When deciding what genre of novel to write, it can be difficult for a writer to choose since there are so many to choose from. Even if a writer often chooses to write novels of mostly one type of genre, it can be nice to mix things up. In the beginning of The Catcher in the Rye, written by J.D. Salinger, the protagonist’s brother has died and the protagonist is in a period of awkwardness. Then, throughout the book the protagonist encounters many situations where his way of thinking is challenged. By the ending of the book, he obtains his maturity and discovers his identity. From these characteristics, it is apparent that the Catcher in the Rye is a bildungsroman, a type of book in which the protagonist stops being an adolescent and matures.
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They seem to be the first adults he meets that he likes, even after he’s done talking and thinking about them. Holden writes, “The only way she [sally’s mother] could go around with a basket collecting dough would be if everybody kissed her ass for her when they made a contribution” (Salinger 114). In this quote Holden is talking about one of the women he knows that could never be a nun because there would be no type of self-gain. This proves that Holden respects and likes nuns because he compares them to other people who he doesn’t like and respect. Another time Holden’s way of thinking is challenged is when he’s in Phoebe’s school and he realizes that no matter how hard you try you can’t stop kids from losing their innocence. Holden states, “It’s hopeless, anyway. If you had a million years to do it in, you couldn’t rub out even half the “fuck you” signs in the world” (Salinger 202). It explains how he feels when he tries to rub off a “fuck you” sign on the wall of Phoebe’s school because it shows that he knows that you can’t stop a child from learning things that will change them. Prior to that Holden was also challenged when he was at Mr. Antolini’s house. (One of the people he looked up to changed.) During one part of the book Holden claims that, “he [Mr. Antolini] was the best teacher I ever had” (Salinger 174), but then later asserts that, “I know more damn perverts… and they’re always being perverty when I’m around” (Salinger 192). The reason he states that he knows more damn perverts is because Mr. Antolini was touching his head right before the quote was stated and therefore he is implying that Mr. Antolini is a pervert. Therefore this changed his opinion from Mr. Antonlini being the best teacher he ever had to being a pervert. The last time that Holden’s way of thinking was challenged was when he talks to Phoebe at the steps of the Museum and he realizes that what he dreams
They seem to be the first adults he meets that he likes, even after he’s done talking and thinking about them. Holden writes, “The only way she [sally’s mother] could go around with a basket collecting dough would be if everybody kissed her ass for her when they made a contribution” (Salinger 114). In this quote Holden is talking about one of the women he knows that could never be a nun because there would be no type of self-gain. This proves that Holden respects and likes nuns because he compares them to other people who he doesn’t like and respect. Another time Holden’s way of thinking is challenged is when he’s in Phoebe’s school and he realizes that no matter how hard you try you can’t stop kids from losing their innocence. Holden states, “It’s hopeless, anyway. If you had a million years to do it in, you couldn’t rub out even half the “fuck you” signs in the world” (Salinger 202). It explains how he feels when he tries to rub off a “fuck you” sign on the wall of Phoebe’s school because it shows that he knows that you can’t stop a child from learning things that will change them. Prior to that Holden was also challenged when he was at Mr. Antolini’s house. (One of the people he looked up to changed.) During one part of the book Holden claims that, “he [Mr. Antolini] was the best teacher I ever had” (Salinger 174), but then later asserts that, “I know more damn perverts… and they’re always being perverty when I’m around” (Salinger 192). The reason he states that he knows more damn perverts is because Mr. Antolini was touching his head right before the quote was stated and therefore he is implying that Mr. Antolini is a pervert. Therefore this changed his opinion from Mr. Antonlini being the best teacher he ever had to being a pervert. The last time that Holden’s way of thinking was challenged was when he talks to Phoebe at the steps of the Museum and he realizes that what he dreams