Holden is in the confusing process of passing from adolescence and innocence to what he feels is a corrupt adult society. Along the way, Holden has trouble finding identity and security as he isolates himself from his society by shutting out the world and criticizing others who he deems "phonies." Because he is so adamant to criticize the world and reject its values and conventions he consequentially isolates himself from people who try to him along the way through this stressful period of
And I'm standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start running and they don't look like they're going. I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. That's all I'd do all day. I'd just be the catcher in the rye” (Salinger 173).
Keller knew how Paul’s music would sound like and crushed Paul’s smugness about his ability, which was less accomplished than he believed. Paul thought of it as an insult and a waste of his time, as reflected by his strong opinion expressed with frustration to his father after the first lesson that, “He practically broke my arm… He’s a sadist,” when he complained to his parents. Knowing that Paul was an arrogant teenager who had been praised too much, Keller tried to teach him more than just the mastery of the piano, but how his attitude should be. Although Paul did not receive Keller’s message, later on he realized how much Keller had taught
Holden keeps himself separated because he thinks they are a bunch of crooks and he does not like interacting with them. But to make matters worst, he does not like how phonies act and communicate with people. Holden feels that when Ernie is “playing the piano, he ‘sounds’ like the kinds of guy that won’t talk to you unless you’re a big shot” (80). Even though he thinks that Ernie would not talk to anyone unless they were a big shot, he is not certain that he would act in that way towards someone. Holden desires to separate and isolate himself from people that he might become such as phonies, morons, or hot shots.
Throughout the story, Holden demonstrates his fear of growing up and becoming an adult. For example, when Holden is visiting with Phoebe, he confesses his future that he dreams of to her. He paints the image of this dream when he spills to her, “I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all. Thousands of little kids and nobody’s around, nobody big, I mean-except me” (173). He then explains that his duty will be to catch any child who starts to go over the cliff.
I believe that Lennie cannot be held responsible for the decisions he makes because he doesn't understand the problems they cause at all. One prime example of Lennie's inability to make good decisions comes at the beginning of the book. He threatens to leave George alone since he is such a bother to him. On pg. 12 Lennie says, "I could go off in the hills there.
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
This quote ties in perfectly with the life of Holden Caulfield. Holden is an adolescent who avoids the process of becoming an adult because he fears what is to come in his future. He does not want to leave the innocence of childhood behind. In the novel The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, even though Holden is thrown into adult like situations, he struggles with the idea of growing into adulthood.
The Catcher in the Rye shows clear relations to the quote as the experiences of adulthood and the corruption that comes along with it brings about a strong desire in Holden to protect the innocence in children, as he cannot return to his own childhood to escape adulthood. The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger brings about Holden’s desires through his experiences to protect innocence from the corruptions of the outside world. Holden’s experiences throughout the novel show a clear desire of him wanting to return to his childhood. Holden’s depression through his experiences with the outside world reflects as he becomes desperate for love. His desire for love and someone to care for, as well as the need for someone to care for him becomes evident, as his usual adult-like rationality reverts to that of a child’s when he pleads for an escape attempt with Sally.
This is represented through the protagonist, Holden Caulfield, as he never addresses his own sentiments directly, but rather censure upon the so-called ‘phonies’. Additionally, he isolates himself away from everyone else, unwilling to develop into an adult. Furthermore, Caulfield’s principles are imperative to him, and so, when he compares his to the ‘phony’ world’s, he finds himself in misery. Ergo, the text depicts Holden Caulfield, an adolescent, with disputes resulting from his hesitancy to acknowledge