J. D. Salinger

Holden: Falling Into Darkness “This fall I think you’re riding for, it’s a special kind of fall, a horrible kind. The man falling isn’t permitted to feel or hear himself hit bottom. He just keeps falling and falling” (Salinger 186). Catcher in the Rye was written by J.D. Salinger. In the novel, Holden Caulfield struggles with growing up and accepting his brother, Allie’s death. He feels lonely, depressed and isolated from his parents who keep sending him away to different schools which Holden…

Holden the main character of Catcher in the Rye, is a seventeen-year-old who acts childish. The many actions he in an attempt to become is similar to an irresponsible adult’s attempts to become a more mature one. In his many experiences towards adulthood he smokes cigarettes, and although it’s unhealthy it’s one of the only ways he can seem like an adult. However, there is one drawback, and it’s that Holden wants to do childish things. His image of adults throughout the book is that they’re a…

closely resembles his own life journey. Wan Roselezam Wan Yahya and Ruzbeh Babaee, two professors at University Putra Malaysia, discuss this connection in their 2014 critical essay, “Salinger’s Depiction of Trauma in The Catcher in the Rye.” J.D. Salinger served in World War II and his experiences in the military may have heavily influenced his writing, especially The Catcher in the Rye. Yahya and Ruzbeh argue that Salinger’s…

and positive view of the world because of their innocent natures. We fruitlessly attempt to protect the innocence of childhood as we mature into adults. The main characters in both A Separate Peace, by John Knowles, and Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, are young men experiencing the difficulties of adolescence. They envy the purity that they see around them as they conclude their own childhood. Though Holden and Gene initially attempt to preserve the simplicity of childhood, they are faced…

encounter throughout their journey. Certain objects and people are usually tied to certain styles of life or situations that the character may be encountering within the book. Through the sources The Catcher in the Rye and Into the Wild, the authors J.D. Salinger…

Halie praises Ansel because of her two sons, Bradley and Tilden’s shortcomings. Ansel is Halie and Dodge’s dead son that we only know of from Halie. Whenever Tilden or Bradley is mentioned, Halie praises Ansel. While talking about her disappointment of her two current sons Halie said “When Tilden turned out to be so much trouble I put all my hopes on Ansel...He was the smartest probably...Smarter than Bradley, that’s for sure (26).” Halie cannot get over the magnificent son she lost, as she…

When adolescents are faced with the issue of ‘growing up’ many of them pounce on the opportunity to be labelled as a mature and responsible adult. In J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield’s refusal to grow up fuels his journey to explore the boundaries between adolescence and adulthood and find a place for himself in a society he detests. Throughout the novel, it is the children and adults whom he encounters, as well as his internal struggles that allow him to understand his…

Invisible City is a documentary filmed by Hubert Davis. Following the lives of Mikey and Kendell, two youths currently situated in Regent Park’s community housing during the beginning of Toronto’s ‘Revitalization’ plan for the area in 2005. During this development of the city, Davis explores the issues that affect these adolescent boys and their mothers. My initial interpretation of the film is how well the documentary addresses the concerns around public housing. The policy in the film such as…

The Catcher in the Rye’s author, J.D. Salinger, grew up in New York city during the 1920s, and attended surrounding boarding schools in the area. Salinger drew upon his time growing up in New York to develop the characters, plot, and theme of his main novel, The Catcher in the Rye. J.D Salinger reflected upon his time in the Upper West side elite boarding schools, and used his experiences to develop the groundbreaking novel, The Catcher in the Rye. Salinger, similar to his main character Holden…

Thesis: After experiencing the harshness of the adult world, Holden embarks on a journey to become the Catcher In the Rye and preserve children's’ innocence. He goes through a numerous amount of different trials that end in failure; which leads to him realizing that innocence is not something that can be obtained forever. Body Paragraph 1 Holden develops a dream job that entails of him trying to preserve children’s innocence. His idea for his job came about after experiencing loosing his own…