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Catcher In The Rye Critical Lens

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The Catcher in the Rye, by J. D. Salinger, was published in the year of 1951. The novel follows 16-year-old boy Holden Caulfield after he was kicked out of a preppy private school, Pencey Prep. Holden travels around New York City over a three-day time span in 1948 during the month of December. We get to read about his experiences and his surroundings from his perspective, learning what he learns as the story progresses. Through the book, Salinger touches on the subjects of relationships, professional and sexual, loneliness, and deception, sometimes having Holden tell us upright or having other characters reflect that, mostly the latter because Holden is quite revealing about his sentiments. Holden, the protagonist, as well as antagonist, and …show more content…

In the novel, Jean (Scout) Louise Finch, a 6-year-old girl, and her brother, Jeremy (Jem) Atticus Finch, 10-years-old, live in sleepy Maycomb, Alabama, spending much of their time with their friend Dill Harris, 7-years-old, and spying on their reclusive and mysterious neighbor, Boo Radley. When Atticus Finch, their father and a successful lawyer known throughout the town, defends a black man named Tom Robinson against rape charges set forth by Bob Ewell, the antagonist, the trial and other events expose the children to the evils of racism and stereotyping. Scout, the protagonist and narrator of the novel, starts her story in the early 1930s, the years of the Great Depression when poverty and unemployment were at large, over a time span of about three years. Her tone throughout the novel is carefree at the beginning, a little melodramatic and foreboding in the middle, and inspiring and nostalgic towards the end. Although she acts like a tomboy, Scout has a fierce temperament towards anyone who challenges her or her family, but at heart she believes in the goodness of people. Scout reacts to the terrible events of the book without losing hope in

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949 Words | 4 Pages

No matter how many adventures somebody goes on, some people just don't change. Holden Caulfield, the main protagonist of The Catcher in the Rye, is a good example of this. The Catcher in the Rye is a story written by J.D. Salinger. It was first published in 1951 by Little, Brown and Company. The story takes place in the years of 1948 or 1949, following three days in the life of a high school student named Holden Caulfield.

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648 Words | 3 Pages

Haley O’Neal English I 3/12/18 Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Sallinger, 1951 Catcher in the Rye is a fictional story by J.D. Sallinger that tells the story of sixteen year old Holden Caufield during the 1950s. It wasn’t clear as to where exactly the story took place, but it is inferred that Holden was narrating it from a mental hospital. Holden begins his story talking about how he is about to be expelled from Pencey Prep. He was failing four-out-of-five classes, and was not putting forth any effort.

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963 Words | 4 Pages

Catcher in the Rye is Holden Caulfield’s recounting of the weekend after he gets expelled from the umpteeth time form another private school. His name can be broken down to reveal his struggle to retain his happier childhood memories and innocence, to grow up, and to protect others from the difficulties of life. His first name, Holden, can be interpreted for how he wants to hold onto better times. “I can't remember exactly what I was doing when I heard his goddam stupid footsteps coming down the corridor… When I really worry about something, I don't just fool around… If you knew Stradlater, you'd have been worried, too…

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310 Words | 2 Pages

To Kill A Mockingbird is a fictional novel that takes place in a small town in Alabama during the Great Depression. It is narrated by Jean Louise “Scout” Finch, one of the two children that Atticus Finch has. The other is Jem Finch, who is older than Scout and is more mature. Scout is a rowdy little girl that has strong opinions and loves her family. These kids are supported by their dad, Atticus Finch, and Calpurnia, the hired colored help.

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1493 Words | 6 Pages

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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125 Words | 1 Pages

To Kill a Mockingbird is set in a small Alabama town in the 1930s being narrated by a six-year-old white girl named Jean Louise Finch or Scout as everyone calls her. She is the daughter of Atticus Finch, a lawyer defending Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a white woman. Scout has a brother named Jem, who is four years older and plays a major role in helping Scout deal with the events surrounding the trial. Although the children’s father establishes great defense, Tom Robinson is convicted and sentenced to hang; however, Tom is shot while trying to escape. The story takes place over a three-year period, a time in which Jem and Scout learn about racism, prejudice, and moral issues (Shields

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1032 Words | 5 Pages

The Catcher in the Rye is a novel that was written by J. D. Salinger in 1951. It was first published by Little, Brown and Company and was originally written for adults, but became popular among teenagers for its teenage main character, who deals with problems a large number of adolescents face in their transition into adulthood. It is not a difficult book to read, especially considering it is only 234 pages. The story revolves around the protagonist, a 16 year old boy named Holden Caulfield, who recently flunked out of a prestigious preparatory school.

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787 Words | 4 Pages

In Westport, Connecticut, in 1951, The catcher in the rye was written by J.D. Salinger. This story revolves around a teenage boy who is deeply afraid of change. Holden Caulfield is a 16-year-old boy, recently expelled from his fourth school. Salinger uses symbolism and motifs to display Holden's thoughts and emotions throughout the story. Salinger does this because of Holden's lack of stability and immature nature.

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2021 Words | 9 Pages

The Catcher in the Rye, written by J.D. Salinger in 1951, is the story of an angst-ridden sixteen year old Holden Caulfield as he learns to deal with growing up. The story follows Holden through his three day experience through New York as he learns about the truth about innocence, sex, and mortality, making The Catcher in the Rye one of America’s most notable coming-of-age stories. One of the largest influences on Holden’s life was his younger brother Allie who died from leukemia at age eleven when Holden was thirteen. The death of Holden’s brother had a profound effect on Holden emotional state, which eventually caused his complete mental breakdown by the end of the novel.

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1308 Words | 6 Pages

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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606 Words | 3 Pages

The Catcher in the Rye, written by J.D. Salinger, is a novel about a teen named Holden. He struggles with feelings of depression, not fitting in, and loneliness. He is kicked out of his prep school, Pencey. He spends a few days wandering around New York City avoiding confrontation with his parents. Over these few days he is on a downward spiral.

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1160 Words | 5 Pages

Catcher in the Rye has given a voice to millions of teenagers worldwide who have dealt with mental health issues. Set in the 1950s the novel Catcher in the Rye, by J.D Salinger follows a 16-year-old named Holden who has last his brother, alienated himself from his peers, and is terrified of growing up. After being kicked out of school Holden goes on a two-day bender in the city. On this bender Holden finds himself surrounded by thousands but at the same time alone. On the journey, Holden experiences different scenarios where he feels he has completely nothing and almost debates committing suicide.

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880 Words | 4 Pages

The Releaser in the Rye The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, was published in 1951 and swiftly became a classic. The novel is notably known for its first person account of a teenage boy named Holden Caulfield, who navigates his way through the difficulties of youth in the 1940s. Throughout the novel, Holden grapples with many societal expectations, and one of the most prominent is masculinity. Holden is pressured to reach a standard of masculinity that he does not believe in due to the pressure from various male role models, his peers, and even himself.

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720 Words | 3 Pages

Holden Caulfield, the main protagonist in The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, embodies the classic teenager in the process of discovering himself, and how the world works. But, regardless of Holden 's rich, prep school lifestyle, the series of events that have mapped out his life up to this point have utterly affected his emotional well being and perception of the world. Many traumatic events such as the death of holds brother Allie, the death of a class mate, and countless numbers of awkward incidents with adults have all added up to affects Holden 's well-being and detach him from reality. The death of Holden 's younger brother Allie has caused him to confuse his perception of reality and to alienate himself.

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693 Words | 3 Pages

Catcher in the Rye In the book Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger, the narrator and protagonist Holden Caulfield a sixteen year old junior undergoes a series of changes. Holden learns multiple life changing lessons; one of them is you must grow up. In the beginning of the novel, Holden starts out as “that kid”; the one with the parents who expect him to get into an ivy league school, and end up with a kid with no intentions of doing so. At the beginning of the book it is very apparent that Holden lacks motivation; he also has hit rock bottom.

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