Holden Caulfield's Alienation As The Embodiment Of Self-Preservation
Sabrina Huwang
Mr. Maiore
AP English Language
9 June 2014
Alienation as the Embodiment of Self-Preservation in The Catcher in the Rye Written in 1951 during Post-World War II America by J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye details the deteriorating psychological state of the protagonist, Holden Caulfield, a pessimistic misanthrope who is convinced that the adult world is spurious and full of “phonies.” Throughout the bildungsroman, Holden’s various interactions with incommensurable individuals highlight his frequent obsession with the child-like innocence that he desperately covets and fails to protect in himself and others around him. While resisting maturation, Holden believes he resents society because society is fraudulent and artificial, …show more content…
The importance of the diction in the novel will increase with each generation as the dialect becomes less colloquial. Holden’s speech may appear to be obscene and vulgar at first, but on the contrary, Salinger intentionally created the character with regard to Holden’s sensitivity. For example, Holden may curse frequently but he never allows himself to use the most “strongly forbidden terms,” whereas his roommates Stradlater and Ackley voices the more offensive terms habitually. The only scenarios in which Holden uses the stronger curse words are those in which he feels the need for them and when he is incapable of expressing himself by other means. It also should be noted that Holden never exerts his vulgar dialect to address the audience but instead he uses it in his interactions with his schoolmates, whom he considers “phonies.” As Holden is incapable of communicating with others, he tends to curse more when impassioned and enraged, as seen in the incident over how Stradlater may have treated Jane Gallagher, who is the emblem of purity and innocence for
Mr. Maiore
AP English Language
9 June 2014
Alienation as the Embodiment of Self-Preservation in The Catcher in the Rye Written in 1951 during Post-World War II America by J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye details the deteriorating psychological state of the protagonist, Holden Caulfield, a pessimistic misanthrope who is convinced that the adult world is spurious and full of “phonies.” Throughout the bildungsroman, Holden’s various interactions with incommensurable individuals highlight his frequent obsession with the child-like innocence that he desperately covets and fails to protect in himself and others around him. While resisting maturation, Holden believes he resents society because society is fraudulent and artificial, …show more content…
The importance of the diction in the novel will increase with each generation as the dialect becomes less colloquial. Holden’s speech may appear to be obscene and vulgar at first, but on the contrary, Salinger intentionally created the character with regard to Holden’s sensitivity. For example, Holden may curse frequently but he never allows himself to use the most “strongly forbidden terms,” whereas his roommates Stradlater and Ackley voices the more offensive terms habitually. The only scenarios in which Holden uses the stronger curse words are those in which he feels the need for them and when he is incapable of expressing himself by other means. It also should be noted that Holden never exerts his vulgar dialect to address the audience but instead he uses it in his interactions with his schoolmates, whom he considers “phonies.” As Holden is incapable of communicating with others, he tends to curse more when impassioned and enraged, as seen in the incident over how Stradlater may have treated Jane Gallagher, who is the emblem of purity and innocence for