In The Catcher in the Rye, a boy named Holden Caulfield is faced with the obstacles of both society and life. He struggles to find direction, and to discover his relationship with the world. From page one, the reader can both understand and relate to what Holden has to say about the society in which we live, and the way in which people in that society govern themselves. The more we read, the more we identify with Holden Caulfield. .
It seems like the typical, adolescent dilemma: How do I find my place in this life? In most respects, Holden is not unlike the typical teenager. He, too, is on his own quest to find himself. He needs to find acceptance. Going to school at Pency, Holden becomes the manager of the fencing team. In doing so, he tried to gain friends as well as social status within his peer group. Even then the whole team "ostracized him"(page 3). Like most teens at that age, Holden was having trouble gaining acceptance and making friends. .
"I'm the most terrific liar you ever saw in your life. It's awful. If I'm on my way to the store to buy a magazine, even, and somebody asks me where I'm going, I'm liable to say I'm going to the opera. It's terrible." (pg.16) Holden's ability to lie is one of the first traits that he reveals about himself. He takes pride in saying that he is a good liar. His inability to have normal conversations and relationships is probably one of the factors that has him shunned by his peers. Holden's insecurity is one of the reasons for his compulsive lying. This is why he can't find his place in the world. The world doesn't know Holden, and he doesn't know himself. It is difficult to separate fact from fantasy. .
It is Holden's rejection that forces him to act the way he does. To compensate for having no friends of his own age, he looks to the older and younger. Even though immature, Holden tries to act like an adult by smoking and drinking in hopes that he will find companionship.
And Holden doesn't have to. ... Everything in it is always a replica (fake) or dead (such as dinosaurs). ... Essentially, both Holden and the museum are fake. As already explained, the museum contains many fake and lifeless items. Holden, too, was a fake. ...
In some instances it is as if Holden is living in the past. ... Another person Holden holds in high esteem is Jane. ... Holden also has trouble accepting his phony peers, boys his age who are quickly becoming more and more fake as they grow into adulthood. ... In reality, Holden just wants to be accepted. ... Holden also views actors as being extremely fake, but the problem he has with them is that they are successful. ...
Holden Holden cannot seem to fit his society; he's always alienating himself from it. ... When Holden went to say goodbye to Mr. ... Holden cannot deal with how the world really is. ... He has this "utopian " fantasy about how he would be the guardian of childhood innocence, and it symbolizes how he would save kids from growing up and becoming fake sanctimonious adults. ... Holden is a very interesting character. ...
As Holden sleeps in Mr. ... Holden's fearful reaction to Mr. ... Furthermore, Holden feels that adulthood represents conformity and he views conformity as phony or fake. ... In addition, Holden's lack of company causes him to lower himself to a level that does not align with his character, that is, being fake by accepting one's phoniness. ... However, once Carl Luce gets angry at Holden's immaturity, he walks out on Holden. ...
In general Holden Caufield's has little trust for older people and fake people. ... Antolini teaches Holden the greatest value that Holden probably learns in the book. ... Antolini teaches Holden, but it only took 16 years of Holden's life to figure it out. ... He teaches Holden many good lessons about life and says it in a way that is real and not fakes. ... Antolini teaches Holden the greatest value that Holden probably learns in the book. . ...
Antolini may have given Holden some good advice, the effects of the advice would be canceled as a result of his actions toward Holden. ... He notices the way people unfairly treat each other and feels that they are fake. ... Holden is very perceptive about the world. ... Holden hates the adult world for being fake and insensitive to other people. ... No one seems to understand Holden. ...
Holden versus Himself is very evident in the novel. Holden has a hard time dealing with everyday life, and feels that everyone around him is a "phony" or a fake. ... Holden then attacks him. ... The result; Holden lying on the floor in pain. ... There is still hope for Holden in this world. ...
Then the carrousel starts, and [Holden] watches her go around and around. ... The way she might go about the circling of the carrousel resembles Holden's mind-set; he hates the "fakeness" of everyone and everything. ... Conversely it also suggests that she too is able to be fake like Holden is, but also able to see what is real. ... The readers know that Holden is inevitably leaving school no matter what happens, and she holds out hope and honestly believes that Holden will come back after their reconciliation. ... The carrousel seems like a mangled mesh of everything that has happene...
It is presented through the main character Holden, the settings of events, and language used. ... He has the very mature side of liking honesty and disliking lying and things which are fake or put on just for a show. ... This is made worse because Holden as a character really likes attention, therefore leading Holden to desperately trying to find attention or just someone to have a conversation with. ... The author puts Holden in different settings to cause alienation and loneliness. ... This is done through the main character Holden's characteristics. ...
