Holden Caulfield Appearance
ENGLISH ESSAY
The combination of a dire lack of empathetic human interaction, excessive emphasis on physical appearance and the hypocritical nature of the adults makes the world Holden Caulfield lives in a bleak moral climate that destroys the soul in pieces. And if he were alive today, Holden would despise the current society because of it’s superficiality and obsession with technology.
From the beginning of the story, Holden Caulfield’s interactions with the people around him reflect the obliviousness of others toward his problems. His roommate Stradlater resorts to interacting with him, only to gain something. He uses Holden’s jacket and asks him to write an essay for him. Despite his strong affection and concern for Jane, whom Stradlater might try to have sex with, he obliges. But his small act of kindness is not …show more content…
Spencer’s aging appearance, and Ackley’s repulsive habits, show the excessive emphasis placed on physical appearance. Even in his conversation with Mr. Antolini, which is his final attempt to understand the adult world that eludes him, he is disgusted by Mrs. Antolini’s appearance without make-up and Mr. Antolini’s excessive drinking. This conceited preoccupation with people’s appearance leads to his isolation and ultimate breakdown. By deflecting his attention from introspection and dealing with his inability in communicating with others, he creates a world of cynicism. For instance, when Mr. Spencer was sincerely urging Holden to apply himself, he says,“ But I just couldn’t hang around there any longer, the way he kept missing the bed whenever he chucked something at it, and his sad old bathrobe with his chest showing, and that grippy smell of Vicks Nose Drops all over the place,”(Salinger,15). Holden only focuses on the unpleasantness of the Spencer’s appearance and doesn’t appreciate the genuine concern shown by the teacher, and yet, throughout the story, Holden talks about his aversion to
The combination of a dire lack of empathetic human interaction, excessive emphasis on physical appearance and the hypocritical nature of the adults makes the world Holden Caulfield lives in a bleak moral climate that destroys the soul in pieces. And if he were alive today, Holden would despise the current society because of it’s superficiality and obsession with technology.
From the beginning of the story, Holden Caulfield’s interactions with the people around him reflect the obliviousness of others toward his problems. His roommate Stradlater resorts to interacting with him, only to gain something. He uses Holden’s jacket and asks him to write an essay for him. Despite his strong affection and concern for Jane, whom Stradlater might try to have sex with, he obliges. But his small act of kindness is not …show more content…
Spencer’s aging appearance, and Ackley’s repulsive habits, show the excessive emphasis placed on physical appearance. Even in his conversation with Mr. Antolini, which is his final attempt to understand the adult world that eludes him, he is disgusted by Mrs. Antolini’s appearance without make-up and Mr. Antolini’s excessive drinking. This conceited preoccupation with people’s appearance leads to his isolation and ultimate breakdown. By deflecting his attention from introspection and dealing with his inability in communicating with others, he creates a world of cynicism. For instance, when Mr. Spencer was sincerely urging Holden to apply himself, he says,“ But I just couldn’t hang around there any longer, the way he kept missing the bed whenever he chucked something at it, and his sad old bathrobe with his chest showing, and that grippy smell of Vicks Nose Drops all over the place,”(Salinger,15). Holden only focuses on the unpleasantness of the Spencer’s appearance and doesn’t appreciate the genuine concern shown by the teacher, and yet, throughout the story, Holden talks about his aversion to