the catcher in the rye

A detailed Summary of the catcher in the rye

Everyone knows and wants the all too true "American dream," to be or wants to be something that is better than what you are or have already. In The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, Holden Caulfield is an idealist who always envisions his life as it should be, and not as it truly is. It is the story of an emotionally disturbed sixteen-year-old boy; told through a flashback. In an attempt to deal with his problems and try to find himself, he leaves the school, which he was kicked out of to vacation alone in New York City. Holden's view of adults is not likely of a boy his age. While most teenagers Holden's age see adults as role models, Holden perceives adults as "phonies" which always depress him. Although Holden is shown as immature and inconsiderate; he is also a nurturer. He takes very good care of his sister Phoebe, and puts a lot of trust in her. He sees all children as beautiful and helpless. As an idealist, he thinks he can go forever. Through out the novel the reader sees Holden as an idealist, always wanting what he can never have, and striving to always obtain what he wants out of his life.

Holden's views of adults are very unlikely for a boy his age. Holden looks up to

no one, and sees all adults as "phonies" a

Holden thinks that he can go on forever, this is what leads to his breakdown. Holden starts to realize how crazy he is but tries desperately to hold it back. This is why he confides to Phoebe, she is the only one he can really talk to, and he has to confide in someone. He even thinks about committing suicide when he says, "What I really felt like, though, was committing suicide. I felt like jumping out the window." The reader can tell that Holden is going crazy when he talks to Sally, and says, "I swear to God I'm crazy. I admit it and then goes on to tell her how much he hates everything when he says- Well, I hate it. Boy do I hate it. But it isn't just that. It's everything. I hate living in New York and all." The reader sees that he not only hates the "phonies" and the world in itself but he is also very un-happy with himself even though he tries to deny it. Holden begins to probe and investigate his own sense of emptiness and isolation. Before finally declaring that his world is full of "phonies" with each one out of their own phony gain, is Holden actually the one that is going insane, or is it society which has lost it's mind for failing to see the hopelessness of their own lives.

In an Editorial Review from Amazon.com a writer stated "Holden's constantly wry observations about what he encounters, from teachers to "phonies" (the two of course are not mutually exclusive) capture the essence of the eternal teenage experience of alienation." Holden does not only criticize "his" parent's beliefs, but other parents as well. He thought that the little kid running around in the streets of New York while following his parents was so incredibly dumb. He thought her parents were not paying any attention to her while she was in the street. Although he sees the child as completely helpless, he still does nothing to try and help her. Holden always refers to adults and himself as a lot older then actuality. He sees adults as old and incapable of doing anything right. Holden does not really care about anything, most of the time not even himself. He thinks everyone is "phony" and that everyone that you hold in awe will inevitably disappoint you. As an idealist Holden thinks that he is an adult, although he never wants to grow up into a world he thinks so horrible and actually have to

Holden suggests that it's okay to screw up. Your criticisms of the world are not valid and nothing you say or think is so bad that you need to represent. Ironically, this is not only something that is essential to survival (especially if you're a teenager and desperately trying to maintain your lily-white self-image) but it is also key the key to ultimately becoming a decent caring human being. No one can grow up with the awful side of themselves that hates everything. To repress it is to give it power. To let it out to play is to learn to control that side. Yes, I know it's a Freudian idea and Freud is out of favor at the moment, but it works in this case. (Reflections)

Holden feel that he is an adult, yet he still does many childish things. He sees his sister Phoebe as his only true companion in a world so fake and disillusioned. From the death of his younger brother Allie who he also held on a pedestal, it has left only his ten-year-old younger sister for Holden to look up to. Holden refers to his older brother D.B. only as a writer off in Hollywood and Allie as when he was alive as a "wizard." He talks of Phoebe as older than himself and sees her as so angelic and strong in an un-pleasant world. Holden states, "You never saw a little kid so pretty and smart in your whole life. She's really smart. She's only ten, she's quite skinny and you can take her anywhere with

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Approximate Word count = 2487
Approximate Pages = 10 (250 words per page double spaced)

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