Catcher In The Rye Research Paper

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Growing up is not always the best experience, but everyone must go through this phase. J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye explores how adult life appears complex and incomprehensible to teenagers on the brink of entering it. Holden Caulfield’s transition from being a pessimistic and antagonistic teenager to a caring mature adult is clearly evident throughout the novel. The meaning of The Catcher in the Rye represents Holden’s view of himself as an intermediary of children who aren’t even aware of his existence.

At the start, Holden has no sense of direction, until he reflects back at his childhood while reading Phoebe’s notebook. “It didn’t take me long, and I can read that kind of stuff, some kid’s notebook, Phoebe’s or anybody’s, all day and all night long. Kids notebooks kill me” (Salinger 161). On the other hand, Holden finds her …show more content…
He may use profanity himself, but he draws the line when he sees the explicit graffiti on the walls of elementary schools and museum tombs. “If you had a million years to do it in, you couldn’t rub out even half the f- you signs in the world. It’s impossible” (Salinger 202). This imagery is a clear reflection on the novel’s title due to the fact that these writings particularly bother Holden, because they remind him of his own relatively comfortable and joyful childhood. On the other hand, Holden’s world has been corrupted by crudeness. “I thought how Phoebe and all the other kids would see it, and how they’d wonder what the hell it meant” (Salinger 201). In Caulfield’s mind, children are innocent and adults are corrupt. On the contrary, it also makes it impossible for him to understand the process of being The Catcher in the Rye. On his journey in becoming this idol for children, it all comes to the realization that rubbing out all of the vulgar graffiti in the world would be

Catcher In The Rye Research Paper

I spent much of my free time reading classic novels, recommended by my mother. A story that has endured in my mind is that of Holden Caulfield in Catcher in the Rye who balked in the face of growing up, refusing to accept new responsibilities as he grows up. These melancholic struggles paralleled my own at this point in my life, as I struggled to be independent while also taking on more responsibility,…

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Catcher In The Rye Research Paper

temporary and is going to be washed away by the rain. Dene Oxendene in Tommy Orange's "There There" finds comfort in the impermanence of graffiti because it gives him hope for growth in character and a new environment. Meanwhile, Holden in "The Catcher in the Rye" finds change as destructive and sees art as permanent. Dene meets graffiti and the hostile consequences of making eye contact with people in Oakland after an experience on the bus. This same experience was "The first time Dene saw someone…

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Catcher In The Rye Research Paper

The Catcher in the Rye is renowned for being one of the great American novels, however that does not mean it is without opposition. Pamela Steinle exclaims that Catcher has this “dubious distinction of being at [one of] the most frequently censored book across the nation and the second-most frequently taught novel in public high schools” (Whitfield). Some critics and parents who refuse to have it in classrooms claim that it Catcher is filled to the brim with “amateur swearing and coarse language”…

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Catcher In The Rye Research Paper

Everybody goes through the age of growing up and can most likely tell a time when they felt alone. In Catcher in The Rye, J.D. Salinger explores the idea of how feeling alone can make the pain of growing up harder and make it rough to try and figure yourself out. Throughout the book, Holden doesn't really have any close friends that aren't "phonies", so we see how Holden is alone and is trying to figure out his place in the world. It's especially tricky with Holden's age because he is on the verge…

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Catcher In The Rye Banned Research Paper

The Catcher in the Rye: Banned What is a banned/challenge book? A banned or challenge book is a printed work that is prohibited by law or to which free access is not permitted by other means. The habitude of banning books is a form of censorship, from political, legal, religious, moral, or commercial motives. Leading on to why “The Catcher in the Rye” was banned was due to its profanity, but it was not the actual language that got the book banned. Instead, it was the theme of the book that got it…

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Catcher In The Rye Depression Research Paper

was empty. It smelled like fifty million dead cigars. It really did. I wasn’t sleepy or anything, but I was feeling sort of lousy. Depressed and all. I almost wished I was dead.” That is a quote from the story “Catcher in the Rye” of a theme of depression. In the story “Catcher in the Rye”, by J.D Salinger it examines the topic of depression. He notes that the main character Holden suffers with depression, but does not realize it till his parents get him the help. Ultimately what Salinger examines…

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Personal Narrative: Student Self-Evaluation For Mrs. Freedman

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Catcher in the Rye Essay

The Catcher in the Rye “Is The Catcher in the Rye, as a work of literature still relevant for today’s youth?” Name: Sara Sigurdson Course: English A1 Supervisor: Mr. Peter Steadman Word count: 3851 Candidate number: 00136022 Table of Contents Content Page Number Abstract 3 Introduction 4 The Actual Catcher in the Rye 4 The Sexual Matter 5 The Caulfield Family 6 Narrator and Protagonist 8 Role Model 9 Mr. Antolini 10 Targeted Audience 10 Guidance 12…

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Essay on Salinger Jerome David

Tina Tran Mrs.Ross English 2A December 01, 2014 Research paper on J.D Salinger Jerome David "J.D." Salinger was born in January 1919. He was an American writer who won acclaim early in life. He was born and raised in Manhattan, New York. He began writing short stories in middle school. Salinger first published his book in 1965. Before World War II began several of his short stories were published in the Story magazine. In 1948, one of his stories "A Perfect Day for Bananafish " appeared on the New Yorker Magazine…

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writer, I can state my writing skills have drastically improved by being able to creating a hook and transitioning through paragraphs. This year I’ve demonstrated my thesis statements are directly to the point and they have organizational flow. In papers such as “Scarface’s Influence” and “The Power of Nonviolence Protesting” all show how my thesis statements are “listed” in sequential order of events. Furthermore, I cover everything that is to cover in my thesis statements when it comes to opinionative…

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