Holden Caulfield is Lost in The Catcher in the Rye Essay

In the novel The Catcher in the Rye, the leading character, Holden Caulfield, emerges as an adolescence lost in his own private world of pain and suffering, yet ostensibly he was able to provide himself with all the luxuries and splendors of American society. Holden is presented as a failure who struggles to stay in at least one of the four schools hes been kicked out of. This can reflect that Holden cant manage to get by in life. Throughout the book, it is obvious that Holden is running from so many things such as growing up, reality and people who are phonies. It seems that Holden is confused and trapped in memories from moments past, that he is dealing with loneliness and isolates himself as a form of protection. Not only that but he†¦show more content†¦Holden seems to be lonely and this can reflect back to Allies death. He doesnt really have anyone to catch him from falling into the ravine, off the rye field the way he would catch the kids. He doesnt have anyone to moti vate him to succeed. The reader is taken back and forth between Holdens remembering and re-living the traumatic pain of his past with his family and the complete disconnect he has experienced. Allies death changed all of Holdens family as well as himself. Its almost as if when Allie died, the household died. When Holden broke the windows in the garage, on the night Allie died, he said, My hand still hurts me once in a while when it rains and all, and I cant make a real fist... I mean Im not going to be a goddam surgeon or violinist or anything anyway (Salinger 39). This disconnect Holden is experiencing between him and his parents is causing him to lose motivation to succeed in school and in life. According to Freud, its Holdens unconscious state of mind that drives his defense mechanism to seclude himself from his parents and actually other adults as well. Much like J.D. Salinger. Salinger lived in seclusion in Cornish, New Hampshire for his last fifty-one years of a lonely life. H e wanted to live a private life and didnt want to be bothered. The defense mechanism is In Freudian theory, the reality-distorting strategies of the ego to prevent awareness ofShow MoreRelatedThe Catcher in the Rye Essay1442 Words   |  6 Pagescharacteristics of Holden Caulfield, the adolescent protagonist hero of J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye and illuminate the reasons as to why this prototype of brooding adolescence, displaying a rather uber-cool style of disaffection, disenchantment and disillusionment became an indispensable figure of interest, in literary circles as well as popular culture. The paper seeks to take issue with the wider dimensions attached to the ‘incapacitation and debilitation’ Holden is often accused ofRead MoreCatcher In The Rye Analysis1434 Words   |  6 Pagescontaining heroic protagonists; Holden Caulfield of The Catcher in the Rye is not one of these classic heroes. The article Some Crazy Cliff by Arthur Heiserman and Jam es E. Miller Jr. provides one interpretation of the novel suggesting that the protagonist is unique compared to others commonly found in American literature; most heroes are seeking acceptance while Holden is seeking something within the society he is trying to leave. The novel follows Holden Caulfield, a young boy who recently flunkedRead MoreCatcher In The Rye Essay example1672 Words   |  7 PagesLooking In Despite the debate that may wage on regarding the status to be afforded J. D. Salingers writings, the authors books have not quietly faded into obscurity. Although published almost a half-century ago, the authors most famous work, Catcher in the Rye, enjoys almost as healthy and devoted a following today as the book did when it was first published. Because of a self-imposed exile that began almost at the same time the Salingers career was just taking off, much of the substance of theRead MoreCriticism Of Salinger s The Rye1382 Words   |  6 PagesCRITICISM Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye has been into continuous dispute and controversy since its publication in 1951. Some critics think that Salinger s narrative of the human plight is engrossing and enlightening, yet incredibly depressing. The leading character, Holden Caulfield, serves as the basis for critical discussion due to his psychological conflict. Salinger s portrayal of Holden, which encloses incidents of dejection, nervous breakdown, impulsive spending, sexual exploration, andRead MoreCatcher in the Rye984 Words   |  4 PagesENG 4U1 June 12, 2012 Catcher In The Rye Essay A role model can be can classified as one of many things, but what is it exactly that distinguishes a good one from a bad? The novel, The Catcher in the Rye, written by J.D Salinger is utilized to present the character Holden Caulfield as an unsuitable role model. Firstly, Holden relies on drugs for a way out of his problems instead of facing them. Also, he cannot find his place in the world, which arises, from his natural inclination to lie andRead More J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye1435 Words   |  6 Pagescharacteristics of Holden Caulfield, the adolescent protagonist hero of J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye and illuminate the reasons as to why this prototype of brooding adolescence, displaying a rather uber-cool style of disaffection, disenchantment and disillusionment became an indispensable figure of interest, in literary circles as well as popular culture. The paper seeks to take issue with the wider dimensions attached to the ‘incapacitatio n and debilitation’ Holden is often accused andRead More 1950s Culture Exposed in The Catcher in the Rye Essay1361 Words   |  6 Pages1950s Culture Exposed in The Catcher in the Rye    J.D. Salingers The Catcher in the Rye is a remarkable book that gives readers a unique and perhaps gloomy perspective of the 1950s through Holden Caulfield, a cynical and peculiar teenager. Through The Catcher in the Rye Salinger describes important aspects of the 1950s. Salinger emphasizes several key characteristics of the 50s and criticizes them through Holden. In addition, Holden Caulfield is a very interesting character withRead MoreDaisy Caulfield : Minor Character1424 Words   |  6 PagesA minor character in The Catcher in the Rye, written by J.D. Salinger, is Phoebe Caulfield, the main character, Holden’s younger sister. Holden describes his sister as not only the smartest kid in the world, but also a great dancer, and a very sympathetic listener. She’s also known as the funniest little sister ever. She is first introduced to readers when Holden says: â€Å"You d like her. I mean if you tell old Phoebe something, she knows exactly what the hell you re talking about. I mean you canRead More Catcher in the Rye Essay: Levels of Meaning902 Words   |  4 Pages Levels of Meaning in The Catcher in the Rye nbsp; Protected by a cocoon of naivetà ©, Holden Caulfield, the principal character in the novel, The Catcher in the Rye, therapeutically relates his lonely 24 hour stay in downtown New York city, experiencing the phony adult world while dealing with the death of his innocent younger brother.nbsp; Through this well-developed teenage character, JD Salinger, uses simple language and dialogue to outline many of the complex underlying problems hauntingRead More Catcher in the Rye Essay: Holden - The Misfit Hero2101 Words   |  9 Pagesof The Catcher In The Rye      Ã‚     The Catcher In The Rye by J.D. Salinger was published in 1951. A recurring theme in J.D. Salingers stories concerns people who dont fit in with the traditional American Culture. Salingers misfit heroes, unlike the rest of society, are caught in the struggle between a superficial world and a conscious morality (1 Wildermuth). In his attempt to create a new and realistic portrayal of the times, Salinger first, effectively creates Holden Caulfield, the main