catcher
Analyse how the writer uses a character for a symbolic purpose in an extended written text you have studied.
In the novel ‘Catcher in the Rye’ by J.D Salinger the author used the main character ,sixteen year old Holden Caulfield as a symbol for the loss of innocence and protection of innocence. Trough the novel Salinger has Holden as the first person narrative to really emphasise how Holden sees the situations he gets into and how he feels about them. Holden has just got kicked out of Pency Prep yet another private school for failing subjects. He then decides to get away from all the people he sees as ‘phonies’ and spend the time in New York before his parents expect him home. The novel follows Holden on his two day journey. On this journey we see the way Holden see the innocence in childhood and how he takes on the role to defend innocence.
Salinger has Holden show his urge to protect innocence by having his roommate on a date with an old childhood friend. Holden is furious after he finds out that his sexually experienced roommate Ward Stradlater is taking Jane Gallager ,Holden’s childhood friend on a date. Holden is tormented by the fact that Jane an innocent girl he has shared many memories with is on a date with a guy notorious for sex. Holden sees this as a loss of innocence. Holden starts telling Stradlator about his and Jane’s memories together but Stradlater doesn’t pay any attention. Holden narrates “that didn’t interest stradlater only very sexy stuff interested him”. This shows us how exactly Holden feels about the situation. Holden is really trying to let us know that stradlator doesn’t care. He only sees Jane as an object to uses for his own sexual desires. This enrages Holden ,he then feels as though he has to protect her innocence. Holden knows Jane well and is disgusted by the cruel grown up world. That someone so innocent could have that taken advantage of and lost. Holden feels he must act on it and protect her and eventually he gets in a
In the novel ‘Catcher in the Rye’ by J.D Salinger the author used the main character ,sixteen year old Holden Caulfield as a symbol for the loss of innocence and protection of innocence. Trough the novel Salinger has Holden as the first person narrative to really emphasise how Holden sees the situations he gets into and how he feels about them. Holden has just got kicked out of Pency Prep yet another private school for failing subjects. He then decides to get away from all the people he sees as ‘phonies’ and spend the time in New York before his parents expect him home. The novel follows Holden on his two day journey. On this journey we see the way Holden see the innocence in childhood and how he takes on the role to defend innocence.
Salinger has Holden show his urge to protect innocence by having his roommate on a date with an old childhood friend. Holden is furious after he finds out that his sexually experienced roommate Ward Stradlater is taking Jane Gallager ,Holden’s childhood friend on a date. Holden is tormented by the fact that Jane an innocent girl he has shared many memories with is on a date with a guy notorious for sex. Holden sees this as a loss of innocence. Holden starts telling Stradlator about his and Jane’s memories together but Stradlater doesn’t pay any attention. Holden narrates “that didn’t interest stradlater only very sexy stuff interested him”. This shows us how exactly Holden feels about the situation. Holden is really trying to let us know that stradlator doesn’t care. He only sees Jane as an object to uses for his own sexual desires. This enrages Holden ,he then feels as though he has to protect her innocence. Holden knows Jane well and is disgusted by the cruel grown up world. That someone so innocent could have that taken advantage of and lost. Holden feels he must act on it and protect her and eventually he gets in a