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Catcher In The Rye Conformity Analysis

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Societal expectations and norms, if followed or not, can have a profound impact on one’s mind set or way of comporting themselves. Concepts akin to these are present or noted in all types of media or literature, two such examples being The Catcher in the Rye and Shattered Glass. J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye exemplifies non-conformity in the 1950’s through 17 year-old Holden Caulfield, who happens to be narrating from a mental hospital throughout the entirety of the book. Subsequently, the director Billy Ray portrays nonconformity and its consequences in terms of ethical behavior through a narcissistic journalist named Stephen Glass who has a propensity of a sociopath. The Catcher in the Rye and Shattered Glass demonstrate that not …show more content…

In The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger demonstrates through Holden that refusing to accept or initiate change can ensue in self-deception. When Holden settles for going to go the Museum of Natural History- after having had no luck in searching for Phoebe- he begins to reminisce on the consistency of the very glass display cases in the museum, and how he wishes that “ Certain things they should stay the way they are. You ought to be able to stick them in one of those big glass cases and just leave them alone” (Salinger 158). Holden conjectures that beautiful and mirthful moments should be long-lasting and that time be stopped for the sake of stability. With this in mind, Holden opts for avoiding reality altogether. Doing so guarantees in Holden not having to accept how distinct and amended his friends and peers are now than when he had last seen or spoken to them. On the hand, if Holden were to bear the fact that everything and everyone has changed, he would have to acknowledge that it is time that he grow up or change as well, something which is very difficult for him seeing as how he is unwilling to lose his innocence. Consequently, this induces Holden to deluding himself steering clear from reality. Thus proving that J.D. Salinger demonstrates through Holden that refusing to accept or initiate change can ensue in

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In the novel, Catcher in the Rye, the protagonist Holden is forced to face with the reality of growing up though he is trying to hold on to his innocence of childhood. Salinger uses many rhetorical strategies to reveal how Holden deals with being faced with the adult word. Whenever Holden is verbally confronted with not facing his adult problems he always denies it, he gets very defensive in his words. “ Yes I do.

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In the paradoxical personality of Holden we discover something much deeper. As Holden makes himself out to be tougher than what he actually is, Salinger introduces stubbornness. Holden’s true nature of gentleness and sensitivity offered throughout the book often brings bedlam into his life, though Salinger brings into

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Conformity is gradually oppressing the world in which we live in. This ideal is prominently illustrated in the film Pleasantville which is directed, and produced by Gary Ross. Pleasantville is a great demonstration of the dangers of abiding by society’s expectations, and the freedoms that come with rebelling to these expectations and embracing change. Gary Ross uses several literary techniques such as; colour (symbolism), and character development to indicate the lack of creativity, and originality in society. Throughout the film, Ross illustrates how obstructive conformity can be to society, and how rewarding rebelling to societal norms can be for not only self growth, but societal advancement as well.

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An outcast is a term typically used to describe a person that isn't widely accepted by normal members of society. In the story The Catcher in the Rye, main character Holden Caulfield struggles with being a normal, functioning member of society. In fact, he often rejects being one by his own device. Holden rejects many social norms, including things like trying not to mature, not adapting to any social situation and watching other people doing things while he doesn't, and just his overall awkward nature. He does most definitely not succeed in his rebellion towards society.

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Holden clings to knowing the world around him will stay the same. That is the only thing that keeps him going and you can tell ( “the museum connotes ideas of both dynamism and stasis. However, to begin with, Holden clings to its associations with stasis.”) Holden’s mind is fighting between everything staying the same and not moving to he knows that everyone will change and become impure. He clings on to stasis because he is afraid of what the future will bring.

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Meanwhile, Holden is still stuck in the past. The change that is occuring in his life is affecting his current emotions and his ability to move forward. When forced with abrupt, unforeseen change, people desire to hold onto the familiar. Salinger uses the death of Holden 's family and friends to show the tragic change that he has to deal with.

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After the WWII, America’s economy boomed causing its population to increase. The increase in the population led to many suburban homes each with a family containing many children. The ideal life goals were to go to school, get a job, get married, buy a suburban house, and have kids. The whole idea was to get more American to achieve a middle class status to buy products, such as the television, which was the latest craze, to help the economy. J.D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye troubled character Holden Caulfield goes against “culture of conformity” social standards.

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The book, The Catcher in the Rye, takes place in the years of the 1940s-1950s of New York City. Author J.D. Salinger expresses in the book about the struggles and the countless amount of stereotypes and establishments of the American society. Holden Caulfield, J.D Salinger’s protagonist, gives perspectives of society’s conflicts and facets of society. Holden addresses that would should not change, but should be preserved within a glass case at a museum. Now explore the varieties of encounters and how the give an example of the theme of conflict between control and independence that the protagonist confronts in the book, The Catcher in the Rye.

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Holden Caulfield lives his life as an outsider to his society, because of this any we (as a reader) find normal is a phony to him. Basically, every breathing thing in The Catcher in the Rye is a phony expect a select few, like Jane Gallagher. What is a phony to Holden and why is he obsessed with them? A phony is anyone who Holden feels is that living their authentic life, like D.B. (his older brother). Or simply anyone who fits into society norms, for example, Sally Hayes.

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The old western films’ solid black and white boundaries between good and evil characters are no longer relatable in a time where most members of society fall into the grey. The unique morality in No Country For Old Men is representative of the constant changes in modern day society and the adjustments in the moral standards of society that accompany those

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The nature of conformity and individualism in Fahrenheit 451 is different compared to each other. Conformity is how everyone is in the novel while individualism is only shown outside of society. The true nature of conformity is that everyone is created equally while individualism shows what a real person is. In the novel, Montag was a character that was affected by conformity and individualism since he was once conformed in society, but then soon became an individual himself. Conformity and Individualism are polar opposites and that everyone should be unique in their own way.

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Nobody’d move.. Nobody’d be different. The only thing that would be different is you. ”(chpt.16) This shows Salinger use of Imagery where you can see Holden in the museum all alone wanting to go back to a time where he felt safe and happy and he longs for that.

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Society as a whole is something you make of it. If one wants to denounce the society they live in because it is “phony” that is because they’ve made the world around them phony. The character of Holden Caulfield in Catcher in the Rye is a prime example of someone being stuck in the idea that society is unchanging. Society is just how a person perceives the world in front of them. The eye of the beholder is the one that creates the society of their choice.

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Thomas Jefferson once wrote, “He who permits himself to tell a lie once, finds it much easier to do it a second and third time, till at length it becomes habitual”. In the book Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, Holden Caulfield’s lies become habitual throughout the book. Holden is a sixteen-year-old boy, who has been kicked out of several schools including, most recently, Pencey Prep. Holden’s younger brother, Allie, died when Holden was only thirteen and his older brother is too busy working for Hollywood to care about Holden. Although his mother cares immensely for him, Holden saddens her by failing academically.

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In The Catcher in the Rye, the author J.D. Salinger, introduces the protagonist; Holden Caulfield. Holden feels the sense that he cannot choose between the two worlds. For example, he makes it seem as both of them are complete opposites from each other. In the book, Holden wants to keep his innocence, but he also wants to grow up and toss that innocence away. He still keeps his childhood personality by constantly obsessing over things that shouldn’t matter.

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