J D Salinger Essay

Innocence is a term defined as lack of guile or corruption; purity. Experience can be defined as practical contact with and observation of facts or events. In many works of American literature there are prominent themes such as innocence and experience. Dealing with the loss of innocence and how a characters past experiences affect the plot are consistently major themes within many works of literature. Throughout American literature the idea of innocence and experience is prominent and it can…

The short stories ‘A Perfect Day for Bananafish’ (1948) and ‘For Esmé—with Love and Squalor’ (1950) present the American writer Jerome David Salinger in his prime. Both short stories are well-acclaimed by critics as well as readers, as they preceded the author’s well-known novel The Catcher in the Rye (1951). Although the two short stories may not be as famous as the worldwide-known Salinger’s masterpiece is, they both represent him maybe even better than The Catcher in the Rye’s Holden…

Integrity in the “Catcher in the Rye” In the “Catcher in the Rye” J. D. Salinger shows both side of the main character. He represents Holden as a guy who always lies to everybody and calls everybody a phony though he is one and as a guy who can be honest with himself and others. So does Holden have integrity or no? That is what reader can decide according to the one’s definition of it. Integrity means following person’s moral convictions and doing the right thing in all circumstances, even if…

In Catcher in the Rye, written by J. D. Salinger, Holden, the main character, wants to save children’s innocence. In the book, there are two motifs, the mummies and Holden’s inability to call Jane, which both reveals Holden’s thoughts about retaining innocence. As Holden arrives in New York, Holden attempts to call Jane Gallagher trying to: “take her dancing. I never danced … the whole time I knew her” (175). Holden has no one to spend time with and decides to use his time with Jane Gallagher,…

The Catcher in the Rye is a novel by J. D. Salinger that is a 21st-century literary classic but is incredibly overrated. It is one of those books almost every high schooler must-read during English class, and most wonder why the book is so popular in the first place. The story itself is not bad, and its multiple symbols and themes that are closely analyzed are probably reasons why this book is forced-fed to teenagers. However, it seems like the true reason this book is such a classic is that it…

Preservation of Innocence "People never notice anything." This quote is the epitome of Holden Caulfield, the fictional teenage protagonist and narrator of author J. D. Salinger's 1951 novel, The Catcher in the Rye. Holden ¨gets the ax” as he puts it, for getting kicked out of Pencey Prep. Holden roams around the streets of New York City, and try’s to take care of himself and hoping his parents get the letter, stating that he got kicked out, before he comes home for the holidays. Holden’s…

In the literary works Hamlet by William Shakespeare and The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger, similarities can be found with each protagonists throughout each work. These similarities can be related with how Hamlet and Holden go through mentally challenging events within their lives. Although the two protagonists’ mental struggles are caused by very different factors, they actually demonstrate very similar reactions. Hamlet and Holden notably illustrate the same reaction when a loved one…

Symbolism in Catcher in the Rye In Catcher in the Rye author J. D. Salinger offers the reader a glimpse into the mind of a young teen protagonist, Holden Caulfield, as he seeks to establish his identity. Catcher in the Rye is laced with clues of Holden’s struggle with the rite of passage. Throughout Catcher in the Rye, symbolism illustrates Holden’s struggle with transitioning from adolescence to adulthood. One of the first and most important examples of symbolism found in the novel is the…

Although sex icons were gaining popularity in the 1950s, sexuality was rarely spoken of. Similarly, smoking and alcohol consumption became quite attractive in the adult world, and was sought after by many adolescents. In The Catcher in the Rye, J. D. Salinger portrays Holden Caulfield to be like any teenage boy in the 1950s, a perverted, alcoholic smoker, who just wants to be on his own. Although Holden may seem like he wants to grow up, in actuality, throughout the novel, Holden is trying to…

situations. Most of the time, it can be unstable and cause them to do things they normally wouldn’t do. A loved one’s death can significantly affect a person’s mental health, leading to mental and emotional instability. In The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, the main character, Holden, still struggles with mental instability as a result of the loss of his younger brother. He wanders around the streets of New York trying to find the person he once was when his brother was alive. He loved his…