J. D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye, is a coming of age novel, narrated by Holden Caulfield a 17 year old teenager grappling with his transition into adulthood. Throughout the novel Holden tells us of his triumphs but mostly of his tribulations. Holden’s critical tone sets the mood for the novel in which he is constantly snarky and spiteful. Holden’s repetitive speech patterns demonstrate that his inability to change his ways of constantly criticizing everyone ultimately reflects his depression and insecurity, which is rooted in his troubled experiences. Salinger does this to convey that someone’s painful experiences can be projected onto others and used as a mechanism of self defense and as a reflection of their own troubles.
Holden consistently describes others as phony because he is insecure of his own social standing and is unsure if he is worthy of a title that is above being a phony. When put in social situations Holden feels as if he should use a fake name, ultimately showing that he is insecure of his own identity. Holden is out and about in Manhattan one night and decides to call up a girl to have a spur of the moment rendez-vous: “I laughed. ‘Thank you for the compliment,’ I said-- suave as hell. ‘Holden Caulfield 's my name.’ I should 've given her a phony name, but I didn 't think of it” (65). For Holden, the word phony is very negative and it’s a major insult to call someone a phony. When Holden is introducing himself in a romantic situation he feels as if he should hide his identity and true self by using a phony name. Holden feels like his real name, and his true self is not worthy of presenting to someone else, and is not worthy of receiving affection. Holden repeatedly uses the word phony to describe someone he has any negative feelings towards, including himself. Holden is constantly beating up others within his mind, but that is only because he is constantly beating up himself and he needs some form of self-strength. Similarly, Holden’s continual use of the word hot-shot conveys that he is insecure of his own place in the world, and how people view him in the larger world. Whilst talking to the mother of a fellow Pencey prep student Holden decides to embellish the truth in order to provide the mother with what she wants to hear: “You take somebody 's mother, all they want to hear about is what a hot-shot their son is. Then I really started chucking the old crap around” (56). Holden repeats the word hot-shot throughout the novel, and uses it to insult, rather than to compliment. Growing up, Holden has had very complicated relationships with his parents and has always seen his siblings as far superior, leading him to feel very insecure. As he says here a mother wants to hear “what a hot-shot their son is” (56), but Holden’s parents do not show the same interest in him because he has failed out of school many times. Holden’s parents lack of interest in their son throughout his life has made him feel very insecure, and this is shown through Holden’s constant repetition of the word hot-shot. On the same note, Holden’s repetition of many words, goddamn included, is rooted in …show more content…
Piggy fell behind all of his peers because of his physical limitations, which ultimately made him feel as if he had no power. To Piggy when he had the conch he had power: “ ‘I got the conch ,’ said Piggy indignantly. ‘You let me speak!’ ‘The conch doesn’t count on top of the mountain,’ said Jack, ‘so you shut up.’ ‘I got the conch in my hand.’ … ‘I got the conch--’ Jack turned fiercely. ‘You shut up!’ ” (42). Piggy is constantly being put down because he is different and and is not always able to keep up with the others. Piggy always struggles to share his ideas and find his own voice in the group. Because of his struggle for power and confidence Piggy latches on to the conch as a symbol of power. Like Holden, Piggy is very insecure of his place in the world, and this insecurity is reflected in his constant repetition that he has the conch. For Piggy, when he is in possession of the conch he has power, and his constant repetition of this is to cover up his
Holden consistently describes others as phony because he is insecure of his own social standing and is unsure if he is worthy of a title that is above being a phony. When put in social situations Holden feels as if he should use a fake name, ultimately showing that he is insecure of his own identity. Holden is out and about in Manhattan one night and decides to call up a girl to have a spur of the moment rendez-vous: “I laughed. ‘Thank you for the compliment,’ I said-- suave as hell. ‘Holden Caulfield 's my name.’ I should 've given her a phony name, but I didn 't think of it” (65). For Holden, the word phony is very negative and it’s a major insult to call someone a phony. When Holden is introducing himself in a romantic situation he feels as if he should hide his identity and true self by using a phony name. Holden feels like his real name, and his true self is not worthy of presenting to someone else, and is not worthy of receiving affection. Holden repeatedly uses the word phony to describe someone he has any negative feelings towards, including himself. Holden is constantly beating up others within his mind, but that is only because he is constantly beating up himself and he needs some form of self-strength. Similarly, Holden’s continual use of the word hot-shot conveys that he is insecure of his own place in the world, and how people view him in the larger world. Whilst talking to the mother of a fellow Pencey prep student Holden decides to embellish the truth in order to provide the mother with what she wants to hear: “You take somebody 's mother, all they want to hear about is what a hot-shot their son is. Then I really started chucking the old crap around” (56). Holden repeats the word hot-shot throughout the novel, and uses it to insult, rather than to compliment. Growing up, Holden has had very complicated relationships with his parents and has always seen his siblings as far superior, leading him to feel very insecure. As he says here a mother wants to hear “what a hot-shot their son is” (56), but Holden’s parents do not show the same interest in him because he has failed out of school many times. Holden’s parents lack of interest in their son throughout his life has made him feel very insecure, and this is shown through Holden’s constant repetition of the word hot-shot. On the same note, Holden’s repetition of many words, goddamn included, is rooted in …show more content…
Piggy fell behind all of his peers because of his physical limitations, which ultimately made him feel as if he had no power. To Piggy when he had the conch he had power: “ ‘I got the conch ,’ said Piggy indignantly. ‘You let me speak!’ ‘The conch doesn’t count on top of the mountain,’ said Jack, ‘so you shut up.’ ‘I got the conch in my hand.’ … ‘I got the conch--’ Jack turned fiercely. ‘You shut up!’ ” (42). Piggy is constantly being put down because he is different and and is not always able to keep up with the others. Piggy always struggles to share his ideas and find his own voice in the group. Because of his struggle for power and confidence Piggy latches on to the conch as a symbol of power. Like Holden, Piggy is very insecure of his place in the world, and this insecurity is reflected in his constant repetition that he has the conch. For Piggy, when he is in possession of the conch he has power, and his constant repetition of this is to cover up his