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Holden In The Rye Character Analysis

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The challenges Holden prevails overemphasize his diligence and highlight the committed route he embarks on as a hero. Salinger utilizes Holden’s hardships to portray the struggle he encounters while battling against his adverse odds during his escapade. Through Salinger’s interpretation of a hero, he depicts Holden as a character who persists to pass the obstacles that confront him; to illustrate, Holden’s constant feeling of loneliness consumes him along with his demoralizing background, providing an unstable foundation for Holden to grow and mature: "…I had this feeling that I 'd never get to the other side of the street. I thought I 'd just go down, down, down, and nobody 'd ever see me again…I 'd make believe I was talking to my brother …show more content…

When Holden ventures to find his life’s purpose along with searching for a new perspective of humanity, he gains insight and becomes a figure of erudition mounting to his potential of a hero. With the objective to show that all protagonists are not merely brave and benevolent but also have astute assets, Salinger designs Holden in the role of a new kind of hero, in which he realizes the meaning of life and maturity. In detail, while Holden observes his little sister, Phoebe, riding the carousel in Central Park, he begins to understand the significance of growing up and the value of life-impacting his view of humankind: “All the kids kept trying to grab for the gold ring, and so was old Phoebe, and I was sort of afraid she 'd fall off the goddam horse, but I didn 't say anything or do anything. The thing with kids is, if they want to grab the gold ring, you have to let them do it, and not say anything. If they fall off they fall off, but it 's bad if you say anything to them” (Salinger 211). Behind the initial judgments of his character, Holden’s makeup entails a gift for profound comprehensions. Even though Holden’s boarding school, Pency Prep, expels him due to his failure in four classes, Holden exemplifies brilliance in abstract thinking during his trip to discern a different interpretation of society. With a deeper understanding of life Holden has a better grasp on achieving victory to make the world a better place, solve problems, and spread happiness. When Holden does not “say or do anything,” it shows him discovering that nativity must be gowned out of at a particular age and maturity level. Therefore, he will not interfere with children learning to fall and then getting back up. Everyone must learn persistence and to never give up in their life. Children “trying to grab for the gold ring” symbolizes striving for maturity and development. Attaining this philosophy, Holden opens his mind to the wonders of growing up aiding him to be a role model

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One of the major aspects that shape one’s character, are their past encounters. Within the novel, The Catcher In the Rye, J.D. Salinger tells the story through the first person protagonist Holden Caulfield, allowing the audience a glimpse into this seventeen year old’s chaotic mind. It can be implied that as Holden tells his story, he is in a psychiatric facility due to the toll his past has taken on his mental stability. As the story unfolds, Holden seems to reveal he is just a lost boy struggling to find acceptance in an insensitive world of “phonies.” Throughout Holden Caufield’s teenage years, while the loss of his brother Allie has shone a negative light on his life, Holden’s experience with the carousel helps to impact his life in a positive way.

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Holden is so passionate about preserving innocence that he literally tries to erase potential corruption from kids’ lives. The swear words that Holden finds on the walls embody the fathomless amount of wickedness that he sees in the world. Despite Holden’s best attempts to protect the elementary school children, he finally comes to terms with how useless his endeavors are. As he strives to guard innocent children from the world’ s evil, Holden comprehends that this desire is in fact

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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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Holden had to cope with big changes without the support of anyone. Adjusting to a new way of life is difficult on its own, but without anybody being there to teach and support him, it becomes increasingly more problematic. As he is reflecting on his life he states, "If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you’ll probably want to know is where I was born, an what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me," (3). He felt like he couldn’t talk about his life to anyone and open up because the people who are supposed to be there to love and support you were absent for him. Holden thought that he did not belong, he says, “how my parents were occupied”, they were never able to give him support so he considered himself to be all alone.

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The novel “The Catcher in the Rye” was about the journey of a adolescent boy finding his way to adulthood. In the book Holden Caulfield was unsuccessful in finding his way to adulthood. Holden’s attitude in the novel throughout his journey was very immature. He also can't accept the fact that innocence can’t be forever protected. Lastly, Holden calls everyone a phony when in reality he is the real phony.

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As he hangs out with his sister she wants to ride on the carousel in Central Park. As Phoebe rides the carousel she grabs for a golden ring on one of the animals. Holden realizes that there are times when kids want to try to grab the gold ring, symbolically

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The beginning of Holden’s journey starts with the innocence and naivety of childhood. Childhood is the stage that ignorance is bliss with no care in the world. Holden goes to a prestigious boarding school for boys and he believes that everyone in that school is a phony in some way. Holden is an observant character as he stays in the background, but he can also cause the most trouble. Like a child, he asks many questions and he is very curious to the point that he can be annoying.

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Holden struggles with growing up and facing reality. There are many examples of Holden’s immaturity that are displayed in many forms such as facing responsibilities, his speech, his actions, and etc. Holden’s outlook on adult life is that it is superficial and brimming with phonies, but childhood was all about looking pleasing and innocent. He wants everything to stay the same and for time to stop. As Holden progresses in age, he will discover more about becoming mature in the

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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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The ending chapter of the novel Holden finds the loss of innocence he’s been searching for. When Phoebe is riding the carousel and she reaches for the ring, it represents maturing. Phoebe is a symbol for youth and innocence, and she is reaching for maturity. Holden’s struggles during the novel, “The Catcher In The Rye,” he figures out the true loss of innocence lost in becoming an adult and the struggle to be one and Holden struggling to be the catcher in the rye to catch kids from losing adulthood. His relationship struggles are his key factors which makes Holden who he truly

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While many argue that Holden Caulfield from The Catcher in the Rye does not deviate from the traditional anti-hero attributes and, therefore, does not display any prominent change, an argument can be made to the contrary. Holden Caulfield goes through some noticeable character development and is in a better place emotionally at the end of the book because he speaks with Phoebe. His meeting with Phoebe and Phoebe’s message to him shows him a youth’s perspective on his world, rather than the superficial sincerity of his elderly professor and his favorite teacher that makes advances on him. Additionally, him being able to successfully communicate with a member of his own family puts him in a better place. His time with her lets him see his own self-image of a “catcher in the rye.”

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