Theme Of Innocence In Catcher In The Rye

Growing and developing into an adult is a difficult process that everyone has to go through in life but each individual takes it differently. Many authors tackle this idea in writings but few convey it properly. In the novel The Catcher in the Rye, the author, J.D. Salinger, talks about the concept of maturing into an adult and leaving your childhood causing loss of innocence along the journey. To begin talking about the theme of growing up in the novel, we shall first look at an important setting of the story and what it tells us about Holden coming of age. Starting, we look at the location our main character’s takes his little sister to. Walking through the park, after the characters takes Pheobe out of school, he begins to hear the music

It was playing "Oh, Marie!" It played that same song about fifty years ago when I was a little kid.” (Salinger 210). The narrator approaching the ride after so many years away causes him to reminisce about times as a child, riding the carousel, causing him to realise he has grown up. Continuing with the setting at the carrousel, Holden puts Phoebe on the ride. After buying a ticket, Holden sends Phoebe to the ride, “‘Go ahead, then--I'll be on this bench right over here. I'll watch ya.’ I went over and sat down on this bench, and she went and got on the carrousel.” (Salinger 211). This quotation by Holden displays how he wants to observe from a distance, much like many of the grown up parents around him do, showing that like them, he has grown since his childhood. Finally, the most important quote tells us about how even his younger sister thinks of him as an un-fun, grown-up. Before going to the

Starting out is an event that takes place in a cheap hotel room with an even cheaper paid girl. Wanting to lose his virginity, Holden buys himself a hooker but realises he does not want to do anything and tells her “I thought I'd be feeling a lot better than I do. I was a little premature in my calculations. No kidding. I'm sorry. If you'll just get up a second, I'll get my wallet. I mean it.” (Salinger 97) This shows us that although Holden wants to lose his virginity and grow up in that way, he discovers that the girl is a kid - just like himself - and denies her, displaying his maturing personality. The next event happens when Holden arranges a date with an old friend, Sally Hayes. During their date at the ice skating rink, Holden realises how “fake” and “phony” Sally is - between showing off her body and their conversations -, finally remarking, “You give me a royal pain in the ass, if you want to know the truth.” (Salinger 133) Denying Sally’s display of her body, Holden feels that he wants more in a person than just looks, furthermore showing his growth out of childhood. A final event in Holden’s journey to adulthood occurs with his little sister, Phoebe, at the park. Coming to a close with his time with Phoebe, he watches her in the pouring rain, while she rides the carousel, I didn't care, though. I felt so damn happy all of sudden, the way