I. Setting/Mood/Atmosphere Catcher in the Rye is set in the 1950s. Although it is unspecified the exact location of where Holden is, the reader knows that he is telling the story from an asylum somewhere in the New York/ New England area. Overall, the story he tells only spans three days, Saturday afternoon to Monday afternoon. Ultimately, the mood is determined by the language that Holden Caulfield uses. In Catcher in the Rye, he is very angsty, and shows that very obviously in his diction. Holden
and narrator of Catcher in the Rye. The story is given after the fact in a stream of consciousness, as Holden is in a rest home. Holden alienates himself to provide a sense of protection from the “real” world he must start living in. He describes adulthood as superficial, hypercritical, and shallow. He believes that he is above the adult world, as all adults are phonies. Holden believes that phoniness is what is wrong in the world and is his excuse for alienating himself. The theme of phoniness is
Coming of age is a theme frequently alluded to in the writings of J.D. Salinger, Barbara Kingsolver, and John Green. While the most common use of this theme is seen in teenagers, every character in the works of these authors goes through transformations throughout their lives. Many of these characters’ transformations include the discovery that the world is not as great as it seems. Nearly every character faces isolation at some point and faces the consequences and pain that loneliness can present. These
In J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, the relevant themes and vivid protagonist drew me to where I could not put the book down, and even found myself reading in my free time rather than watching my shows on tv that hardly ever even come on. The Catcher in the Rye is J.D. Salinger’s most popular book and is widely read, but it just hasn’t grown on some people that have a little pull on changes to the schools’ reading list. The book has been criticized time and time again for having profane language
start missing everybody” (Salinger 277). Through this quote, JD Salinger, the brilliant author behind The Catcher in the Rye, gives us a deep perspective about his novel by showing the true feelings behind the complex character who is Holden Caulfield. Salinger was born on January 1, 1919 in New York City and became a world renowned author after the creation of his first novel, The Catcher in the Rye. In 1942, Salinger was drafted into the army after the invasion of Pearl Harbor where he devised multiple
Throughout the novel of the Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield’s abortive attempt to conserve his feeble and incompetent sense of individuality leads to his loneliness which is the primary source of a concrete manifestation of his self-division from the gross demographic of diverse groups of people. The archetypal characters in Catcher in the Rye demonstrate Holden’s struggle to preserve his own innocence and that of those around him. However, through his experiences with these archetypal characters
the most important parts of human expression. From the earliest days of mankind, we have used drawings to express our emotions, desires, and fears. The image above offers a variety of opposing themes, all woven together into a creative vista. The light and dark colors in the picture offer a conflicting theme of childhood and adulthood. Children view the outside world as mysterious and intimidating. They solely depend on the adults in their life to give them advice. That’s why much of their universe
Holden in a Web The Catcher in the Rye is a novel with many hidden messages for the reader to unravel. The whole novel presents the confrontation between the adult world and the world of adolescence. Holden is an intelligent, sensitive and insecure young man who is faced with the challenge of becoming an adult. Salinger presents him as a teenager who has an absent family, has social and academic problems and who reaches out to those around him to make us realize his needs. Firstly, Salinger
causes a strange mixture of desire for and repulsion from human contact. This is why when J.D. Salinger, the author of The Catcher in the Rye, wants to showcase or elaborate upon his main character, Holden Caulfield’s alienation, he uses language that signifies depression. Holden’s repeated usage of language of depression reveals his alienation from people and his loneliness and longing for them throughout his interactions with others. This is evidenced through the appearance of language of depression
is naïve (innocent) and pure like a young child – free from the cares and worries of the world/lack of deception/candid and being open to the world - Coming of age story – transition from childhood to adulthood In J.D. Salinger’s novel, The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield is identified as a character that deeply wishes to preserve his youthful innocence and purity (idea) of the past *Endures hardships along the way Holden Caulfield – ineffectively copes with this transition - intentional