Essay on The Death of Innocence in The Catcher in the Rye

Holden identifies with, yearns for, and despises traits of the adult and child realms. In the novel The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, the protagonist, Holden Caulfield, fears becoming an adult who exhibits the characteristics that he holds complaints against. Throughout this Bildungsroman narrative, Holden searches for his identity. He tries to figure out his place either in the adult or child realm. Holden possesses a combination of fear and hatred for phonies. Holden uses this term to describe a wide range of people including shallow, superficial, fake, untruthful, or hypocritical individuals. One of the biggest reasons I left Elkton Hills was because I was surrounded by phonies... They were coming in the†¦show more content†¦Since he knows so many phonies he may feel that by joining the adult world, one must submit to a certain degree of phoniness, and he already has. Holden shows the characteristics of a pathological liar, `May I ask your name, dear [Mrs. Morrow]? `Rudolf Schmidt, I told her... Then I started shooting the old crap around a little bit... `your nose is bleeding, dear,...`I got hit with a snowball...One of those very icy ones.. Clearly, the way phonies lie rubs off on Holden. Since Holden shows signs of a phony, and he hates phonies, he in a sense, hates himself. Holden knows he has lost his own innocence; now he realizes he possesses the a bility to protect the innocence of other children. While narrating The Catcher in the Rye, Holden persistently uses the word phony to describe many adults. This entails that people lose their innocence when entering the adult realm. Holden experiences the corruption and cruelty of the adult world. He interacts with individuals who cause him physical and emotional pain. ...all of a sudden this booze hound her mother was married to came out on the porch and asked Jane if there were any cigarettes in the house... old Jane wouldnt answer him...Then all of a sudden, this tear plopped down on the checkerboard... I asked her... if Mr. Cudahy ¾ that was the booze hounds name ¾ had ever tried to get wise with her... she said no though. The possibility that Jane is sexually abused greatlyShow MoreRelatedLord Of The Flies, By William Golding And The Perks Of Being A Wallflower1087 Words   |  5 Pagessome of my most beloved. In my junior year, I read A Separate Peace by John Knowles for my AP U.S. History class while I read The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger over the summer. A Separate Peace explores the rivalry that can lie at the heart of many friendships and conveys the concept of individuality rathe r than conformity. Similarly, The Catcher in the Rye is the story of a teenage boy who despises the phoniness of society and fears becoming just another phony adult. Both novels share similarRead More Catcher in the Rye Essay: Levels of Meaning902 Words   |  4 Pages Levels of Meaning in The Catcher in the Rye nbsp; Protected by a cocoon of naivetà ©, Holden Caulfield, the principal character in the novel, The Catcher in the Rye, therapeutically relates his lonely 24 hour stay in downtown New York city, experiencing the phony adult world while dealing with the death of his innocent younger brother.nbsp; Through this well-developed teenage character, JD Salinger, uses simple language and dialogue to outline many of the complex underlying problems hauntingRead MoreCatcher Rye And Perfect Day For Bananafish1562 Words   |  7 Pages The Catcher in The Rye and Perfect Day For Bananafish In â€Å"The Catcher in the Rye†,by J.D Salinger, Holden Caulfield, a troubled 16 year old boy who constantly gets kicked out of every school takes it upon himself to become â€Å"The Catcher in the Rye†, in reality not being real occupation but an idea he chose to adopt for himself after he heard a little boy singing in the street. The catcher in the Rye can be described in Holden’s perspective as a person, almost like a hero that helps childrenRead MoreHolden Caulfield s The Catcher Of The Rye824 Words   |  4 PagesThe Catcher in the Rye Symbolism Essay J.D Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye, is the story of Holden Caulfield’s loss of faith in society, and in particular adults. Salinger uses a number of symbols to demonstrate Holden’s rebellion against the phony facade of society and his desire to preserve the innocence of children, especially those he loves. Chief among them is Holden’s misinterpretation of Robert Burns’ poem â€Å"Comin thro’ the Rye†, wherein Holden mistakes the original line, â€Å"If a body meet aRead MoreThe Tragedy of Holden Caulfield Is That He Cannot Accept the Adult World He Is Too Old to Continue the Innocent Life of a Child1033 Words   |  5 PagesThe main concern of the novel The Catcher in the Rye is not only that the protagonist is trapped between childhood and adulthood, but also the alienation and regression caused by grief when the sufferer does not address their loss properly. Holden Caulfields nervous breakdown is largely due to the death of his you nger brother. It is because of this that he fears change and maturity so much, specifically the loss of innocence. Holden cannot accept the complexities of the world; instead, he uses phoninessRead MoreCatcher in the Rye vs Frankenstein Novel Study Essay1304 Words   |  6 PagesIndependent Novel Study In today’s world, innocence cannot be preserved forever. As humans age, they lose their innocence due to the corruption that exists in society. This is demonstrated in the two novels, Catcher in the Rye and Frankenstein. The two authors, J.D. Salinger and Mary Shelley prove this statement through their use of various literary devices. Key characters in both novels- Holden and the creature- learn through personal experiences that innocence cannot, in fact, be preserved foreverRead MoreDiscussion Questions To Consider From The Catcher In The Rye1494 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿Discussion Questions to Consider from The Catcher in the Rye 1. The Catcher in the Rye centers on a young man – can women relate to this novel, too? What about Holden is gender-specific, and what is common to all teenagers? Women can relate Common to all teenagers Rebellious nature Negative thoughts Feeling inferiority Illusion of Future Curiosity Not belonging Gender-specific Not as impulsiveness as girls 2. Let’s talk about the ending to the Catcher in the Rye. Is it optimistic? Negative? Gloomy?Read MoreThe Catcher in the Rye900 Words   |  4 Pagesnovel The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger, the characters help portray many themes. J.D Saligner creatively infused his work with varying themes. Holden unknowingly magnifies the importance of the themes, of which he is often times oblivious. This novel is sophisticatedly written in a manner that allows us to see all the themes clearly. The themes portrayed in the novel The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger include phoniness, psychological alienation, and futile protection of innocence. TheRead MoreThe Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger862 Words   |  3 PagesThe Catcher in the Rye a novel written by J.D. Salinger, the book starts off with Holden Caulfield, main protagonist, talks about his experience alone the weekend before he went home after getting kicked out of Pencey Prep.Holden seems to be embracing the growing up mentality yet he is frighten of adulthood he is trying to keep his innocence. Holden’s attitude toward life in general is perplexed. He pretends to be an adult by drinking heavily, yet he complains like a child. Holdens thoughts arentRead MoreCatcher In The Rye Analysis1434 Words   |  6 PagesAmerican literature is full of classic novels containing heroic protagonists; Holden Caulfield of The Catcher in the Rye is not one of these classic heroes. The article Some Crazy Cliff by Arthur Heiserman and James E. Miller Jr. provides one interpretation of the novel suggesting that the protagonist is unique compared to others commonly found in American literature; most heroes are seeking acceptance while Holden is seeking something within the society he is trying to leave. The novel follows Holden