Premium Essay

Catcher In The Rye Character Analysis

Submitted By
Words 498
Pages 2
Growing up everyone wants to be accepted someway. It is always nice to feel accepted by your peers. In The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield is a young man who seeks the acceptance of others. Holden Caulfield reached out to many people throughout the book. Sometimes people accepted Holden Caulfield and other times people rejected him. Holden Caulfield reached out for acceptance when he asked to sleep with Ackley, when he tried to talk to the prostitute, and when he was talking with the nuns. Holden Caulfield reached out to Ackley when Holden asked to sleep in Ackley’s room after Holden’s fistfight with Stradlater. Ackley shot Holden down and said he could not just give up his roommate's bed. Holden really did not even want to sleep with

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Catcher In The Rye Holden Character Analysis

...Phoebe is the one who let holden reach some emotional intimacy to communicate his negative emotions towards adulthood. She gave holden the confidence to talk about his emotional struggle and made realize himself. He says “About all I know is, I sort of miss everybody I told about. Even old Stradlater and Ackley, for example, I think I even miss that goddam Maurice.” He showed that he is growing up emotionally by missing people whom holden called phony. The resolution we came of for this conflict is that he needs someone to talk to, to support/protect him, or drag him to the correct way. Holden talked about how he is concerned with where the ducks from Central park go in the winter. He also talked about we want to be catcher in the rye. This showed he is afraid of ducks and children fail and don’t have anywhere to go, much like him. It showed that he always had desire for attention and care from someone who can have deep...

Words: 668 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Similarities Between Jane Eyre And Catcher In The Rye

...libraries around the world for the past one hundred and sixty years, proving it can withstand the test of time. Her classic writing style, unforgettable characters, and literary acclaim have all contributed to the novel’s success. These same characteristics apply to J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, supporting that this novel will also stand the test of time. Each author has a style uniquely their own, with...

Words: 1642 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Cherished and Cursed: Toward a Social History of the Catcher in the Rye

...4141- 4141--- Cherished and Cursed:Towarda Social History of The Catcher in the Rye STEPHEN J. WHITFIELD THE plot is brief:in 1949 or perhaps 1950, over the course of three days during the Christmas season, a sixteen-yearold takes a picaresque journey to his New YorkCity home from the third private school to expel him. The narratorrecounts his experiences and opinions from a sanitarium in California. A heavy smoker, Holden Caulfield claims to be already six feet, two inches tall and to have wisps of grey hair; and he wonders what happens to the ducks when the ponds freeze in winter. The novel was published on 16 July 1951, sold for $3.00, and was a Book-of-the-Month Club selection. Within two weeks, it had been reprinted five times, the next month three more times-though by the third edition the jacket photographof the author had quietly disappeared. His book stayed on the bestseller list for thirty weeks, though never above fourth place.' Costing 75?, the Bantam paperback edition appeared in 1964. By 1981, when the same edition went for $2.50, sales still held steady, between twenty and thirty thousand copies per month, about a quarter of a million copies annually. In paperback the novel sold over three million copies between 1953 and 1964, climbed even higher by the 1980s, and continues to attract about as many buyers as it did in 1951. The durabilityof The author appreciates the invitationof Professors Marc Lee Raphaeland Robert A. Gross to present an early version...

Words: 12326 - Pages: 50

Free Essay

Doc for Englisg 11

...Asian Social Science May, 2009 An Analysis of the Adolescent Problems in The Catcher in the Rye Lingdi Chen Dept. of Foreign Languages, Dezhou University Daxue xi Road, Dezhou 253023, China E-mail: chld1973@126.com Abstract The Catcher in the Rye was written by famous American writer J.D.Salinger. This paper mainly analyzes the adolescent problems Holden Caulfield confronts on the journey from childhood to adulthood. These adolescent problems include Holden’s protection of innocence, his disgust for the phoniness of the adult world, and his alienation from society. This paper concludes that these adolescent problems produce great impact on him. Holden behaves almost erratically and impulsively and has negative attitudes towards almost everything and everyone he meets. Keywords: Adolescent problems, Innocence, Phoniness, Alienation 1. Introduction The Catcher in the Rye, Salinger’s masterpiece, tells the painful story of a high-school boy growing up in the world of decadent New York. Young Holden Caulfield is expelled from school because of his poor academic performance. He is afraid to meet his parents earlier than they should expect him, so he decides to stay in a New York City hotel. There he meets pimps, prostitutes and “queers.” Soon he becomes aware that the world of adults is a “phony” one. After his meeting with a friend, Holden sneaks back home to see his kid sister Phoebe. She is a loving kid, but her talk about their father “killing” him sickens...

Words: 3375 - Pages: 14

Free Essay

Catcher in the Rye Closed Analysis 183-186

...Catcher in the Rye – closed analysis With close reference to pages 183-186 analyse Salinger’s use of language and structure, exploring Holden’s contradictory view of the word Holden is an adolescent struggling against the unfair, sometimes cruel nature of the adult world and sees the hypocrisy and attempts to flee it. Salinger uses Holden’s character to express his views on the 1950’s America and gives us as readers an insight through the first person narrative to the average American boy’s life. Throughout the novel we are able to identify that Holden holds many critical views on the society around him which results in his inability to connect to it. He expresses this insecurity by criticising the flaws that he finds, for example, the unfair class system. At the beginning of the extract when Holden is talking to the two children, he tells them “you should” learn about how Egyptians bury the dead, yet this is a clear contradiction to what Holden himself is like as he doesn’t care about his own education, yet is advising others. Here I believe that Holden is being what he calls ‘phony’ and in this circumstance phony refers to the false pretences and the way he acts like someone he isn’t. However, though Holden uses the word ‘phony’ repeatedly throughout the novel, it doesn’t always mean the same thing. It’s what he uses for describing the superficiality, hypocrisy, pretension, and shallowness that he encounters in the world around him and it stands as an emblem of everything...

Words: 1000 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Holden's Phony Quotes

...part of his personality. His lies are always nonsensical and never correlate with what he’s really trying to mean. 4) “I’m quite illiterate, but I read a lot.” (24) In the beginning, Holden could be seen as a non-studious student who flunked every single subject he took except English. However, it doesn’t show that he doesn’t have an interest in those things. Although he is illiterate, Holden still reads quite a of book which can show what his interests and hobbies are. 5) “Sensitive. That killed me. That guy Morrow was about as sensitive as a goddamn toilet seat.” (72) I appreciate all the comparisons that Holden makes regarding to things that he mentions because it has a remarkable sense of humour and also helps us understand each character. In this quote Holden accurately describes Ernest using a simile. He has great observation and inference skills indeed. 6) “I’d only been in about two fights in my life, and I lost both of them. I’m not too tough. I’m a pacifist, if you want to know the truth.” (59) This was after Stradlater punched Holden in the nose in the dorm after getting into a quarrel with each other. It’s quite unusual for a pacifist to get into a fight unless it is really something that ticks them off. This really shows how much Holden cares about Jane Gallagher, considering that he tried to start a fight with Stradlater. 7) “But I’m crazy. I swear to God I am. About halfway to the bathroom, I sort of started pretending I had a bullet in my guts” (135) The general...

Words: 1291 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Effects of over Uses of Computer

...Department National College of Science and Technology In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirement for the Degree Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management Mr. Christer John R. Manalo Ms. Jemimah V. Cami Premium 6280 Words 26 Pages Soc Thesis Writing Within Sociology: A Guide for Undergraduates Department of Sociology Oregon State University Table of Contents Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii 1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . Premium 37612 Words 151 Pages Thesis UNDERGRADUATE THESIS PROJECT PROPOSAL School of Engineering and Applied Science University of Virginia Study and Analysis of Fire Protection Systems in Fraternity and Sorority Houses at the University of Virginia Submitted by Nicholas Feakins Mechanical Engineering S Premium 3856 Words 16 Pages The Positive Aspects of Fraternities The Positive Aspects Of Fraternities A college fraternity exists on the premise that a man is by nature a social being and needs the companionship with his fellow man. A fraternity provides a structure, and an environment in which close friendships can flourish, Bringing each of the fraternity m Premium 373 Words 2 Pages Thesis: Is There a God or Is He(?) an Illusion? Thesis: Is There a God or is He(?) an Illusion? An illusion is one's own...

Words: 1369 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

English Isp

...Annotated Works Cited and Consulted Dunkle, Iris Jamahl. "Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar: Understanding Cultural and Historical Context in an Iconic Text." Critical Insights: The Bell Jar.Web. <http://literature.salempress.com/doi/full/10.3331/CIBell_Jar_711531005?prevSearch=the+bell+jar&searchHistoryKey=&queryHash=311b1d1f647bfe6cc1e161a0181d7589>. The piece “Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar: Understanding Cultural and Historical Context in an Iconic Text” by Iris Jamahl Dunkle is an excerpt from the Critical Insights: The Bell Jar provides an interesting perspective on how the postwar society has a great effect on a woman’s sexuality and sexual behaviour. For example, women were much more encouraged to engage in intimate relationships and wanted to have children. Dunkle explains that “there is nothing psychotic about any of this, and most women who lived through the 1950s [...] attitudes toward virginity and that once freed from this-the virginity itself and her attitude toward it- a woman could be free” (Dunkle). This observation suggests that women felt a tie or a debt to men and the only way to be freed was through sex. This passage is significant as it will aid me though writing my essay because it adds new viewpoint while analysing the sexual affairs that occur throughout the novel. Additionally, by studying Plath and her literature it is evident that “there is [a] particularly stubborn, uncompromising mind of [Plath] represented in Esther’s psyche”(Dunkle)...

Words: 1539 - Pages: 7

Free Essay

Of Books

...books are those which capture life, as I know it down to every specific detail. These books are similar to watching an HD TV; every detail is just so pronounced and accurate. Books that resemble this beautiful real life portrayal could be like J.D. Salinger’s Catcher in The Rye. Every emotion that Salinger delineates through his characterization of Holden Caulfield is so potent that those details resonate even more for someone dealing with a similar internal struggle. When I read the book at 15, every sensory detail that Salinger described helped better illuminate part of my own internal struggle. The over exaggeration of the resentment of society as being in genuine really captured my own internal resentment for molds that people contrive themselves to fit. The one scene with Caulfield sitting in the bathtub depressed after refusing sex from a hooker will always be infused into my constant sub consciousness. When I just feel worn out and pushed to my emotional limit, I see that image burned bright into my memory because that scene is the ultimate depiction of frustration and stress. Although, this style of writing may be beautiful, sometimes it is nice to escape the hyperrealism captured in a book like Catcher in The Rye, and instead read something that expands the mind’s imagination. The contrary to the book that affirms one’s emotions and ideas is the book that challenges one’s conception of reality. A book such as Bram Stoker’s Dracula has the unique ability to really push...

Words: 1553 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Kite Runner

...or references to scenes in the book.) Do not rely upon summative sources such as Spark Notes. Grading Criteria: There is a grading rubric in the Summer Reading folder for you to consult describing the grading standards for this paper. A word on how to avoid the most common mistake for this type of paper: This is a textual analysis, not a summary. Do not simply summarize the story again—write about the important aspects of the story that the prompt requests. There is a sample outline at the end of this document to illustrate how you can structure your paper so you stick with the prompt. Prompt #1 Critic Roland Barthes has said, “Literature is the question minus the answer.” Considering Barthes’ observation, write an essay in which you analyze a central question The Kite Runner raises and the extent to which it offers answers. Explain how the author’s treatment of this question affects your understanding of the work as a whole. Prompt #2 Describe how a minor character in your novel serves as a foil, or opposite, to the main character. Then describe how the relationship between the minor character and the major character illuminates the meaning of the work. Prompt #3 In great literature, no scene of violence exists for its own sake. Find a violent scene (or scenes) in The Kite Runner and explain how they illuminate the meaning of the novel. A Sample Outline Below is an example illustrating how prompt...

Words: 577 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Summary: SIOP Lesson Plan Assignment

...SIOP Lesson Plan Assignment Gina Mastrogiacomo Mercy College Introduction: Lesson Description: Students will choose a perspective on the character (from options suggested by the teacher) and work in small groups to identify scenes in the novel that reflect their view. They then create visual depictions of these scenes and write a rationale for each scene chosen, including supporting evidence from the text. When students present their completed graphic novels in class, their classmates inevitably make observations that increase everyone’s insights into the character and the novel. Resources/Materials: Colored pencils, crayons, markers, and other art supplies as needed. Computers to type up summary and scene explanations,...

Words: 1567 - Pages: 7

Free Essay

Book Ban

...Book Banning I stand here today to address is the issue of book banning in school libraries. The American Association of School Administrators (AASA) defines censorship as: “The removal, suppression, or restricted circulation of literary, artistic, or educational materials… of images, ideas, and information…on the grounds that there are morally or otherwise objectionable in light of standards applied by the censor”Though parents may choose to discuss what their children are exposed to the idea of removing it from access to the public is absurd. By removing books from school libraries concerned members of society are now limiting children and their potential to expand their horizons. I firmly believe everyone has the right to be exposed to knowledge. By limiting the literature that a young mind is exposed to limits the ability to understand and become open minded. On that note I understand that some books should not be hand to children until they have the mental capacity to comprehend the language and the meaning behind some books as not to see these books as simple stories or to be taken literally. I understand that people have reasons for their censors but it does not mean they are always right. There are four motivational factors that may lie behind a censor’s actions. Those factors are family values, religion, political views, and minority rights. On the basis of family values, the censor is usually threatened by changes in accepted traditional ways of life. They view sexual...

Words: 2671 - Pages: 11

Free Essay

Catcher in the Rye

...the novel The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, Mr. Antolini (an English teacher) tells the protagonist, Holden Caulfield, "I have a feeling that you're riding for some kind of terrible, terrible fall" (pg. 168). This quote is terribly reflective of and true to Holden's experiences that he accounts in the novel. The entire novel is essentially Holden's account of the time between leaving Pencey Preparatory School and his institutionalization (which is revealed at the end of the novel). We can only assume that Holden has been sent to see "this one psychoanalyst guy" (pg. 192) because of his gradual mental breakdown or "fall" that is apparent throughout his narrative. This essay will recognize and trace the multiple signs, explanations and testaments of Holden's declining mental state. It is important to include Holden's past in this account and analysis of Holden's mental decline because Holden's past affects everything he does and contributes to his feelings of loneliness, depression and confusion. A supporting argument for this can be found by looking at causes for "mental breakdowns." Some common causes* of mental breakdowns that apply to Holden's particular case are: unresolved grief (as far as we know, Holden never received closure about his brother Allie's death or the suicide of a fellow student, James Castle.), academic problems (Holden failed out of three separate private schools), social stress (Holden tries and fails to connect to several characters such as Carl...

Words: 1064 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Ghhg

...Дневник читателя READER’S JOURNAL Ernest Hemingway. The Old Man and the Sea (1952). Joseph Heller. Catch-22 (1961). Tennessee Williams. A Streetcar Named Desire (1959). Iris Murdoch. The Black Prince (1973). Jerome David Salinger. The Catcher in the Rye (1951). Michael Ondaatje. The English Patient (1992). Ray Bradbury. Fahrenheit 451 (1953). Ken Kesey. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1962). Edward Albee. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1962). Arthur Miller. Death of a Salesman (1949). ------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- Ernest Hemingway. The Old Man and the Sea (1952). ------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- FULL TITLE · The Old Man and the Sea ------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- AUTHOR · Ernest Hemingway ------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- TYPE OF WORK · Novella ------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- GENRE · Parable; tragedy ------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- LANGUAGE · English ------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- TIME AND PLACE WRITTEN · 1951, Cuba ------------------------------------------------- ...

Words: 43588 - Pages: 175

Free Essay

Catcher in the Rye

...The Catcher In t he Rye Dialogue Journal                                                                By Mary Katongole     What the Book Says                       | Character Analysis / Holden | Chapter 1“If you really to hear about it, the first thing you’ll probably want to know…and what a lousy childhood was like, ………but I don’t feel like going into it, if you’ll want to know the truth.”      (Salinger 1.)  |  I can tell this novel is going to be in first person. From what I can tell, the narrator or main character, Holden, isn’t very optimistic about his life. When I first read a couple lines of this paragraph, I thought to myself “this book is going to be terrible” because Holden didn’t really grab my attention like I thought. |     Chapter 2    “ Have you yourself communicated with them? …..   And how do you think they’ll take the news? Well …. They’ll be pretty irritated about it; … This is about the fourth school I’ve gone to… “Boy?” I said. I also say “Boy? Quite a lot. Partly because I have a lousy vocabulary and partly because I act quite young for my age sometimes” (Salinger 9.) |  At the beginning of this quote, Holden is talking to Mr. Old Spencer. Mr. old Spencer is asking Holden if he told his parents that he got expelled from school. Holden seems to know what his problems in school are, but he doesn’t want to do anything. He likes to make himself seem like a bad boy, but it just makes him look stupid. |   Chapter 3“The whole time he roomed next...

Words: 1974 - Pages: 8