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Comparing Catcher In The Rye And Joy Luck Club

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Rick Riordan once said, “It's funny how humans can wrap their mind around things and fit them into their version of reality.” The difficulties of life mostly revolve around the battle of what people want to believe versus what is actually there. In J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye and Amy Tan’s Joy Luck Club, Holden Caulfield and Waverly Jong become puppets of their own illusions and fall to their realities which creates new internal struggles. Allie’s death warps Holden’s lifestyle; however, it also allows him to grieve once he realizes his wrongdoings. When Holden talks to Phoebe about what he wants to be, he says to her, “I have to come out from somewhere and catch them … I’d just be the catcher in the rye and all” (225). Allie causes …show more content…

After dropping off a message to Phoebe at her school, Holden thinks to himself, “You can’t rub out even half the ‘Fuck you’ signs in the world. It’s impossible” (262). Unfortunately, in this moment, Holden realizes that he cannot save every child from adulthood. He cannot save them from losing that sparkle in their eye. The best thing he can do for them is to meet them or help them when they need it which is what he does for Jane. Throughout Holden’s journey, Phoebe seems to be one of his only supporters that loves him unconditionally. Phoebe provides Holden a safe space where he can be himself and she will love him no matter what. He knows that all she wants for him is to be happy which lets him almost idolize her. As a person, Holden’s main goal is to save children from adulthood where they could lose their innocence. In children and those nuns, he sees qualities that he has lost and he admires them most for being able to retain them. He sees pure people that are able to reject the corruption of the world and look at the world as if it and the people are perfect. Holden grows to comprehend the harshness of reality even with noble motives, but never loses sight of what is important to

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Holden and Phoebe are at a carrousel after having an argument with one another as Holden would not allow Phoebe to come along with him when Holden said he wanted to leave. Before this quote Holden was feeling miserable and quite irritated with life and wanted to withdraw from the society by going somewhere far away. However, because of Phoebe’s obstinate personality he agrees to stay and watch her go on the carousel. While watching Phoebe on the carousel he becomes happy just simply by watching her.

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As a small child, the chances are still against her, but since Phoebe desires to play it, Holden figures he should allow her. The force pushing Phoebe to become older and Holden to become an adult, is inevitable. This realization makes Holden cry. But rather being tears

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Holden’s unusual fantasy metaphorically displays this desire to save children’s innocence on his quest, and literally displays his obsession with death and preventing it, as being the catcher in the rye would accomplish both goals. F. Literary Critics also note that Holden’s catcher in the rye job is a dream of his that he pretends to be a reality to hide the fact that he secretly knows that he is unable to save the innocence of all children. G. Authors James E. Miller jr, and Arthur Heiserman explicitly state that, “Holden delights in circles – a comforting bounded figure which yet connotes hopelessness” (Miller, Heiserman 496). H. The “comforting bounded figure” is Holden’s catcher fantasy that he literally uses to comfort himself against the reality he refuses to believe because it “connotes hopelessness” and he is still too innocent and naïve to accept that. I. Holden possesses this dream as a weak attempt to save the innocence of children and to avoid a hopeless reality of defeat he has yet to accept.

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