ipl-logo

How Is Holden Caulfield An Outsider

1269 Words6 Pages

Intro: When there is a certain societal standard, many people conform to it. However, those who do not fit within these standards may be ostracized for not aligning with the “norm”. This is the case within J.D. Salinger’s novel, The Catcher in the Rye, as the main character, Holden, feels as if he is an outsider. He is a young boy who is expelled from school and embarks on a journey to find his purpose. Holden feels lonely and depressed due to the phoniness of his society, however, experiencing authentic relationships helps to bring him comfort and acceptance of his outsider status; through Holden's journey, Salinger explores the importance of finding authenticity even in an insincere society. BP1: Holden recognizes and ultimately rejects …show more content…

Antolini helps Holden find his place in life through his understanding and guidance. During their conversation, Mr. Antolini says, “Don’t you think there’s a time and place for everything? Don’t you think if someone starts out to tell you about his father’s farm, he should stick to his guns, then get around to telling you about his uncle’s brace or, if his uncle's brace is such a provocative subject – not the farm?” (240). Unlike others, Mr. Antolini is actually curious and asks Holden about his troubles. Mr. Antolini offered Holden the opportunity to consider a different perspective. By posing a question to Holden, Mr. Antolini makes him think about this situation, which corresponds with Holden’s, rather than telling him how to think. He truly wants to help Holden become a better person, rather than just dismissing his struggles and telling Holden he is childish. Mr. Antolini then states, “you’ll find that you’re not the first person who was ever confused, frightened, and even sickened by human behavior. You’re by no means alone on that score” (246). Mr Antolini took the time to understand Holden and his feelings of being “confused and frightened and even sickened”. He helps Holden realize it is all right to feel the way he is and he is “by no means alone”. Holden has felt alone for a very long time, so hearing this brings him comfort and a feeling of safety. Mr. Antolini's effort to guide with understanding and kindness gives Holden reassurance and confidence to work through his

Show More
Related
190 Words | 1 Pages

Mr. Antolini, Holden's English teacher at Elkton Hills School, tells Holden that before he plans to do anything in his life, he must go to school first. Mr. Antolini says: "… but I think that once you have a fair idea where you want to go, your first move

Read More
464 Words | 2 Pages

How do Mr. Antolini’s words apply to the novel? “The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of the mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one.” Mr. Antolini’s words apply to the novel because it addresses one of the central points of both the novel and the central character parts of Holden. These words show the flaw in a lot of Holden’s thinking even if his intentions are good. He sees himself as having the responsibility of saving others from losing their innocence even as he struggles with the transition from being an innocent child into the life of an adult.

Read More
919 Words | 4 Pages

He goes to Mr. Antolini’s because he feels he can trust and confide in him—it seems to be his final chance to save himself. But Holden’s interaction with Mr. Antolini is the event that precipitates his full-blown breakdown. It completely unsettles him, and leaves him feeling confused and unsure. While most of Holden’s confusion stems from what he interprets as a homosexual come-on from Mr. Antolini, some of it stems from the conversation they have. Both the conversation and Mr. Antolini’s head rubbing serve a similar purpose: they upset Holden’s view of the way things are or the way he believes they have to

Read More
719 Words | 3 Pages

They say some people Holden encounters weren’t completely selfish because they tried to help him; however, these people ended up doing more harm to his situation, making him feel even more lost and alone. When Holden desperately needs lodging after a night of heavy drinking and looking for meaning, he calls up Mr. Antolini, who is more than happy to help; however, when Holden wakes up on the couch, he is deeply disturbed by what his former teacher was doing: “What he was doing was, he was sitting on the floor right next to the couch, in the dark and all, and he was sort of petting me or patting me on the goddam head...boy, was I nervous! I started putting on my damn pants in the dark. I could hardly get them on I was so damn nervous. I know more damn perverts, at schools and all, than anybody you ever met, and they’re always being

Read More
722 Words | 3 Pages

But you’re wrong about that hating business... I don't hate too many guys. " Holden was finally strengthened when he received an inspiring note from Mr. Antolini. Holden says, "I read it right when he gave it to me, and then I thanked him and all and

Read More
403 Words | 2 Pages

In this Chapter Holden visits his former teacher, Mr.Antolini at his apartment to stay the night. In the middle of the night Holden is awakened by Antolini essentially petting him and admiring him as he sleeps. Holden describes the occurrence in first person which truly alters Antolini’s intentions as the reader is only being informed of what Holden states and how exactly he states it. Holden makes the occurrence out to be a type of inappropriate gesture from Antolini and even accuses Antolini of being a pervert by stating “When something perverty like that happens, I start sweating like a bastard”. Both Holden and readers misunderstood Antolini's actions.

Read More
904 Words | 4 Pages

Also, when Holden wakes up to Mr. Antolini patting him on the forehead in the middle of the night, he tells us of similar “perverty” stuff that happened to him multiple times as a child. Therefore, he clearly struggles to trust anyone he both meets and knows, which shows his insecurity and skepticism of others. Another instance of this is Holden’s relationship with D.B. Although Holden says that they were once close, he now considers D.B. as phony because of the work he does in the film industry. In doing so, he loses a close relationship with his brother, just because he feels

Read More
633 Words | 3 Pages

Through the book Holden changes from a coward to man, immature to mature and black and white view to a grey view. In the beginning his view is clear-cut. He generalized everyone, making a judgment on society as a whole. Near the end he understood the world cannot be the romanticized version he dreams of. The advice Mr. Antolini gave was “the mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, the mark of the mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one.”

Read More
1762 Words | 8 Pages

When examining the novel further Holden’s deep-rooted problems can be seen. Throughout the novel it is evident that Holden suffers from depression that affects his way of thinking and living a life

Read More
1142 Words | 5 Pages

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.

Read More
1039 Words | 5 Pages

Mr. Antolini opens Holden's eyes to the fact that Holden is not alone when it comes to being introverted and the need to alienate himself from society. However, by getting past the annoying people from school, Holden will be "stimulated to know" that he will learn from and meet people in the same situation as he is right now to have a more open view of society (page 247). Thus, as readers see how Holden disconnected himself from society and how Holden learned to cherish moments while they last, he missed people such as Stradlater and

Read More
1418 Words | 6 Pages

This describes Holden to-a-t, because of his alienation problem, his conflict with “phoniness” and his struggle of growing up and leaving his small problems behind him. Throughout the novel,

Read More
837 Words | 4 Pages

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

Read More
563 Words | 3 Pages

When Holden goes for the night to Mr. Antolini 's house, Mr. Antolini says, "Among other things, you 'll find that you 're not the first person who was ever confused and frightened and even sickened by human behavior"

Read More
989 Words | 4 Pages

Stevenson uses Enfield’s narration to first introduce the reader to Hyde whom we don’t know the identity of yet. He describes the scene as “hellish to see” then he elaborates the horror by describing what Hyde did and in what manner he did so: “trampled calmly over the child 's body” furthermore Stevenson uses a metaphor to describe Hyde as a “Juggernaut” this indicates that Hyde is an unstoppable force that crushes everything in his way and also has no reluctance in trampling over the girl and this gives the reader a sense of horror and curiosity of what kind of man could do such a thing without a second thought. Then, Enfield goes on to say that when this figure was caught he said “No gentleman wishes to avoid a scene, name your figure” and

Read More

More about How Is Holden Caulfield An Outsider

Open Document