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Examples Of Innocence In Catcher In The Rye

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Recommended: Catcher in the rye essay loss of innocence

Gabriella Parana
English 21011
Prof. King
March 9, 2023
Innocence: Who Will Catch You When You Fall? “No man knows the value of innocence and integrity, but he who has lost them” (Godwin). Growing up can happen so fast, it becomes difficult to fully experience innocence before it is stripped away. Holden -from The Catcher in the Rye- had matured so early in life, that he made it his mission to save his little sister -along with other kids- from the loss in which he felt. Children have a long life ahead of them and it is crucial for them to live in this world with the purity they were given for as long as they are able to. However, in life, there is no true “catcher in the rye”. Innocence can be lost at the drop of a dime, and is unable to be …show more content…

From the minute we are born, we are learning new ideas and figuring out the way of the world. It is unknown when a child will lose their purity, until the moment they are in the situation and can not turn back. The author brings up the first time dropping your child off at school, then claims, “This is the part when saving them can become difficult because it’s out of your hands” (Quenzer). No matter what, there is always going to be a time when a child can not be watched or protected. In these situations, there is no telling what the child had endured or witnessed to potentially take away innocence. As much as adults try to ensure a child maintains their innocence, it is nearly impossible. Though bitter, this harsh truth is demonstrated in J.D. Salinger's novel, The Catcher in the Rye. Despite the fact Holden, the main character, has made numerous attempts to protect his little sister Phoebe's innocence, he has been unsuccessful. Phoebe is a mature young girl that is able to understand the struggles of the world. Moreover, Phoebe can see right through Holden. She knows that he has endured a lot throughout his life, and can recognize his pain. The

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He is unable to embrace the challenges and responsibilities of adulthood because he is fixated on the innocence and purity of childhood. His interactions with Phoebe, his younger sister, demonstrate this. When Phoebe asks Holden "you know what I'd like to be? I mean if I had my goddamn choice?", he starts to talk about being "the catcher in the rye" (173). He sees himself as the protector of childhood innocence, Holden also imagines scenarios showing his resistance to adult responsibilities and challenges.

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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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