The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is a novel that relates the experiences of Holden Caulfield that led up to his loss of innocence. Leo Tolstoy’s statement, “All great literature is an attempt to answer two essential questions: Who are we, and how should we live?” holds true with regards to J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye. Through the series of events in the novel, Caulfield comes to the conclusion that world is filled with inauthentic people. He also realizes that becoming an adult is inevitable. As for how one should live, he recognizes the importance of appreciating those who listen. Throughout the novel, Holden Caulfield criticizes adults for their superficial ways. He constantly sees through others’ facades and judges
…show more content…
The red cap is connected to his innocence. He wears it frequently, showing that a part of his child-self remains. Yet, when he is going to make direct contact with someone, he tucks it away; in these cases he wants to seem grown up. Despite the fact that he smokes and drinks, a part of him still remains innocent. This is displayed through his constant contemplation of the whereabouts of the ducks when the pond freezes. He genuinely cares about those ducks and is curious as to where they go. When speaking to Phoebe about the kids in the field of rye, he says, “What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff--I mean if they’re running and they don’t look where they’re going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them” (Salinger 173). This is the only thing he can see himself doing with his life because he wants to protect children from adulthood. He doesn’t want them to be exposed to the same phonies that he has had to deal …show more content…
For instance, when Sunny, the prostitute, arrives at his hotel room, Caulfield asks, “Don’t you feel like talking for a while?’ I asked her. It was a childish things to say, but I was feeling so damn peculiar. ‘Are you in a very big hurry?” (Salinger 95). Even though he asked Maurice to have Sunny come to his room, upon second thought he doesn’t feel that he can go through with it. While he has her there, he tries to get her to listen to him and have a heartfelt conversation, but to no avail. The only one who really cares and is willing to listen to him is Holden’s little sister, Phoebe.
In conclusion, The Catcher in the Rye portrays the different stages of life that are childhood and adulthood. People transition from pure, genuine children to artificial, selfish adults. Through his struggles combatting inauthenticity, Holden Caulfield comes to highly value loved ones who can always be turned to when in
The red cap is connected to his innocence. He wears it frequently, showing that a part of his child-self remains. Yet, when he is going to make direct contact with someone, he tucks it away; in these cases he wants to seem grown up. Despite the fact that he smokes and drinks, a part of him still remains innocent. This is displayed through his constant contemplation of the whereabouts of the ducks when the pond freezes. He genuinely cares about those ducks and is curious as to where they go. When speaking to Phoebe about the kids in the field of rye, he says, “What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff--I mean if they’re running and they don’t look where they’re going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them” (Salinger 173). This is the only thing he can see himself doing with his life because he wants to protect children from adulthood. He doesn’t want them to be exposed to the same phonies that he has had to deal …show more content…
For instance, when Sunny, the prostitute, arrives at his hotel room, Caulfield asks, “Don’t you feel like talking for a while?’ I asked her. It was a childish things to say, but I was feeling so damn peculiar. ‘Are you in a very big hurry?” (Salinger 95). Even though he asked Maurice to have Sunny come to his room, upon second thought he doesn’t feel that he can go through with it. While he has her there, he tries to get her to listen to him and have a heartfelt conversation, but to no avail. The only one who really cares and is willing to listen to him is Holden’s little sister, Phoebe.
In conclusion, The Catcher in the Rye portrays the different stages of life that are childhood and adulthood. People transition from pure, genuine children to artificial, selfish adults. Through his struggles combatting inauthenticity, Holden Caulfield comes to highly value loved ones who can always be turned to when in