I'm Right Here

Many of the things that he says lead to this conclusion. For instance, Holden’s obsession with the ducks is a good symbol of his loneliness. When Holden is in the taxi and is talking to the driver he says, "You know those ducks in that lagoon right near Central Park South? That little lake? By any chance, do you happen to know where they go, the ducks, when its gets all frozen over? Do you happen to know, by any chance?" (Chapter 9). While this seems like an innocent enough of a question asked…

actions. Beginning with an of Holden’s personality, the readers have to decide how much of what Holden is writing is truth or a modified version of truth that Holden tells. This complication was brought to the audience’s attention when Holden says “I’M THE MOST TERRIFIC LIAR” (Salinger 19). The author…

Antolini’s house to get away from his parents. However when he goes there Mr. Antolini has a lot to drink, and while Holden is sleeping on the couch, he awakes to Mr. Antolini petting his head. When Holden questions what he is doing he responds, “I’m simply sitting here, admiring”(192). This attributes not only to Holden’s inability to form trusting relationships, but also to his fear of the adult world. Mr Antolini was once a trusted friend of Holden’s and it hurts him that he is corrupted by…

adult corruption. The Museum of Natural History is one of Holden’s favorite childhood memories. As he contemplates his youth, Holden grasps the reason why he loved it so much: “The best thing though, in that museum was that everything always stayed right where it was. Nobody’d move…the only thing that would be different is you” (Catcher 121). Holden relishes the idea of everything remaining perpetually unchanged. Although, Holden does admit that he is different. The museum never changes but…

In JD Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield is a boy aimlessly traveling New York City after being expelled from a classy boarding school. Holden poses a great deal of trepidation when it comes to sexual relationships, especially those of Jane and Sunny. Furthermore, Holden tends to misjudge the maturity of his fellow characters. The combination of this misconception, the tension between sexual trepidation, and an adult life with adult relationships, results in confusion for him. In…

the stupidest of the three of them” (Salinger 73). Holden Caulfield consistently mistakes the lack of desire women feel to talk to him as stupidity, even when they can make conversation on topics he is interested in. It is never enough, or not the right type of intelligence. “She knew quite a lot about the theater and plays and literature... it takes you quite a while to find out whether they’re really stupid or not” (Salinger 105). Despite having directly stated that Sally Hayes is…

Throughout our lives, all human beings are forced to navigate from the world of our carefree simplistic childhoods to the more terrifying complex world of adulthood. For most people, this journey is fearsome and full of struggles and obstacles that they must overcome in order to venture to the other side. No matter how difficult this journey is, growing up and becoming an adult is necessary for our life experience. In the novel The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, the main character Holden…

The teen-aged years act as a boundary to either permit or prevent one from reaching adulthood. While some find the transition to be smooth, others become stuck in their past, remaining tied to their innocent childhood. Holden Caulfield, in J.D. Salinger’s novel The Catcher in the Rye, is an iconic representation of the American teenager. Holden dwells in the past due to his personal struggles and the difficulty he has understanding controversial life topics such as death and sex. The Catcher in…

disgusting, Stradlater doesn 't, but is disgusting. Holden says, “ You remember I said before that Ackley was a slob in his personal habits? Well, so was Stradlater, but in a different way. Stradlater was more of a secret slob. He always looked all right, Stradlater, but for instance you should’ve seen the razor he shaved himself with. It was always rusty as hell and full of lather and hairs and crap. He never cleaned it or anything. He always looked good when he was finished fixing himself up,…

An obsession with innocence leaves one predestined to be wedged between a world of childhood and that of adulthood. In JD Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye we are introduced to one of the most complex protagonists of literature, Holden Caulfield the antihero. Holden’s fixation with innocence leads him into a desperate search for connections to people who portray childlike and pure characteristics to which he feels he can identify with. Throughout the novel, Holden struggles to avoid conforming…