The Catcher in the Rye
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is a novel about a young character's growth into maturity. The themes throughout The Catcher in the Rye share a common resemblance with the personality of the main character, Holden Caulfield, which can be easily distinguished by the reader. The significant themes that tie together with Holden's character include the painfulness of growing up, "phoniness" of the adult world, and alienation as a form of self-protection. "Certain things, they should stay the way they are. You ought to be able to stick them in one of those big glass cases and just leave them alone."(p.122) This quote Caulfield articulates about while discussing how things were different each time he went to the museum, originates from an inability to accept that he must grow up. Instead of acknowledging that adulthood scares and mystifies, Holden invents a fantasy that adulthood is a world of superficiality and hypocrisy, while childhood is a world of innocence, curiosity, and honesty. Caulfield is a hostile, negatively charged character who suffers from depression, which stems from a desire to not grow up, and a lack of closure involving his brother's death. Caulfield does
He is surrounded by what he views as drunk, perverted, and selfish adults, which makes him leary of growing up. Caulfield's "phony phobia" restricts him from becoming a fully matured adult. He believes that every teacher is a fake who pretends to be helpful to students along with actors. 104) This quote shows the true depth of Holden's depression. He admits that he is a compulsive liar and seems willingly proud when he says, "I'm the most terrific liar you ever saw in your life. He distrusts his teachers and parents, not because he wants to separate himself from them, but because he cannot relate with them. He desperately desires human contact and love, but his protective wall of bitterness prevents him from looking for such interaction. The city was decked with decorations and holiday splendour, yet, much to Caulfield's despair seldom yields any occasion of peace, charity or even genuine merriment. When situations are described, in person or in a book, they are influenced by the one who describes them, and by his or her perceptions and experiences. His definition of phoniness relies mostly on a kind of self-deception. 117) Phoniness, for Holden, stands as an emblem of everything that's wrong in the world around him and provides an excuse for him to withdraw into his cynical isolation. The inability of Holden to accept growing up and the depression caused by it has made Holden suicidal. Loneliness is the emotional manifestation of the alienation Holden experiences; it is both a source of great pain and a source of his security. His loneliness propels him into his date with Sally Hayes, a beautiful girl, but his need for isolation causes him to insult her and drive her away. As the novel progresses, you begin to perceive that Holden's alienation is his way of protecting himself.
Common topics in this essay:
Holden Caulfield,
Phoniness Holden,
Jane Gallagher,
Rye Holden's,
Sally Hayes,
Unfortunately Holden's,
Catcher Rye,
JD Salinger,
catcher rye,
themes throughout,
jane gallagher,
holden's alienation,
novel holden,
throughout novel,
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Acceptance Essays
