Catcher in the Rye Essays

  • Catcher In The Rye

    1686 Words  | 7 Pages

    of American literature, “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger, is about how a troubled adolescent, protagonist Holden Caulfield, grapples with the pains of growing up. Published in 1951 and originally written for adults, “The Catcher in the Rye” has been read differently over the years. The New York Times described it as “an unusually brilliant novel” where “adolescence speak[s] for itself”. On the other hand, The Washington Post said reading “The Catcher in the Rye” was “literally a painful experience

  • Catcher In The Rye Catcher

    820 Words  | 4 Pages

    In "Catcher in the Rye" the idea of being a catcher is based upon Holden’s complete misreading of a line in the poem "Comin ' Thro ' the Rye," by Robert Burns, of which Holden hears a young boy singing. The young boy instead substitutes the line "When a body catch a body, comin ' thro ' the rye" for "When a body meet a body, comin ' thro ' the rye." Holden has a dream in which children play a game in a field of rye near a cliff, it being his role to protect the children by catching anyone who gets

  • Catcher In The Rye

    1089 Words  | 5 Pages

    In the novel, The Catcher in The Rye, the author J. D. Salinger generates/creates a period in the life of a young protagonist. J. D. Salinger’s novel explores the different practices of storytelling by utilizing a distinctively constructed character. In this essay, the main topics to be discussed is the narrative’s point of view, the style and genre that are relevant to characterization in Salinger’s novel. A narrative point of view is the way a story is told. Authors have developed different ways

  • Catcher In The Rye

    312 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Catcher In The Rye is a novel written by J.D Salinger the book is narrated by the main character Holden Caulfield he is a very troubled teenager that just got kicked out of his fourth school. The focus on the story is just not about Holden but about the world that he lives in and the people that surround him. The Catcher In The Rye is a novel about the accounts of the real life encounters we face in life on every given day through the eyes of a young man whose eyes are seeing very painful and

  • The Catcher In The Rye

    1517 Words  | 7 Pages

    J.D. Salinger explores the difficulties associated with the passage from youth to adulthood in his novel, The Catcher in the Rye. The author especially highlights the importance people staying connected to others to successfully transition from childhood to adulthood. Holden Caulfield, the protagonist in the novel, is desperately clinging to his youth. Holden is obsessed with the phony nature of adults and judges the people around him based upon their degree of insincerity, two-facedness, and pretension

  • Censorship In Catcher In The Rye

    1273 Words  | 6 Pages

    trauma of World War Two would not let its horror escape his mind. The Catcher in the Rye, Salinger’s one and only novel, was written throughout duration of time in which Salinger’s pain could only be interpreted by pen and paper. Much of Salinger’s reclusive nature is reflected upon in the protagonist, Holden Caulfield and his refusal to allow the adult American society to steal his innocence and curiosity. The Catcher in the Rye is a novel detailing the psyche of a troubled teenage boy, Holden Caulfield

  • Catcher In The Rye Controversy

    865 Words  | 4 Pages

    because of The Catcher in the Rye’s fame. J.D. Salingeralso attended different schools, alike Holden, and after graduating he went to Europe to pursue acareer in writing. While at Ursinus College in Pennsylvania, J.D. Salinger met Professor WhitBurnett, who pushed him into creating more work. Although Salinger was starting of an amazingcareer in writing, he left to participate in World War II, like many other men in those times.Throughout war, Salinger still wrote a new novel: The Catcher in the

  • Catcher In The Rye Setting

    890 Words  | 4 Pages

    Zhu1 Katherine Zhu EAE 1D Ms. Sivel December 1st The Catcher in the Rye: The Pursuit of Endless Childhood The main setting of The Catcher in the Rye is New York City, Holden Caulfield, the protagonist’s hometown. He decides to wander around the city before heading home, to prevent his parents from noticing that he’s been expelled from his school. Out of all the places he visits in NYC, the two most notable ones are the Museum of Natural History and Central Park. The museum is an illusion of how Holden

  • Essay On Catcher In The Rye

    978 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the novel, The Catcher in the Rye, written by J.D. Salinger, Holden, the main character wants to be a catcher. Holden hears a young boy on the street singing. “If a body catch a body coming through the rye and it made Holden feel better” (Salinger 115). He wants to be the only big person around in a rye field, near a cliff, to catch all the kids playing from running off the cliff. It is obvious from this statement that Holden wants to help children, but how can Holden when he cannot even take

  • Catcher In The Rye Symbolism

    281 Words  | 2 Pages

    The novel’s title, The Catcher in the Rye, is an allusion to Robert Burns’s poem, “Comin’ Thro the Rye”, which utilizes sexual imagery to suggest themes of adulthood. At first, the title appears cryptic and holds little meaning to the reader. However, later in the novel, Holden tells Phoebe that he dreams about thousands of children playing in a field of rye, while he stands near the cliff, ensuring that none of the children fall off. Throughout the novel, Holden expresses his contempt for adult

  • Symbolism In Catcher In The Rye

    623 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Catcher in the Rye, 16-year-old Holden Caufield narrates his experiences after being kicked out of boarding school. He is an easily irritated and critical individual who is caught between adulthood and childhood. He has strong opinions on the two worlds and expresses them when he says he wants to be a “catcher in the rye”. This title refers to Holden’s desire to protect kids from adulthood which relates to his aversion to change and growing up. Holden’s explanation of a catcher in the rye symbolizes

  • Catcher In The Rye Quotes

    1841 Words  | 8 Pages

    In The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger Holden Caulfield’s story is seemingly aimless and without any sense of direction. However, Salinger brings the novel into focus in the final chapters by introducing the idea of being the “Catcher in the Rye” from the poem by Robert Burns. Holden confesses to Phoebe his desire to be a “Catcher,” but the definition of this role is only given in a short exposition. A “Catcher in the Rye” can be defined unofficially as a person that is a savior of others and

  • Isolation In Catcher In The Rye

    612 Words  | 3 Pages

    “The Catcher in the Rye” is a polarizing 1951 novel by J. D. Salinger. The novel's protagonist Holden Caulfield has become an icon for teenage rebellion. A key text can be defined as a book that had endured the test of time and is still relevant to modern society due to its core concepts. A controversial novel originally published for adults, it has since been relevant in modern society due to its ability to deal with complex issues associated with coming of age. In particular “The Catcher in the

  • Outline For The Catcher In The Rye

    284 Words  | 2 Pages

    Outline: I. Introduction A. Hook and Background of the issue: adolescence in general + brief intro of the book (1 or 2 sentences each) B. Thesis: Throughout The Catcher in the Rye, J.D Salinger uses Holden to convey the immature mentality, painfulness of growing up and alienation for protection of typical teenagers. II. Immature mentality A. When Holden asks about the ducks, this reveals his childish side of his character. His search for the ducks represents his curiosity and his encouragement

  • The Banning Of The Catcher In The Rye

    327 Words  | 2 Pages

    curriculum or library) to The Catcher in the Rye typically start with inappropriate language, content and sexually explicit material. When the reader is first introduced to the character of Holden Caulfield, it is clear that he is an alcoholic, smoker and overall not a very pleasant teen. With this knowledge of Holden it is easy to understand why a school board would ban the book. In 2002 a school board in Summerville, South Carolina banned The Catcher in the Rye, calling it “ a filthy filthy

  • Phony In Catcher In The Rye

    537 Words  | 3 Pages

    In “The Catcher in the Rye” the protagonist and narrator of the novel is Holden Caulfield. Holden is a sixteen year old junior who’s expelled from his school Pencey Prep. Holden finds the world and everyone a phony, but his younger siblings Allie and Phoebe. He focuses on the depressing parts of the world. He mentions the word phonies very often. Is it possible to grow up without becoming a phony? As you grow up you’ll eventually get to some point in your life where you become a phony. Everyone

  • The Catcher In The Rye Analysis

    915 Words  | 4 Pages

    In The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, Mr. Antolini gives Holden Caulfield advice when he is at one of his lowest points. Already aware of Holden’s mental state and position on school, he quotes Wilhelm Stekel, a psychoanalyst, “The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of the mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one.” (Salinger 188). Although Holden fails to grasp Mr. Antolini’s message, the quote applies directly to his life because of

  • Symbolism In Catcher In The Rye

    377 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Catcher in the Rye is a book about a teenage boy during the 1950s, who was expelled from school because of his academic failure. The main theme in Catcher in the Rye is alienation because Holden seems not to want anyone to be in his life, he thinks that everyone is fake and dishonest,” Phonies” is how he describes most people that he interacts with. The Author uses the red hat that Holden wears as a symbol of alienation. An example of this is when Holden says “That hat I bought had earlaps in

  • Catcher In The Rye Censorship

    520 Words  | 3 Pages

    learning tool in schools. The Catcher In The Rye is a well written novel about a young man named Holden who severely struggles through adolescence. Drugs, sexual activity, and multiple accounts of profanity are consistently seen in The Catcher In The Rye leading researchers to question the books censorship multiple times. The reality of adolescence shown through the narrators struggle with sexual lust and his use of inappropriate language makes the Catcher In The Rye an asset to the learning experience

  • Outline For The Catcher In The Rye

    367 Words  | 2 Pages

    Catcher in the rye “A manifesto of hate” Thesis:The Catcher in the Rye has been connected to numerous violent situations throughout history. This seemingly ordinary novel has become a title of aggression and tragedy.The aspects or themes of the novel may have inspired violence and explain their significance to the whole story. Support: The narrator Holden Caulfield had numerous incidents where he hated something or someone which may have inspired many of the people committing these situations in