Phoniness: Its Effect on Holden Caulfield’s Character and His View on Society
Shannon LeBlanc
Mr. P. Murray
Phoniness: Its Effect on Holden Caulfield’s Character and his View on Society
December 3, 2012 Phoniness: Its effect on Holden Caulfield’s character and his view on society
There comes a time in life when one believes that they are surrounded by nothing but fallaciousness and deception. In J.D Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield, a 16-year-old boy, travels to New York to try to escape the corrupt events that have transpired in his life. While in New York, he encounters many difficult occasions which make him draw to the conclusion that he lives in a world of "phoniness." Hypocrisy is a concept that Holden constantly refers to throughout the novel. Holden makes reference to the word "phony" fourty-four separate times throughout the novel (Corbett 68-73). Each time he seems to be referring to the subject of this metaphor as -- someone who discriminates against others, is a hypocrite about something, or has manifestations of conformity (Corbett 71). He believes that people are superficial and that the world is soiled by “phoniness”. This is Holden`s way of using this as a means to mask his own insecurities and the “phoniness” within his own character. As a result, Holden develops a “phony stigma” that he uses to identify various animosities in his life, including himself.
For one, Holden often behaves like he is bigger than everyone around him, and points out the falsity in everyone else. Throughout the novel he meets many people who to him are nothing but superficial such as: Sally Hayes, Carl Luce, Maurice and Sunny, and Mr. Spencer. They say and do things that keep up their appearances rather than reflecting what their true thoughts and feelings are. Holden spends so much time and energy searching for the aspect of phoniness in other people that he never truly observes it within himself (Phoniness in the Adult World). As a result, Holden tends
Mr. P. Murray
Phoniness: Its Effect on Holden Caulfield’s Character and his View on Society
December 3, 2012 Phoniness: Its effect on Holden Caulfield’s character and his view on society
There comes a time in life when one believes that they are surrounded by nothing but fallaciousness and deception. In J.D Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield, a 16-year-old boy, travels to New York to try to escape the corrupt events that have transpired in his life. While in New York, he encounters many difficult occasions which make him draw to the conclusion that he lives in a world of "phoniness." Hypocrisy is a concept that Holden constantly refers to throughout the novel. Holden makes reference to the word "phony" fourty-four separate times throughout the novel (Corbett 68-73). Each time he seems to be referring to the subject of this metaphor as -- someone who discriminates against others, is a hypocrite about something, or has manifestations of conformity (Corbett 71). He believes that people are superficial and that the world is soiled by “phoniness”. This is Holden`s way of using this as a means to mask his own insecurities and the “phoniness” within his own character. As a result, Holden develops a “phony stigma” that he uses to identify various animosities in his life, including himself.
For one, Holden often behaves like he is bigger than everyone around him, and points out the falsity in everyone else. Throughout the novel he meets many people who to him are nothing but superficial such as: Sally Hayes, Carl Luce, Maurice and Sunny, and Mr. Spencer. They say and do things that keep up their appearances rather than reflecting what their true thoughts and feelings are. Holden spends so much time and energy searching for the aspect of phoniness in other people that he never truly observes it within himself (Phoniness in the Adult World). As a result, Holden tends
Cited: Corbett, Edward P.J. "Raise High the Barriers, Censors." The National Catholic Weekly Review America. Chicago, 7 January 1961. Rpt. in If You Really Want to Know: A "Catcher" Casebook. Phoniness in the Adult World. n.d. Website. 2 December 2012. Salinger, J.D. Catcher in the Rye. New York City, NY: Little, Brown and Company, 1951. Book. Search Quotes. n.d. Website. 3 December 2012. Smith, Harrison. "Manhattan Ulysses, Junior." Saturday Review of Literature. Boston, MA: Little, Brown & Co, 1951. 1. Book.