Essay about The Catcher in the Rye - 996 Words

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is a controversial book from many aspects. There was a public uproar when it was primarily released in 1951, mainly due to the profanity and sexual exploitation within. Salinger was able to construct the text in a unique manner, writing from the perspective of a highly critical, lonely and depressed 17 year old boy, Holden Caulfield, who recounts an incident which occurred one year ago. Holden was expelled from Pencey Prep, a rich and well known prep school with a good reputation. He dropped out due to academic failure but claimed that â€Å"he could’ve done the work, he just chose not to apply himself.† Holden decided to give his parents time to digest the news so they wouldn’t be overwhelmingly furious†¦show more content†¦Holden is very judgmental of others around him and quick to criticize the decisions they make, only to exhibit similar faults himself at some point in time. Nevertheless, I believe that the un ique and somewhat arrogant view of the protagonist is an imperative component of the text which makes it stand out from many others. Throughout the course of the novel, the author often uses Holden’s narration to personally discuss his relationship with his siblings. Undoubtedly, the death of Holden’s beloved brother Allie had a staggering influence on him. Although the incident does not occur throughout Holden’s 3 day journey (it happened when he was 13), he makes constant reference to it and the impact it has on him in the present. Even though Allie was younger than Holden, the author was able to depict that Holden adored and looked up to Allie in many ways. Allie’s death was most likely the major cause of Holden’s depression, frequent feeling of loneliness and bitter perspective on life and the actions of those around him. It can be speculated that Allie’s death damaged Holden mentally and is the cause for his behavior. Holden still treasures Allie’s old baseball glove on which he wrote many renowned and inspirational lines of poetry. Holden’s relationship with Phoebe is possibly one of the most important things to him in life. Phoebe looksShow MoreRelatedCatcher 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 MoreCatcher in the Rye1601 Words   |  7 PagesInnocence, Compassion, and some ‘Crazy Cliff A novel, which has gained literary recognition worldwide, scrutiny to the point of censorship and has established a following among adolescents, The Catcher in the Rye is in its entirety a unique connotation of the preservation of innocence and the pursuit of compassion. With certain elegance the writer J.D. Salinger, substantiates the growth and perils, which lie between childhood and adulthood. Embellishing the differentiation between innoc ence andRead MoreCatcher in the Rye1445 Words   |  6 PagesENG 3U1 – The Catcher in the Rye Essay Outline Assignment Task: Pick one of the essay prompts below. Your answer to the prompt will be the thesis of your essay. Thoughtfully and carefully craft an essay outline to develop and defend your thesis. Be concise and to the point, this is only an outline! You may consult your agenda, previous notes and our class for essay writing tips. Be sure to use text-based evidence to support your thesis. Essay Prompts Throughout the novel, Holden is a tormented adolescentRead MoreCatcher in the Rye1138 Words   |  5 PagesJ.D. Salingers The Catcher in the Rye provides a provocative inquiry into the crude life of a depressed adolescent, Holden Caulfield. Without intensive analysis and study, Holden appears to be a clearly heterosexual, vulgar yet virtuous, typical youth who chastises phoniness and decries adult evils. However, this is a fallacy. The finest manner to judge and analyze Holden is by his statements and actions, which can be irrefutably presented. Holden Caulfield condemns adult corruption and phoninessRead MoreThe Catcher in the Rye1500 Words   |  6 PagesThe book The Catcher in the Rye is placed around the 1950s narrated by a young man named ‘Holden Caulfield’ who himself is the protagonist. Holden is not specific about his setting, location, time and other physicality while narrating the story but he makes one thing clear: He is undergoing treatment in a mental hosp ital or infirmary. The events he narrates comprises of time in between the start of Christmas break and him leaving his school as he is expelled. Holden is sixteen years old. His storyRead MoreCatcher in the Rye776 Words   |  4 PagesResearch pap. Catcher in the Rye is a book of many themes of many different types of different things. The main character of the book is Holden Caulfield, this guy has major problems. He’s alone and he knows it, he hates everyone and judges them too. Some themes of this story are the sadness, the lies and deceit, and Holden’s youth. Every one of these themes describe Holden in different ways, mostly it describes what he’s like. SADNESS Sadness permeates The Catcher in the Rye. Main characterRead MoreThe Catcher in the Rye900 Words   |  4 PagesIn the novel The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger, the characters help portray many themes. J.D Saligner creatively infused his work with varying themes. Holden unknowingly magnifies the importance of the themes, of which he is often times oblivious. This novel is sophisticatedly written in a manner that allows us to see all the themes clearly. The themes portrayed in the novel The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger include phoniness, psychological alienation, and futile protection of innocenceRead MoreThe Catcher and the Rye1196 Words   |  5 PagesThe Catcher and the Rye Benjamin Lynch 4/6/2012 Thesis Statement: Outline: * Intro * Tropophobia * Suicide * Withdraw himself from society * Incapable of recognizing the beneficial aspects in life * His fear of growing up and projecting others from it as well * Symbolism * Conclusion 1st Draft: The Biographical Lens applied to The Catcher in the Rye J.D. Salinger expresses his view of society in his novel, The Catch in the Rye. His viewpointsRead MoreThe Catcher in the Rye700 Words   |  3 PagesThe Catcher in the Rye a novel written by J.D. Salinger, the book starts off by Holden Caulfield, main protagonist, talking about his experience alone the weekend before he went home. Holden struggles to fit in society, communicating with others but most of all he is struggling to find himself. Holden lurks for advice from different people in order to get some insight of their perspective. Even though Holden seems to be embracing the growing up mentality yet he wants to keep his innocence. HoldenRead MoreCatcher in the Rye4413 Words   |  18 PagesThe Catcher in the Rye â€Å"Is The Catcher in the Rye, as a work of literature still relevant for today’s youth?† Name: Sara Sigurdson Course: English A1 Supervisor: Mr. Peter Steadman Word count: 3851 Candidate number: 00136022 Table of Contents Content Page Number Abstract 3 Introduction 4 The Actual Catcher in the Rye 4 The Sexual Matter 5 The Caulfield Family 6 Narrator and Protagonist 8 Role Model 9 Mr. Antolini 10 Targeted Audience 10 Guidance 12