The Catcher In The Rye Essay

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In the novel, "The Catcher in the Rye," by J. D. Salinger, the main character Holden Caulfield is a 16 year-old boy with different personalities. He uses vulgar language to express his feelings, but he is unable to control or define his thoughts. Holden Caulfield fails to be a true character, emotional instability, and he fails to create platonic and romantic relationships. Also he doesn't speak and think like boys his age. Holden Caulfield possesses a distorted point of view. He is unrealistic because of his speech which means he says things that don't make sense, has broken relationships with male role models, and has a failed relationship with Sally. Holden Caulfield says always things that doesn't make sense. On page 16, he says, he is "the most terrific liar as you ever saw in your life. It's awful"(p.16). The quote shows that he knows his guilty of lying, but he doesn't repent. Holden says, "that's the nice thing about carrousels, they always play the same song"(p.210). The quote shows that Holden doesn't like changes and doesn't want to be a change; he wants to remain the same, but he doesn't make sense because he also wants to be change himself to be "the catcher in the rye" to protect the children who are going to the cliff(p.173). Most of him in the novel, he is a liar who always says the things that don't make sense. But he is a young boy, he has some problem with other things, and that also made him to be unrealistic, too. Holden has had broken relationships with male role models mostly with his father. This is one of the reason why Holden became unrealistic. Holden thinks the "people never notice anything" and attempt to separate himself from everything else(p.9). Holden is not like other 'people'; the world is against him. Also that shows Holden doesn't have any help from his family, especially with his father, who is mostly the role model

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