Holden's speech is often sarcastic, negative and dismissive to most people he encounters. Occasionally, we see glimpses of sensitivity, gentleness and compassion in his thoughts and observation of the few people he cares about.
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The way he speaks gives us a clear insight into his character as we see both anger and contempt, but also his extreme vulnerability and sense of sadness and aloneness. Salinger's use of Holden's voice gives us a vivid and immediate sense of who Holden is. We feel as though we are in his head.
Throughout this book, Holden is constantly putting others down whether it be in his head or out loud. The way he speaks shows the reader that he doesn't really want to be telling this story. In the first sentence of the book, he starts out by saying " f you really want to hear about it, the first thing you"ll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that a David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don't feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth." This passage shows that he feels as if he is being forced to tell the story. His negativity is the first thing you notice about this character when you first start reading this book. On page 42, when he's fighting with Stradlater, he says, "I didn't even answer him. God, how I hated him." This passage shows that he almost never has anything nice to say to people. Another thing that Holden is constantly doing throughout the book is lying. On page 54, when he is talking to the mother on the subway he says," "Rudolf Schmidt," I told her. I didn't feel like giving her my whole life history. Rudolf Schmidt was the name of the janitor of our dorm." This passage shows that Holden lies for no reason what so ever.
Although most of what comes out of Holden's mouth is negative, there are times when he actually says something nice to or about someone such as Phoebe.
So what is Catcher in the Rye really about??? ... So what is The Catcher in the Rye actually about? ... "The Catcher in the Rye" is a story of an emotionally disturbed young sixteen year old boy named Holden Caulfield. ... I'd just be the catcher in the rye and all. ... John Hinkley may have been trying to impress Jody Foster, but he was also a big Catcher in the Rye fan. ...
Catcher in the Rye The American Dream for family will greatly vary between people, as it should. ... In the Catcher in the Rye Holden and His "Phony" Family the protagonist, Holden Caulfield, interacts with many people throughout J.D. Salinger's novel The Catcher in the Rye, but probably none have as much impact on him as certain members of his immediate family. ... Throughout The Catcher in the Rye, Holden describes and interacts with various members of his family. ...
Catcher in the Rye Holden and His "Phony" Family The protagonist, Holden Caulfield, interacts with many people throughout J.D. Salinger's novel The Catcher in the Rye, but probably none have as much impact on him as certain members of his immediate family. ... Throughout The Catcher in the Rye, Holden describes and interacts with various members of his family. ...
In the novel Catcher in the Rye Holden is a character that has many idealistic thoughts. ... Holden tells Phoebe about a dream of wanting to be the catcher in the rye. ... Holden had to let go of his ideal about being the catcher in the rye because it was not realistic. ...
The Catcher In The Rye J.D. Salinger The Catcher In The Rye, by J.D. ... The Catcher In The Rye was a somewhat ironic title, occurring twice throughout the book. ... Haden replies that he wants to be the "catcher" in the rye. ... Once you have read The Catcher In The Rye we are reminded of the innocence of youth. ...
Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye is frequently being banned from high schools. ... Although it does contain invective speech and sexual connotations, The Catcher in the Rye by J. ... It may be obvious why so many high schools are banning Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye. ... Another cardinal notion for teenagers who are entering adulthood is the central theme of The Catcher in the Rye, the loss of innocence. ... I'd just be the catcher in the rye and all. (173) When Holden divulges that he wishes to be the catcher in the rye, he is unveiling his desire to protect childhood...
"The Catcher in the Rye" Reflection The title "The Catcher in the Rye" is to symbolize how Holden wants to protect the innocence of little kids. In the novel he told Phoebe that he wants to be the catcher in the rye, he would stand at the edge of a cliff as children play around with him, and he would catch them before they ran too close to the cliff. ... Salinger called the novel "The Catcher in the Rye" because it signifies how even though Holden is the way he is; he still has the innocence of a little child inside of him. ...
The Catcher in the Rye has been called one of the greatest pieces of American literature throughout the 1950's. ... I have to say that there is a possibility that The Catcher in the Rye is a bad influence on young children. ... The book The Catcher in the Rye exemplifies how difficult it can be for some teens' life. ... On the other hand, the book The Catcher in the Rye really does not go far from the boundary. ... The Catcher in the Rye is a classic book that has been read in high schools all across the world. ...
