Holden's Use Of Phoniness To The Theme Of The Catcher In The Rye

The Catcher In The Rye is a story centered around Holden Caulfield and his story after being kicked out of Pencey prep. Holden is in his fourth school after being expelled three previous times. On his way home, he encounters many old acquaintances and meets new people, good and bad. He ends his narrative in the mental hospital and tells the reader that he plans to enroll in school again in the fall and maybe even apply himself this time. Themes are the most important literary element to this book. 2nd paragraph
From the theme of phoniness to the theme of alienation, themes are everywhere in this book. Starting with alienation, Holden is constantly keeping himself from others in the book as a form of protection. For example, he ends up on a date with her due to his loneliness, but that same loneliness drives her away after he annoys and insults her. This theme of loneliness and isolation is important due to the fact that even though he tries many times to connect with people, he ends up pushing them away. This just adds to the …show more content…
For example, symbolism is also a major element used in this work. Holden’s hunting hat is a great example of symbolism as it is such an odd item because of its color and the fact he’s walking around New York City with it on. It represents Holden’s need to be different from everyone else around him. Another symbol in the book is when Holden is talking to Phoebe about wanting to be a “Catcher in the rye”. By that he means he pictures himself on the outskirts of a rye field, catching children before they fall off the cliff. The cliff symbolizes the kids “falling” into adulthood, and Holden wants to help them keep their innocence by catching them before they fall. One could argue that symbolism is the strongest literary element in this book, and with solid evidence to back up the