Preview

Compare And Contrast Holden's Relationship With Other Characters In Catcher In The Rye

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
398 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Compare And Contrast Holden's Relationship With Other Characters In Catcher In The Rye
On the other hand, Holden’s relationships with other character in the novel Cather in the rye are more complex than of the above mentioned protagonists, Othello and Alex. Holden is the narrator of Catcher in the rye, and the reader gains access into his relationship on the basis of what he tells the reader and his on-going thoughts. Salinger portrays Holden’s language abilities to a speech-like structure rather than a writing structure (Bell, 2011: 128). Holden is in a constant conversation with the reader giving them access to his relationships piece by piece. The reader gets to know other characters as Holden provides them with information, consequently establishing a relationship with Holden and the reader of the novel. Language is the medium

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    Holden Caulfield is J.D. Salinger’s main character in The Catcher in the Rye. We learn several interesting things about Holden, however, while learning the these we are not experiencing or seeing what Holden is. We learn about it through Holden’s perspective throughout the entire story like, for example, the death of his younger brother, Allie or the time James Castle committed suicide by jumping out of the school window. Most of these experiences have a significant meaning behind them and we find these out by reading the book. We get to know Holden in a personal way. While reading, comprehending, and understanding Holden’s emotions towards the encounters he has with the characters in this book, which makes it very interesting.…

    • 122 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    This passage clearly identifies Holden’s ego, where the readers can easily depict his concern about his mother spending time and money on a present, yet they were the wrong kind. The concept of his own mother buying him a gift when he is now being kicked out of school depresses him. However, he seems to contradict his own feelings because he makes it clear that he is ready to get away from school without thinking twice. This is exemplified as the id’s manifestation with the thought of knowing how disappointed his family will be known as the ego’s manifestation.…

    • 290 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Before Holden arrived at Pency he failed to meet academic standards at his previous schools that have “given him the axe”. The idea of Pency Prep seems to follow him everywhere because whoever he meets seems to know about it and how good of a school it is. It is a symbol of failure. Pency is not the first school Holden has flunked out of as a result his family is not too pleased with him and nonexistent academic ambitions other than in English.…

    • 681 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    There were recurring patterns Holden unconsciously fell into that contributed to his depression and then there were events that halted these depressions. The events that contributed to his depression were that he judged people, he judged himself and he did not take care of himself. Of course there were events that halted the depression such as the act of love shown by his sister Phoebe. Love is perceived as forgiveness, peace, living in the moment and happiness. His sister is the only person in the book who shows these characteristics. As for Holden he never doesn’t experience love at all, he is always depressed and is never really happy in the book. Except when he is with his sister, he feels happy and is in the moment.…

    • 1080 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Holden Caulfield is a very sophisticated character created by J.D. Salinger, not comparable to many characters in other novels. One character he relates strongly with is Phoebe Caulfield. As Holden superior in age to Phoebe, she is clearly the more mature person in state of mind. Phoebe tries to be the best that she can be in school, achieving A’s on almost everything she does, while Holden doesn’t apply himself in anything but English class. One thing that they have in common is the knowledge to have a good conversation, something that most people don’t have. With their many differences, Holden still admires Phoebe and wishes to talk to her whenever he can, because she is about the only person that is willing to talk to a crazy person.…

    • 526 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Imagine having the world at your fingertips, having the opportunity to learn what you need to know, and the ability to shape your own destiny, but refusing to do so in order to avoid change because all you can think of is what is to be lost than what is to be gained. Holden Caulfield is that exact same way, he refuses change therefore refuses to progress. The Catcher in the Rye, a novel published in 1951 by J.D. Salinger, is about Holden who after being kicked out of a prep school for failing most of his classes goes to New York for a few days. Throughout his time there Holden encounters many problems as he struggles with the idea of having to grow up. In addition, Holden tries to fabricate wild escape plans in order to avoid the inevitable reality of maturing. Although The Catcher in the Rye is a very elaborate book…

    • 852 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    "He was two years younger than I was, but he was about fifty more times intelligent" (38).…

    • 673 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Growing up is generally not considered easy or desirable. In J.D Salinger’s novel, The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield is a sixteen year old boy on the precipice of adulthood. He is resisting growing up despite the allure of sex and alcohol, but he despises the thought of entering a phony world. For Holden, his life is stuck in a never ending cycle of misery, alcohol, and a desire to hold on to his childhood innocence. His own life up to this point has been very rough - his beloved younger brother Allie died of pneumonia, a classmate jumped out of a window, and he has gotten kicked out of yet another school. He yearns to be a protector of childhood innocence. It is only after beginning to accepting change, relinquish his protective instincts,…

    • 1254 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    In The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger writes about a troubled teen named Holden Caulfield who undergoes failing school and travels through New York City at night. Salinger depicts Holden as someone with uncontrollable anger, many anxieties, extreme loneliness, powerful love, and numerous fears. All of this molds Holden into a complex person with an unusual personality and unique traits that make him different and unable to accept most of the people around him. In addition, there seems to be a deep connection between many of the things that he did and his own personality traits. The most prominent traits of Holden Caulfield, displayed through his speech, actions, and thoughts, are that he is judgmental, lonely, and depressed.…

    • 761 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Holden Caulfield, the novel’s protagonist, is a pivotal character in The Catcher in the Rye. Holden is characterized as an innocent, apathetic, naive teen who is seeking knowledge of life and the meaning of becoming an adult. Holden’s struggle with seeing the genuine nature of people is something that acts as a barrier for him throughout the novel. Holden is troubled and burdened throughout the story, which causes him to have a warped view on an array of subjects. Holden passes strict judgement on everyone, as he struggles to transition from adolescence to adulthood. Holden appears to be stunned when he sees how different the life of an adult is comparison to that of children. His views on topics such as, life, his future, and sex. Holden approaches each of these subjects with strict views, and feels dejected when he realizes there are more multiple perspectives to these topics.…

    • 554 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Often times, a death might bring unexpected negative consequences to the grieving people, and cause them to act out or adjust differently to life without them. Holden Caulfield in The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, was the most afflicted in his family by his brother’s death, and he faces the ongoing repercussions of it. Shortly after Allie's death, Holden need a psychanalyst to help him cope, but never fully moved past his brother's passing. Therefore, the death of Allie affects Holden’s depressive behavior, his transition between childhood and adulthood, and finally, his realization of growing up is essential in life.…

    • 1410 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    Holden Caufield, either mentally unstable or too morally advanced for society, misses the innocense of his childhood. Holden's mentality, although confused and seemingly unstable, show the effects of exposed innocence. He becomes frustrated that he does not belong where ever he goes. He travels away from his school with no logial direction for a more internal desire to find his place. Holden has trouble understanding why he does not fit in anywhere and implies mental deterioration from stress. Holden Caufeild struggles with the contrast of society's standards of innocence, change and affection to his own intuitive values.…

    • 883 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    The fantasy of “The Catcher In The Rye” is extremely important. Holden does not have a particularly easy life, but he just makes it a lot harder on himself than it has to be. He wants to stay young, but also has the conflict of trying to be seen as an adult. He can not have both, but that is what he wishes. He wishes that he could be a ladies…

    • 1092 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The novel The Catcher in the Rye takes place in New York during the 1950's. The main character is a fifteen-year-old boy Holden, he takes the reader through a story depicting the loss of innocence. Holden believes everyone is innocent, but they inevitably loose it somehow by the time they are adolescent. Holden believes innocence is lost in childhood. Holden is extremely concerned about this and believes he can stop the loss of innocence by becoming the "Catcher in the Rye."…

    • 761 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Holden's Hardships

    • 1362 Words
    • 6 Pages

    In J. D Salinger 's novel, The Catcher in the Rye, the protagonist, Holden, goes through many hardships in his journey to self-knowledge. In the beginning, Holden has to deal with being kicked out of school and not having any place to call home. He is also struggling with the unfortunate tragedy of the death of his beloved younger brother Allie. At the same time, Holden is trying to deal with growing up and accepting the adult world. Throughout the novel Salinger addresses the conflicts faced by a young man struggling with the trials and tribulations of growing up while also confronting personal loss and loneliness along the way.…

    • 1362 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays