(855) 4-ESSAYS

Type a new keyword(s) and press Enter to search

Themes in The Catcher in the Rye


After losing the fencing equipment, and disappointing the team, Holden buys the hat in order to comfort himself. The presence of the hat mirrors the central conflict in the book; Holden's need for isolation compared to his need for companionship. The hat adds to the complexity of Holden's character. Holden is very self-conscience when wearing the hat and always mentions where he is wearing it. He is reluctant to wear the hat around people he knows. The phrase "I took my old hunting hat out of my pocket while I walked and put it on. I knew I wouldn't meet anybody that knew me, and it was pretty damp out" portrays Holden's lack of confidence when wearing the hat in front of other people. .
             Salinger uses Holden's distinct character voice as a key technique through which he conveys the complexity of Holden's character. The author uses first person to allow the reader to gain an insight into Holden's internal conflicts, and gain an understanding of Holden's complexity as a character. Holden portrays the image of himself through the use of his character voice, but Salinger contrasts this with the actions. This portrays Holden as flawed, and conveys the idea that Holden is a weak unreliable narrator. Throughout the text Salinger demonstrates Holden's unique perception of normality and this is evident when Holden tries to wake up a fellow student in the middle of the night to sell a typewriter. Holden justifies his behaviour, and believes his actions were completely normal as seen in the phrase, "So what I did was, I went down the hall and woke up Frederick Woodruff, this guy I'd lent my typewriter to"(Chapter 7) . The text is also inspired by the literary technique of stream of consciousness. The technique draws upon the continuous flow of sense perceptions, thoughts and feelings as well as conveying the story through the use of memory and progression of the human mind.


Essays Related to Themes in The Catcher in the Rye


Got a writing question? Ask our professional writer!
Submit My Question