In J.D. Salinger?s The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield?s innocence is taken away through a twisted chain of events. The novel opens up with Holden depresses after fluking out of Penecy, the suicide of a classmate, and the death of his brother, Allie. Because if these tragic events, Holden tries to preserve his innocence and the purity of the children around him. Holden wants to ?catch? all of the na?ve children who are falling off the cliff into adulthood. As a result of Holden coming across his sister Phoebe and the ?fuck you? on the wall of the school, Holden?s dreams of becoming the catcher in the rye disappear. He finally realizes that all children must fall into adulthood, just as he has.
While walking through the bust streets of New York, Holden notices a lighthearted little boy who is walking and humming ?if a body catch a body coming through the rye? (43). Holden finds it humorous that the child can hum so nonchalantly as the cars on the bust street honk at him. Despite the fast-moving cars, which represent the average ?phonies? in the world, the child pays no attention to them. When Holden sees that the little boy will not allow himself to be pulled into the average crowd of people, he realizes that not everyone wishes to fall from their simple childhood into adulthood.
From Holden?s encounter with this little boy, he wants to become the ?catcher in the rye.? He says to Phoebe:
I kept picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all. Thousands of little kids, and nobody around-nobody big, I mean-except me. And I am 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. I mean if they?re running and they don?t look they?re going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. (173)
By saying that he wants to catch all the children that are running and not looking where they?re going, Holden is saying that he wants to save all the little children from the fake behavior of the adults in the world. He wants to prevent the children from making the mistake of becoming phony. Holden?s outlook, of wanting to save the children from adulthood, begins to change after he sees the ?fuck you? on the wall of Phoebe?s elementary school.
He says:
It drove me damn near crazy. I thought how Phoebe and all the other kids would see it, and how they?d wonder what the hell it meant, and then finally some dirty kid would tell them all cockeyed, naturally what it meant, and how they?d think about it even worry about it for a couple of days. I kept wanting to kill whoever?d written it. (201)
Because the ?fuck you? was carved on the wall, Holden cannot erase or cover it up. Holden feels that if the children were to see these vulgar words, they would lose a little of their wholesomeness. After realizing that he can?t protect all the little children from society?s harsh elements, his dream of shielding all the innocent children from maturity is ruined.
Holden?s attitude completely changes as he watches Phoebe spin on the carousel. Holden says:
The thing with kids is, of they want to grab for the gold ring, you have to let them do it, and not say anything. If they fall off, they fall off, but its bad to say anything to them. (211)
Holden contradicts his previous idea of catching the children falling off the cliff into adulthood. He says, ?you have to let them do it…if they fall off they fall off. (211)? Although few kids do reach the ring without falling, Holden finally accepts that the majority of the children will fall off the carousel into the ?phony? crowd. Holden finally believes that all children eventually lose their purity and virtue.
Holden?s dreams of becoming the catcher in the rye disappear. Through situations with his sister Phoebe and the ?fuck you? on the wall of the school Holden comes to the realization that he cannot stop children from maturing.
Другие работы по теме:
Downhill Skiing Essay Research Paper Style Exercise
Downhill Skiing Essay, Research Paper Style Exercise 1 I can still remember the first time I went downhill skiing; it was a cold and dry November day with little snowfall. Most of the snow on the hills was that polished, jet blown, artificial-ice/pseudo-snow; not the best situation for a first timer.
Aging Essay Research Paper During a story
Aging Essay, Research Paper During a story, an author sometimes chooses to include his opinions on certain important issues, such as aging. This applies to Samuel Beckett?s short story, Krapp?s Last Tape. In this story an old man named Mr. Krapp, relives his life through a sort of audio journal that he has kept through the years.
Slagle Essay Research Paper 1 How does
Slagle Essay, Research Paper 1. How does direct reason differ from garden variety intuition? Well,garden-variety intuition is one species of direct reason, I suppose. Just as our deductions can be known with greater or lesser degrees ofprecision and certainty, so too can our direct reasonings be knownwith greater or lesser degrees of precision and certainty.
Wordsworth Essay Research Paper Wordsworth
Wordsworth Essay, Research Paper Wordsworth’s “Composed Upon Westminster Bridge,” September 3, 1802 Clearly, Woodsworth is experiencing an emotional high when peering upon the Westminster Bridge. This soothing sonnet makes it easy to imagine the beauty of this moment, by using words like, “beautifully,” “glittering,” and “bright.” It is morning time and Wordsworth is apparently alone with the bareness and silence of the sleepy towns below.
Revelation And Christians Essay Research Paper In
Revelation And Christians Essay, Research Paper In the story Revelation, we meet a nice woman named Mrs. Turpin. She seems like a nice Christian woman who seems no different than a woman you may meet in your very own church. As we enter her mind, though, we see the real side of Mrs. Turpin. The saddest part of the story is this that we as Christians are just like her.
1 Corinthians Essay Research Paper 1 Corinthians
1 Corinthians Essay, Research Paper 1 Corinthians 14 In this chapter, Paul concludes his discussion of spiritual gifts. In comparing the gift of prophesying with that of speaking in tongues, he points out that prophesying excels when it comes to the edification of the church (1-5). In fact, unless the speaking of tongues provides a new revelation or teaching, and is properly interpreted, it does little good (6-19).
Frankensteine3333 Essay Research Paper In Shelly
Frankensteine3333 Essay, Research Paper In Shelly’s novel, Victor Frankenstein learns how to “infuse a spark of being into lifeless things”. He uses this knowledge and creates a living thing. The creature is so hideous that “not even Dante could not have conceived”. From the moment he is animated, the wretched creature is an outcast.
Revelation Of O
’connor Essay, Research Paper THE STORY OF AN HOUR This reading tell us the story of a women who find herself along after the supposed dead of her husband, leaving her in a position to pretend to be ? free? after a power issue created by her husband.
The Hero
’s Journey Essay, Research Paper There are eight steps a person must take to become a hero, most noticably an epic hero, in Greek Mythology. These eight steps are the call, the threshold, the challenges, the abyss, the transformation, the revelation, the atonement, and the return.
Poem I Think About You Essay Research
Paper Sometimes when I think about how things could have been I can’t help but think about that day The way you looked so different, so sad When I think about it I want to die
ISLAM AND CHRISTIANITY Essay Research Paper 1
ISLAM AND CHRISTIANITY Essay, Research Paper 1) Comparing and contrasting at least two of the religions of Abraham, discuss the concept and the role of the Messiah in the religious life.
Flannery O
’conner Essay, Research Paper Before even reading or hearing about Flannery O Connor s background, I thought that she was a he and his works would be about the Irish in the 40 s and 50 s. So it was a quite a shock to learn that Flannery was a) a woman and b0 she writes about life in the South.
Financial Article Essay Research Paper Goldman Sachs
Financial Article Essay, Research Paper Goldman Sachs is the last big Wall Street investment bank to go public. In this story they are explaining how is the timing of its IPO (Initial Public Offering) going to be affected by the market at this moment. The market at this moment is very volatile. Some people think that the market is too high and that a correction is in our way very soon.
Reason Essay Research Paper Sometimes people come
Reason Essay, Research Paper Sometimes people come into your life and you know right away that they were meant to be there…to serve some sort of purpose, teach you a lesson or help figure out who you are or who you want to become. You never know who these people may be but when you lock eyes with them you know that every moment that you are with them, they will affect your life in some profound way.
Nothing To Remember Essay Research Paper One
Nothing To Remember Essay, Research Paper One day in the calendar stuck in my mind. As I woke up that morning, I knew this day was something I would remember for the rest of my life. Or would I? The alarm rings, and I get out of bed. All the practice, would finally be put to use today. What an exciting time. The people I have known since birth would all go there separate ways very soon.
Every Single Day Essay Research Paper Every
Every Single Day Essay, Research Paper Every Single Day By Kacey Babineaux You just can?t stop looking for Your old friends Your old lovers Your old hope But you do quietly wonder to yourself,
The TV Generation Essay Research Paper Everyone
The TV Generation Essay, Research Paper Everyone has a moment in history which belongs particularly to him. It is the moment when his emotions achieve their most powerful sway over him, and afterward
Surprising Momen Essay Research Paper Surprising Moment
Surprising Momen Essay, Research Paper Surprising Moment My most surprising moment was on my sixteenth birthday. As an everyday routin, after work I would come home, eat my dinner, shower, and shave. The problem started when I was shaving. My little nephew came from behind and frightened me. Digging the blade into my face and sending chills down my spine.
My Golden Moment Essay Research Paper A
My Golden Moment Essay, Research Paper A Golden Moment June 26, 1999 was a significant ?Golden Moment? in my life. The overwhelming feeling of freedom, responsibility, fear, and excitement embellished my body with it?s intoxicating smoke. Am I
A Moment Essay Research Paper A moment
A Moment Essay, Research Paper A moment exists in what we call time. Time in itself, is a figment of our imagination. The only part of time that actually exists is the present moment. All other moments become memory or expectation, leaving them to be non existent. In truth, the present moment is the only part of time that can be experienced by the six senses.
Secrets Of Life Essay Research Paper There
Secrets Of Life Essay, Research Paper There is one part of my life that no one knows about. This secret has caused me to act in ways I thought I wasn’t capable of doing. For the past five years, I
Arthurian Romance Essay Research Paper Arthurian RomanceArthurian
Arthurian Romance Essay, Research Paper Arthurian Romance Arthurian romance has been changed over and over again throughout the years in order to keep up with the audience of the moment. Throughout history Arthurian romance was and still is being used in many different forms. The Celtic s Arthurian romance was much different from that of the French.
The Three Scaffold Scenes Of The Scarlett
Letter Essay, Research Paper The Scaffold In The Scarlet Letter, Hester committed adultery. The story deals with the revelation of her lover, the Reverend Dimmesdale. A significant part of the book is the scaffold which is a raised platform used as a place where people who have committed a crime and were forced to stand.
Poem The Dove Essay Research Paper The
Poem: The Dove Essay, Research Paper The day i met you, i had no clue, that we could love, upon a dove, but the day our love was set, it was difficult to get, a moment with us together,
Most Embarassing Moment Essay Research Paper My
Most Embarassing Moment Essay, Research Paper My most embarrassing moment that I am willing to share would have to be the time when I went to the Junior/Senior prom. I was a junior and my date was a senior. I decided that it would be cool to bring a six pack of beer along so that we could drink it before the dance. So were driving along and next thing I know, there is blue and red flashing lights in my rear view mirror.
Animal Farm Essay Research Paper The Russian
Animal Farm Essay, Research Paper The Russian Revolution is an example that absolute power often corrupts society. In the novel Animal Farm, author George Orwell shows through
GatsbySympathy Essay Research Paper In the scene
Gatsby-Sympathy Essay, Research Paper In the scene at the Plaza Hotel, there is a moment of truth as Tom confronts Gatsby and Daisy and resolves some issues. By the end of this chapter, we know that Tom and Daisy will stay together, and that while Daisy was once infatuated with Gatsby, it is definitely over with the two of them.
Robert Frost Critique Essay Research Paper Choices
Robert Frost Critique Essay, Research Paper Choices are never easy- men face multitudes of them in their lifetime. Some decisions to these choices are clear while others are sometimes more difficult to effectuate. The poem “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost is a first person narrative tale of a monumental moment in the speaker s life- Frost can be considered the speaker.