Catcher In The Rye Coming Of Age Analysis
“The day we fret about the future is the day we leave our childhood behind.” - Patrick Rothfuss
Often, the transition to adulthood produces individuals who act more like “children” than they did in their youth. In J.D. Salinger’s novel, The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield, fights this transition vehemently, fearing it will change him in ways he does not like. The novel follows Holden in the days following his expulsion from Pencey Prep just before Christmas break. Holden, however, does not immediately go home, as he fears the reaction from his parents when they find he has been kicked out of yet another school. Instead, he spends his time roaming through the streets of New York, encountering a variety of characters and offering a view into his thoughts to the reader. One of his greatest vexations is the act of people being “phony”, or showing a facade of one’s true personality and character to the world in an attempt to appeal to societal norms. The overarching themes of the novel is how Holden fears …show more content…
Salinger’s novel, Catcher in the Rye, is one of the most striking examples of “coming of age” literature written to date. The struggle that comes with the process of growing up is one that everyone faces, and it is often one of the most trying times in a person’s entire life. One must begin to take on the many responsibilities that come with adulthood, and it can seem difficult to do so without losing the innocence and wonder that is so profound in childhood. Holden fears this change very much, but fighting it head on results in only physical and mental exhaustion. Holden comes to understand that growing up is not such a death sentence, and that if you go through with the right attitude, there is nothing to fear. In the words of C.S Lewis: “Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again.” Holden comes to understand that magic age lasts your entire life, and as long as one remembers that, one will be as innocent as the day they were
Often, the transition to adulthood produces individuals who act more like “children” than they did in their youth. In J.D. Salinger’s novel, The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield, fights this transition vehemently, fearing it will change him in ways he does not like. The novel follows Holden in the days following his expulsion from Pencey Prep just before Christmas break. Holden, however, does not immediately go home, as he fears the reaction from his parents when they find he has been kicked out of yet another school. Instead, he spends his time roaming through the streets of New York, encountering a variety of characters and offering a view into his thoughts to the reader. One of his greatest vexations is the act of people being “phony”, or showing a facade of one’s true personality and character to the world in an attempt to appeal to societal norms. The overarching themes of the novel is how Holden fears …show more content…
Salinger’s novel, Catcher in the Rye, is one of the most striking examples of “coming of age” literature written to date. The struggle that comes with the process of growing up is one that everyone faces, and it is often one of the most trying times in a person’s entire life. One must begin to take on the many responsibilities that come with adulthood, and it can seem difficult to do so without losing the innocence and wonder that is so profound in childhood. Holden fears this change very much, but fighting it head on results in only physical and mental exhaustion. Holden comes to understand that growing up is not such a death sentence, and that if you go through with the right attitude, there is nothing to fear. In the words of C.S Lewis: “Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again.” Holden comes to understand that magic age lasts your entire life, and as long as one remembers that, one will be as innocent as the day they were