In many ways, childhood innocence is like blindness. Children are sheltered from the world’s bitterness, giving them a false, but blissful perception of reality. They are, in essence, blind to the tragedies that surround them. When a child is corrupted by the true but harsh nature of the world, they forever lose their idealistic safety and leave its blindness. In the Catcher in the Rye, J. D. Salinger explores the idea that the permanent, sometimes painful loss of innocence is an inevitable passage to maturity. Holden Caulfield, the protagonist in the Catcher in the Rye, fails to accept the loss of his innocence, putting him at a crossroads in his life. At the beginning of the novel, it is evident that Holden’s loss of innocence
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When Phoebe asks Holden what he wants to be when he's older, Holden responds with “the catcher in the rye” (Salinger 173), instead of an actual occupation. Holden, suffering from his loss of innocence, wants to protect children from the turmoil that Holden is currently experiencing, by catching everyone that starts “to go over the cliff” (Salinger 173), with the fall representing the enlightenment. Believing that the passage to maturity isn't inevitable, Holden tries to erase the swear words written across the walls at Phoebe’s school, in attempt to shelter the children. He continues to do this at the museum, where there’s profanity “written with a red crayon or something” (Salinger 204) on the wall. Holden then says that one “can't ever find a place that's nice and peaceful” (Salinger 204), indicating that profanity, along with other callouses, are everywhere. Holden can't erase every swear word ever written across a wall, just like he can't protect children from every cruel part of existence. J. D. Salinger begins to conclude the novel by showing Holden on his way to maturity, by stating that children will want to “grab for the gold ring” (Salinger 211), that has the possibility of pain, but adults must not interfere. Although there can be pain and confusion when a child is exposed to the tragedies, it cannot be prevented, although those who
When Phoebe asks Holden what he wants to be when he's older, Holden responds with “the catcher in the rye” (Salinger 173), instead of an actual occupation. Holden, suffering from his loss of innocence, wants to protect children from the turmoil that Holden is currently experiencing, by catching everyone that starts “to go over the cliff” (Salinger 173), with the fall representing the enlightenment. Believing that the passage to maturity isn't inevitable, Holden tries to erase the swear words written across the walls at Phoebe’s school, in attempt to shelter the children. He continues to do this at the museum, where there’s profanity “written with a red crayon or something” (Salinger 204) on the wall. Holden then says that one “can't ever find a place that's nice and peaceful” (Salinger 204), indicating that profanity, along with other callouses, are everywhere. Holden can't erase every swear word ever written across a wall, just like he can't protect children from every cruel part of existence. J. D. Salinger begins to conclude the novel by showing Holden on his way to maturity, by stating that children will want to “grab for the gold ring” (Salinger 211), that has the possibility of pain, but adults must not interfere. Although there can be pain and confusion when a child is exposed to the tragedies, it cannot be prevented, although those who