Putting on the Rye
One of the many fascinating themes in the novel, "The Catcher in the Rye," brings us face to face with a jarring assault not unlike road rage on modern society and serves as a wake up call to each succeeding generation of its readers. J.D. Salinger, speaking through the protagonist Holden Caulfield, exposes the bogus standards and false values and the insensitive, sham relationships we face in our pretentious modern society. Alone, Holden stands tall against those counterfeit standards and the flagrant hypocrisy that surrounds us in the most casual and innocuous of life's endeavors-a simple conversation, and all from a quixotic yet desultory view of society. It is almost ironic that we learn this from the first person point of view. Salinger popularized the interior monologue in this novel. This approach helps us to understand Holden, observing a society he cannot accept, forever the outsider desperately clinging to the garish, ostentatious red hunting cap that is emblematic of a childish security b
Most of the novelthen focuses on earnest but futile attempts by Holden for a close encounter of the third kind or to reach out and touch someone. One wonders whether Holden would have availed himself of 911 or help hotlines that were not in vogue then. But then telephony is not his strong suit, what with only 3 phone numbers in his address book. Unfortunately, these cacophonous dialogues end in hostility. He seems to self-destruct in his mission impossible chats with Ackley, Stradlater, the 3 women, Sally Hayes, and Carl Luce. Comedienne Joan Rivers could have stolen the line, "Can we talk?" from Holden. Others like Lillian Simmons, Ernie the piano player, the people in magazine stories, and even the ministers in all his prep schools are putting on airs, a facade, a persona. This failure to communicate is mostly his fault, though. It's almost as if he lashes out at himself in a self-flagellating ritual. Whether Holden's society fails him at home, in school, in religion,
Some common words found in the essay are:
Chapter Holden, Simmons Ernie, Holden Caulfield, Webster's Collegiate, Catcher Rye, Joan Rivers, JD Salinger, , Ackley Stradlater, modern society, chapter holden,
Approximate Word count = 682
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
|
