Catcher In The Rye Loss Of Innocence Analysis

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The Protector of Innocence In J.D. Salinger’s "Catcher in the Rye" Holden Caulfield's fantasy is so that he can stop children from "falling" into adolescence and then adulthood and losing their innocence due to his younger brother Allie’s death.. Holden’s role of innocence in the novel portrays he still attempts to maintain innocence even though he thinks of the adult world as evil. As its title indicates, the dominating theme of The Catcher in the Rye is the protection of innocence, especially of children. Holden attempts to keep kids innocent and be the “Catcher in the Rye” from the adult world. Holden overhears boys at his school having a conversation about “Most guys at Pencey Prep just talked about having sexual intercourse with girls all the time, like…show more content…
Holden is walking down fifth Ave when “he feels as if when he steps off the curb he is stepping off the world.” This can be a symbolic in the loss of Holdens innocence. There is no catcher in the rye for Holden. In the novel Holden is walking in the street of new york and there he sees a boy singing the catcher in the rye, which means a lot to Holden because its his fantasy to be the catcher in the rye. “I’m standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff, Thats all I’d do all day. I’d be the catcher in the rye and all.”(173) Holdens obsession with being the rescuer of all the children who suffer in their lives. He wants to be there so they can continue on to be innocent and that they don’t cross into the “evil adult world”. He has a need, a driving sense of purpose, to make up for his brother Allie’s death by saving all the “little kids.”. Holden is affected Immensely by the death of his brother and brings him sadness and

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