Catcher In The Rye Isolation Theme

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In J.D. Salinger’s novel, The Catcher in the Rye, he explains major themes in his work by telling them through Holden, a sixteen year old boy and his views on his society. The first three chapters hold three major themes shown throughout the whole book; Isolation, Sexual Identity/ Drive, and Adulthood. Isolation was one of the biggest themes in Salinger’s novel; almost every chapter had some aspect of him being alone. The first account of being isolated is on page 24 “It was pretty nice to get back to my room… because everyone was down at the game” He stayed in his room rather than going to the last game of the season for Pencey Prep. He’d rather stay inside by himself and read rather than be with friends down at the football game. Throughout the book the isolation gets more visible when he leaves his dorm room without telling anyone, or living in New York by himself for two weeks. A significant part of isolation was on page 144, “ I was just leaving… I have to meet somebody… After i told her i had to meet somebody, I didnt have any goddamn choice except to leave” when Lillian an old friend of Holden’s brother asks to join her …show more content…
He describes most of his problems about adulthood with “phony.” The first time phony is stated, it doesnt equate to adulthood. Its in the the conversation with Mr. Spencer, “Grand. There’s a word i really hate. It’s a phony.” Although they are on the topic of Holden’s adulthood, the workd phony is not describing adulthood. Throughout the book “phony” describes through talking with Mr. Morrow about her “phony” son, and describing the “phony” play him and Sally saw. On page 110, when Holden explains Ernie’s piano performance, “gave this very phony, humble bow… it was very phony… I felt sort of sorry for him when he was finished.” He feels like his performance didnt deserve apprecation, because it sounded “dumb” and “tricky stuff that gives [you] a pain in the
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