In J.D. Salinger's, "The Catcher in the Rye," Holden Caulfield is characterized by his need to protect innocence. This includes watching out for Jane so that Stradlater would not "give her the time ... apos;if a body catch a body coming through the rye.' It made me feel better" (Salinger 115). Unexpectedly, on a congested New York Street, Salinger embodied Holden's yet to be fully developed thoughts on his desire to protect youths from the corruption of the adult world. His pleasure from finding this small piece of innocence in ... inches away from each other. This perception would later de...

• Word Count: 987
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... . Another example of the main character's perversion is when he hired a prostitute named Sunny, and never actually accomplished anything. One last example could be Caulfield's overall impression and cockiness when it comes to sex and women. In conclusion Holden Caulfield is engrossed in sexual thought. The protagonist's fixation with members of the opposite sex can first be argued when he phone's a girl who ... next day he may not be feeling horny anymore. Obviously, the main character was so determined to do something sexy that night he turned down a friendly invitation, which proves th...

• Word Count: 839
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... in the Rye, written by J.D. Salinger. The main Character is Holden Caulfield through the entire novel. In several ways Caulfield and Fletcher measure up to each other. Jerry Fletcher and Holden Caulfield have some relationship with each other. They compare in several ways. Holden feels as if he is trapped and is exclude and victimized by ... with people around the city and working in New York a vast amount of people comes through there day in and day out. Jerry Fletcher and Holden Caulfield share the same sense for other people. They seem to always have something to say and there isn't ...

• Word Count: 1237
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... rites of initiation into manhood - chooses, on his own and unguided, an adulterated life in the "real" world rather than escape from it." (J.D.) Holden Caulfield is the main character of this novel. At age 16, he was expelled from school for not having good enough grades. He was however very intelligent. ... He is also the narrator of this story, and narrates with a very cynical tone. Holden is also very judgmental about everyone in the book. He is constantly criticizing all different kinds of people. I think that J.D. Salinger was similar and ... been known to pursue younger girls fo...

• Word Count: 1119
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... Salinger's novel, "The Catcher in the Rye," the reader is introduced to Holden Caulfield, a very troubled teenager who is fixated on protecting the innocent from the cruel realities of the world. The very title of this novel is a metaphor Holden uses to explain his obsession. Again, he displays how he protects his own ... it is a place where everything seems to be frozen in time which eliminates his thought of innocence being threatened through change. Holden Caulfield takes on the role of protecting innocence shortly after the death of his younger brother Allie, making this event his ...

• Word Count: 637
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... choose it because I heard it is about a boy who is around my age. In this book, the main character, Holden Caulfield, tells us a story about what happened during his Christmas vacation. Holden is a sixteen-year-old boy who has flunked out of a private prep school. Because he is afraid that his parents ... leaving, he goes to say good-bye to his little sister, Pheobe, who he admires the most. While talking and playing with her, Holden changes his mind and decides to rejoin his family and because he realizes there are many things that he cannot solve by himself. The theme ... he wants to ...

• Word Count: 859
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... chosen for him. The major theme that this book entails is the idea of conformity, and its dangers. Taking that into account, the main character, Holden Caulfield decides to take a roundabout route in life and enjoy himself a little bit more. Part of the reason he decides to do so is because he ... the superiors at Welton Academy, seventy-five percent of them actually get into Ivy League colleges, and fulfill their parents" dreams. In this case, just like Holden Caulfield wants to do more in his life than what is just mainstream, a group of boys in "Dead Poet's Society establish a poetry c...

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... device, which constitutes the development of this major theme in the book The Catcher in the rye, is characterization. Holden Caulfield, the protagonist of the novel, is residing at Pency Prep. Holden is an intelligent and sensitive boy but has a very cynical and jaded point of view of the world ... doesn't like the idea that Stradlater, a phony, is going out with her and corrupting her innocence. He may be sexual with her and this bothers Holden. Holden admires the boy who sings the song "Comin' thro' the rye". He is expressing his childlike uniqueness without a care in the world. The bo...

• Word Count: 1143
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• Grade Level: High School

... significant idea or theme in The Catcher in the Rye. In the novel Catcher in the Rye, by J.D Salinger is about a 17 year old boy called Holden Caulfield, and his development into adulthood. This novel was unique to the time is was written, 1951, due to the fact that books almost never had a teenager boy ... as the protagonist, and his views upon the world, the book is narrated in a broken up and cynical voice and Holden finds many phoney things about the adult world that he tries to protect himself against. Firstly, there is the issue of Holdens childhood, his identity and ... the symbo...

• Word Count: 760
• Approx Pages: 3
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... theme in the novel is how the main character, Holden Caulfield, portrays different attitudes towards different age groups. Holden tends to be more gently and considerate towards children whereas with adults or people his age he is facetious and disrespectful. Holden displays these attitudes through his thoughts and words, he ... around with a basket collecting dough would be if everybody kissed her ass for her when they made a contribution.(Salinger 114) This indicates that Holden knows Sally Hayess mom well enough to make such an assumption, he believes that she would only help a char...

• Word Count: 558
• Approx Pages: 2
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... title, this book is an easily relatable story. Told through the eyes of a young boy, Holden Caulfield, The Catcher In The Rye is not a story to easily be forgotten. Expelled from boarding school Holden goes out into the world in search of non-phoniness, truth, and innocence. Holden was a very hypocritical character in the book. Believing that all his thoughts and beliefs were true ... and every one that differed in opinion was an idiot. Feeling that he knew a lot about human nature, Holden discusses his thoughts on many people's actions and personalities. Most of which were described ne...

• Word Count: 628
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• Grade Level: High School

... Existentialists are individuals who are willing to live their lives both within and without the system that frames their identity and that is exactly who Holden Caulfield is. In "The Catcher in the Rye-, he has no real interest in school or any other institution. He is a true individual ... not one of overt Existentialism like "The Childhood of a Leader-, I have no idea of Salinger's philosophical orientation, but it is implicit that Holden is capable of freely making many different choices and only when made can he learn about himself. "The Dead- exhibits the fewest existential qualities...

• Word Count: 1213
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... this book, I think that The Catcher in the Rye should not be banned. It displays some beneficial messages such as the confusing while the main character Holden approaching to the adulthood and so on. Referring to the article that we read before in the class, "Board Bans ˜Catcher in the Rye' ... meaning should be acceptable. On the other hand, the book The Catcher in the Rye really does not go far from the boundary. Speaking of vulgar language, Holden Caulfield swears throughout the book. Most of his curses are "damn ", "crap ", "ass ". The profanity that used in the novel is really abou...

• Word Count: 629
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... entrance interview and he moved into the bunk hose a few days later. At Valley Forge, he was the manager of the fencing team, just as was Holden in The Catcher in the Rye. Unlike Holden, however, Salinger did well at the military academy and enjoyed it. He was fond of the military until his experience in WWII. From 1937 to 1939 Salinger ... publication of his first and only novel to date, The Catcher in the Rye (1951), a coming of age tale based on the growing pains of central character, sixteen-year-old Holden Caulfield. He has also published 35 short stories including A Perfect Day fo...

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