn choice?", he starts to talk about being "the catcher in the rye" (173). He sees himself as the protector of childhood innocence, Holden also imagines scenarios showing his resistance to adult responsibilities and challenges.
What Are The Effects Of Holden Dying
851 Words | 4 PagesAltogether, Holden wants to protect children to prevent them from dying at a young age because Allie’s death is already too much for him to handle. He is even going beyond the limits to do this, as he is willing to dedicate his life to it. Secondly, as Holden is walking through the school, he notices, “Somebody’d written ‘Fuck you’ on the wall. It drove me damn near crazy. I thought how Phoebe and all the other little kids would se it…” (201)
Catcher In The Rye Innocence Essay
643 Words | 3 PagesTo Holden, children are the greatest symbol of purity, a purity that he wants to preserve before they “fall off the cliff” of adulthood. Holden is fixated on the idea of being a savior. This tendency has most likely developed after the death of his younger brother Allie who will be forever fixed in a state of childhood. It is no wonder Holden sees himself as a savior of children, or simply the catcher in the rye, “I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all. Thousands of little kids, and nobody’s around-nobody big, I mean-except me.
Catcher In The Rye Analysis
1035 Words | 5 PagesFrom the outset, I have to say that “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger has been one of the most important and influential pieces of literature I have ever read. At its core, the book is a superb coming of age novel which discusses several extremely powerful themes such as the difficulties of growing up, teenage angst and alienation and the superficiality, hypocrisy and pretension of the adult world. These themes resonated deeply with me and were portrayed excellently through the use of powerful symbolism and the creation of highly relatable and likable characters. One such character is Holden Caulfield whom the story both revolves around and is narrated by.
How Does Holden Mature In To Kill A Mockingbird
893 Words | 4 PagesHolden’s answer was, “‘I'm standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff--I mean if they're running and they don't look where they're going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. That's all I'd do all day. I'd just be the catcher in the rye(191). Holden wanting to be the catcher in the rye is a good dream to have but it is also an immature dream because he cannot catch everybody that falls off the cliff, which can also be seen as trying to save the children's innocence.
Rhetorical Analysis Of The Catcher In The Rye
455 Words | 2 PagesThe book The Catcher in the Rye is a story of internal conflicts and the shallowness of adulthood. The main character, Holden, is struggling to maintain his strong voice of innocence in a fight only involving himself. One of the many reasons for Holden’s emotional devastation is the death of his younger brother Allie. Allie passed away three years earlier from leukemia and this of course highly affected Holden’s mental state at the time even if he didn’t know it. Salinger’s tone held the most importance of this book.
The Catcher In The Rye Analysis
1433 Words | 6 PagesThough Holden believes the world around him is phony and wicked, and while he wants to be the catcher in the rye, catching those who will fall over cliff; Holden does not only want to save those children but he also wants to save himself. Holden displays his desire to be the catcher in the rye by expressing his wish to protect the kids from falling off the cliff. Throughout the novel, Holden often states that everything around him seems to be phony; however, there is one thing in which Holden believes is real, and that is the children he encounters in the novel. Quite often does Holden show his desire to protect children from the corrupted adulthood that he
How Does Holden Mature In Catcher In The Rye
609 Words | 3 PagesHolden has grown out of the innocence of his childhood. Holden often finds his happiness from children as he states, “I'd just be the catcher in the rye and all. I know it's crazy but that's the only thing I'd really like to be”(Salinger, 191). What Holden means, is that he would save all the children from falling off of the cliff, which represents adulthood, preserving their innocence. Holden likes the
Rhetorical Analysis Of The Catcher In The Rye
623 Words | 3 PagesThroughout the passage, Holden reiterates memories of Phoebe's past and the “prettiness” that she exudes. Both of which, reveal Holden’s fear of growing up and becoming an adult. Additionally, Salinger’s symbolic use of Phoebe's red hair and her impulsive behavior reveal Holden’s longing for the innocence and carefree life that is enjoyed by his younger sister. Holden’s preoccupation with Phoebe as a child and his dismissiveness of qualities that are like an adult reveals his fear of letting go of youth and a life without responsibility that comes with being a
Catcher In The Rye Timeline
1207 Words | 5 PagesPhoebe tells him that he has misremembered the poem that he took the image from: Robert Burns’ poem says “if a body meet a body, coming through the rye,” not “catch a body.” Holden calls his former English teacher, Mr. Antolini, who tells Holden he can come to his apartment.. Mr. Antolini offers holden to sleep over and puts him to bed on the couch. Holden awakens to find Mr. Antolini stroking his head.
Flashbacks In Catcher In The Rye
846 Words | 4 PagesThe city of New York is where we also meet three other important people in Holden’s life. Him and his 10- year old sister Phoebe have an interesting relationship and are close friends as well as siblings. When he meets up with his sister he tells her that the one thing he 'd like to be is "the catcher in the rye." (Salinger) He explains that earlier that day he heard a little boy reciting a poem similar to that one.
Symbolism In Catcher In The Rye
864 Words | 4 PagesHolden creates a complete opposite interpretation of the song of what it actually means. Holden wishes to catch the children before they lose their innocence and transfer into adulthood. Like he is doing. Interpreting the song to symbolise what he wants to do. When the song actually means of Holden wishes.
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