2. In J.D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye, Holden is in a bar after wandering around in the city for a while. He glimpses three women and attempts to give them a seductive and "cool glance," though it only makes them "giggl[e] like morons." By using Holden's typical colloquial and vulgar way of speaking and making the women giggle at his underwhelming attempt at being sexy, Salinger highlights Holden's youth and inexperience. Instead of speaking eloquently and politely, Holden simply says what is on his mind, an indication that he is still quite childish. He mentions that he has had several opportunities to lose his virginity, but somehow remains relatively ignorant and inexperienced in the art of seduction. This scene ties into Holden's childlike
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In Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, when Holden is thinking about what he wants to do when he grows up, he decides that he wants to be a "catcher in the rye," hence the title of the work. His biggest wish is to catch children before they "start to go over a cliff," which represents adulthood. Notably, falling off a cliff typically seen as death, and to Holden, that and growing up are basically the same thing. As he embarks on his journey to obtain a "goodbye," Holden feels the urge to commit suicide multiple times, unsatisfied with a life surrounded by "phonies." It is no accident that most of the "phonies" in the novel are adults or other adolescents, whereas all of the children in the novel are seen in a loving and positive light by Holden. Essentially, Holden wants to make children hold onto their youth and innocence before they come of age. Holden's attachment to his childhood is seen throughout the novel, as he is unusually captivated by his earlier memories and is very affected by the death of younger brother, Allie. Holden's nostalgia for his youth causes his depressed and nihilistic attitude in his teenage years. Allie, one of the few people Holden seems to like, is said to have been a baseball player. Baseball is typically played in a diamond on a field, which is where Holden pictures himself standing. The field may also represent his youth, and it was the place where he and Allie would often throw a ball around and where many children spend time doing
In Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, when Holden is thinking about what he wants to do when he grows up, he decides that he wants to be a "catcher in the rye," hence the title of the work. His biggest wish is to catch children before they "start to go over a cliff," which represents adulthood. Notably, falling off a cliff typically seen as death, and to Holden, that and growing up are basically the same thing. As he embarks on his journey to obtain a "goodbye," Holden feels the urge to commit suicide multiple times, unsatisfied with a life surrounded by "phonies." It is no accident that most of the "phonies" in the novel are adults or other adolescents, whereas all of the children in the novel are seen in a loving and positive light by Holden. Essentially, Holden wants to make children hold onto their youth and innocence before they come of age. Holden's attachment to his childhood is seen throughout the novel, as he is unusually captivated by his earlier memories and is very affected by the death of younger brother, Allie. Holden's nostalgia for his youth causes his depressed and nihilistic attitude in his teenage years. Allie, one of the few people Holden seems to like, is said to have been a baseball player. Baseball is typically played in a diamond on a field, which is where Holden pictures himself standing. The field may also represent his youth, and it was the place where he and Allie would often throw a ball around and where many children spend time doing