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Holden Caulfield Tragic Hero

1157 Words5 Pages

-Does Holden have a “tragic flaw” or is he a victim of society? The Catcher in the Rye, is a fascinating masterpiece of American literature. The story revolves around the main character Holden, a teenager who was lived a complicated stage of his life. However the book, consist of peculiar problems and unique thoughts that characterized the plot and the protagonist. It is a very peculiar character because it shows their negativity and depression which is showing how lost he is in life. An aspect which make the book special is the language is ordinary even vulgar and the continue alliteration, that broke any literary scheme. Considering this, Holden could be seeing as a tragic hero as a result of his goals and actions, …show more content…

Definitely, Holden fulfilled the heroic definition of Campbell, his main purpose is to protect children and prevent loss of innocence. Also his craving to be a "catcher in the rye," a person who wants to catch kids who come close to the edge of the precipice makes him a real hero. He is especially the hero of his sister Phoebe. He is "tragic" because he do not see beauty or meaning in life. During his life, he sees hypocrites and phonies persons, in the journey to preserve his innocence and not become another phony adult. Holden is an adventurous teenager with lots of potential but for its state of self inflicted mind progressively destroys his life. He could be considered as an usual hero, because he seems as a common person, but he had a unique story behind him. The boy had a firmly determination to conserve their innocences, his central objective of life. He also has a great number of adventures in New York. His perspective of life is different and contrary. -What is Holden …show more content…

What test and dangers does he encounter? Holden the unpredictable character of the book, undertook a journey full of adventure to New York. He found the indicated occasion to go on a journey to find some answers of life and some hidden characteristics his personality, to find the meaning of his life the way to be a "catcher in the rye". He appears that he knows what to do and what does not, but some things do not give the seriousness required, mainly in education. He had been expelled from many schools, recently Pencey. The hero’s journey started in Penn Station, where he went off the train. Then, he goes to Grand Central to appreciate the architecture and the history of the place. Another important area that he visited was Central Park. One of the main dangers of which Holden lived was in a hotel where the elevator operator offered a prostitute for five dollars and he desperate accept. Upon arrival the girl had a long conversation but Holden felt insecure and shy, all they did was talk about his thoughts. After the talks Holden pay him five dollars, but the girl said that now were ten dollars. He refused at first but the operator and girl, took the money from his wallet. One of the most dramatic parts of the story in which he lives several dangers, he could have been killed or beaten, multiple situations that could Holden

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Holden Caulfield experiences flashbacks to the traumatic events that have occurred in his life. Holden is constantly reminded of his younger brother Allie who passed away when he was 11 years old. “So what I did, I wrote about… did, and he had very red hair,” (Salinger 38). The reader can see that Holden is constantly thinking of Allie, and that Allie was one of the people in Holden’s life that made him happy. Holden’s ability to remember the vivid details of Allie and his life prove that these traumatic events, occurring upon those who brought him joy, will always be with him.

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Holden Caulfield Hero's Journey

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A hero can be described in many ways from Superman’s example to teenager, Malala Yousafzai’s. Holden Caulfield, a 17 year old boy, who flunks out of school, in The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is said to follow the Hero’s Quest- that the novel is a modernization of this mythic from. Upon reading this novel, Holden does not seem like the type of person who would be a hero, however his journey overlaps with a traditional hero’s journey in more than one place. Holden’s heroic characteristics tells the reader that anyone can be a hero, in their own way, even with all of their teen angst. Holden follows the first two steps of a hero’s journey throughout the novel.

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828 Words | 4 Pages

As the book starts Holden describes his childhood and how he has been kicked out of several school and once more again from his currently school, giving a sense of irresponsibility and no care in the world. Holden later on mentioned slowly the loss of his brother due to leukemia and how he reacted outrageously by breaking the windows of his garage home. As a reader one would view that behavior as abnormal, but Peter Shaw descried it as a normal behavior for a fictional character in the 1950s and by mentioning that Holden, “is presenting in a somewhat different manner than are the sentimentalized young people in other novels if his period” (par. 3), admitting that Holden was somewhat of an outcast of a character even for its time he is still considered normal. Shaw also challenged the reader’s view of Holden by emphasizing that Holden is not a real person, but a fiction character developed in the 1950s and in fact a mad psychological character is normal and made the reading rather more interesting and acceptable during that time. As readers someone may come across as understanding Holden’s behavior due to a loss and everyone mourns differently and as Shaw said, “ the one period of life in which abnormal behavior is common rather than exceptional” (par.

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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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In The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, Holden Caulfield is a peculiar character portrayed as a skeptic living in “a world of phonies” in circa 1950. These personality traits can be seen through his doubts of society as well as his way of thinking and acting toward others. He also demonstrates a lack of responsibility adding to his role as a slacker. Holden flunks out of school repeatedly and has no desire to confront his parents. He mopes around the city for days, delaying the inevitable punishments he’s sure to get.

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Catcher In The Rye Rite Of Passage Analysis

1142 Words | 5 Pages

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837 Words | 4 Pages

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728 Words | 3 Pages

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830 Words | 4 Pages

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