December 22
The Catcher in the Rye Essay Assignment I really had:Insecurity in The Catcher in the Rye In the novel The Catcher in the Rye By J.D. Salinger. Holden Caulfield constantly agrees with himself that he’s always right.This shows a list of problems that Holden has with himself, he
shows that through the use of agreeing with himself very often throughout the novel. This represents the fact that Holden is insecure and that trying to reassure himself to not show how he really feels about the topic at hand. Holden’s insecurity causes him to have to reassure with what he is saying so that he could make the reader side with him when he is trying to hide his emotions. He does this many times at the beginning of the book Holden first uses this when he is talking about the fencing team. He states “I left the foils and equipment and stuff on the goddam subway. It wasn’t all my fault. I had to keep getting up to look at this map, so we’d know where to get off”(6). Holden says to the reader that it wasn’t his fault and then gives an explanation on why. He does this in a very defensive way as if he knew what he did but still tries to throw it over his shoulder as if it never happened. Along with showing that he is insecure he shows that he can’t accept what he did and take responsibility. He also curses at the subway as if it was the subway did and he’s getting the blame on it. Holden also uses this to describe people that he knows. while Holden is talking to Mr.
Spencer
his old teacher he states “Boy, did he depress me! I don’t mean he was a bad guyhe wasn’t.But you don’t have to be a bad guy to depress somebodyyou can be a good guy and
do it”(186).What Holden says is kinda contradicting what he really means. He first states