The Catcher in the Rye Essay - 790 Words

The Catcher in the Rye is a novel by J.D. Salinger. It is narrated by Holden Caulfield, a cynical teenager who recently got expelled from his fourth school. Though Holden is the narrator and main character of the story, the focus of Salinger’s tale is not on Caulfield, but of the world in which we live. The Catcher in the Rye is an insatiable account of the realities we face daily seen through the eyes of a bright young man whose visions of the world are painfully truthful, if not a bit jaded. Salinger’s book is a must-read because its relatable symbolism draws on the reader’s emotions and can easily keep the attention of anyone. Salinger’s full use of symbolism goes unnoticed until his novel is read a second or third time. Most of it†¦show more content†¦This character is going to tell it like it is, and he does. The most powerful emotional standpoint in the story is when Holden goes to his sister’s elementary school to deliver her a note. While he is there, he discovers two words scribbled on the wall. â€Å"Fuck you.† Most people would look at that and think nothing of it. Some would bow their heads in shame at the person who thought it was funny. Others might laugh. Not Holden. He did not think about the normal persons response to the note. He thought about the child’s response. About how a little kid is going to see that seemingly meaningless phrase and wonder what it means; about how some dirty kid would explain what it meant; and about the person who wrote it and how they are destroying the childhood of everyone who reads the ‘harmless’ graffiti. This section takes the reader to the door of Holden’s mind. It is at this point that one truly understands his emotions. As previously mentioned, it is obvious of Holden’s intentions from the first chapter. The reader learns that they are not going to be following the life story of some random kid; they are going to read about t he introversive thoughts and assumptions everyone makes at some point of their lives. Throughout the tale, it is obvious that Caulfield is depressed and as the story progresses, he seems to lose himself in the real world. As he movesShow 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! 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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. 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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