“A classic is a book that has never finished saying what it has to say.” Italo Calvino. This quote describes how a classic book will always be relatable and relevant. In the coming-of-age fiction novel, The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, a mentally unstable young man, named Holden Caulfield, goes on a journey in New York whilst trying to find himself as well as trying to become an adult. The quote by Italo Calvino relates to the novel as conveyed through the themes because they are relatable and relevant as well.
Loneliness is an evident theme shown throughout the novel by the main character, Holden Caulfield. Holden states, “ The first thing I did when I got off at Penn Station, I went to this phone booth. I felt like giving somebody …show more content…
Holden states, “Certain things they should stay the way they are, You ought to be able to just stick to them in one of these big glass cases and leave them alone,” (158). In summary, Holden has a fear of change, which includes the fear of growing up. The submissive mood Salinger uses to emphasize Holden’s reluctance to change things in his life. Salinger writes, “ I said no, there wouldn’t be a marvelous place to go after I went to college and all. Open your ears. It’d be entirely different. We’d have to go downstairs in elevators with suitcases and stuff,” (172). As such, Holden is explaining that there is really nothing to look forward to after he graduates from college because once he does, his life will become boring, only consisting of grown up things, such as suitcases. The skeptical tone conveyed by Salinger, emphasizes how Holden does not want to grow up. Holden remarks, “ It’s funny. You take adults, they look lousy when they’re asleep… but kids don’t,” (207). To put this another way, Holden believes that kids look better when they sleep, perhaps because they look much more happy than the adults do when they sleep. Salinger uses a genuine tone in order to emphasize Holden’s true thoughts and how he dislikes adults and favors being a child. The relatable and relevant message conveyed by this theme is that everyone grows up whether want to or not; however, it is also
Loneliness is an evident theme shown throughout the novel by the main character, Holden Caulfield. Holden states, “ The first thing I did when I got off at Penn Station, I went to this phone booth. I felt like giving somebody …show more content…
Holden states, “Certain things they should stay the way they are, You ought to be able to just stick to them in one of these big glass cases and leave them alone,” (158). In summary, Holden has a fear of change, which includes the fear of growing up. The submissive mood Salinger uses to emphasize Holden’s reluctance to change things in his life. Salinger writes, “ I said no, there wouldn’t be a marvelous place to go after I went to college and all. Open your ears. It’d be entirely different. We’d have to go downstairs in elevators with suitcases and stuff,” (172). As such, Holden is explaining that there is really nothing to look forward to after he graduates from college because once he does, his life will become boring, only consisting of grown up things, such as suitcases. The skeptical tone conveyed by Salinger, emphasizes how Holden does not want to grow up. Holden remarks, “ It’s funny. You take adults, they look lousy when they’re asleep… but kids don’t,” (207). To put this another way, Holden believes that kids look better when they sleep, perhaps because they look much more happy than the adults do when they sleep. Salinger uses a genuine tone in order to emphasize Holden’s true thoughts and how he dislikes adults and favors being a child. The relatable and relevant message conveyed by this theme is that everyone grows up whether want to or not; however, it is also