In his novel, The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger conveys the idea that the authenticity of art depends on the motive of the artists; because in his perspective, real art creates true emotions while inauthentic art made to please one’s audience does not.
A perfect example of this is when Holden goes to see Ernie, a pianist, perform. Immediately, upon entering the bar, Holden notices the mirror before Ernie’s face and the “dumb, show-offy ripples” (84) used in the high notes. Although, Holden recognizes his skillfulness, these … make him unconvinced that Ernie is playing from his heart. Instead, Ernie is trying to be smooth just to amuse his audience. Additionally, Holden partly faults the audience for Ernie’s inauthentic performance: “I partly
A perfect example of this is when Holden goes to see Ernie, a pianist, perform. Immediately, upon entering the bar, Holden notices the mirror before Ernie’s face and the “dumb, show-offy ripples” (84) used in the high notes. Although, Holden recognizes his skillfulness, these … make him unconvinced that Ernie is playing from his heart. Instead, Ernie is trying to be smooth just to amuse his audience. Additionally, Holden partly faults the audience for Ernie’s inauthentic performance: “I partly