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 Mrs. Schilling's G Period English Class

toc =**The Catcher in the Rye Literary Analysis**=

=**I. Historical Information**=

**Life in the 1940s**
The decade of the 1940’s was a turning point for many nations, especially the United States. Its culture, art, literature, music, and fads were all heavily influenced by World War II and, in the late 1940s, the Cold War.

**Quick Facts, Statistics and World Events in 1949**
All statistics are for the United States.
 * The Berlin Airlift officially comes to an end on May 12th, 194919]
 * The Communist People’s Republic of China is declared under Mao Tse Tung19]
 * The Soviet Union tests its first atomic bomb19]
 * RCA (Radio Corporation of America) perfects a system for broadcasting color television in the US19]
 * The first Polaroid camera sold for $89.95 in the United States19]
 * __1984__ by George Orwell is published19]
 * Cold War tensions increasing19]
 * United States Population: 132,122,00020]
 * Unemployed in the United States in1940: 8,120,00020]
 * National Debt: $43 Billion20]
 * Average Salary: $1,299; Teacher's salary: $1,44120]
 * Minimum Wage: $0.43 per hour20]
 * 55% of U.S. homes have indoor plumbing20]
 * Antarctica is discovered to be a continent20]
 * Life expectancy 68.2 female, 60.8 male20]
 * Auto deaths 34,50020]

**World War II**
World War II was a global conflict that lasted from September 1, 1939 until September 2, 1945. The conflict was between two alliance groups, the Allied Powers (namely the United States, the Soviet Union, the British Empire, France, China, and Poland) and the Axis Powers (namely Germany, Japan, and Italy). World War II resulted mostly from the aftermath of World War I and the terms created in the Treaty of Versailles. World War II was the most destructive war of all time, claiming more lives and destroying more land than any other conflict in history. It is estimated that 45 to 60 million people were killed, and 6 million of these were Jews murdered in concentration camps as part of Hitler’s “Final Solution” 23], also known as the Holocaust. The goal of the Holocaust was to eliminate all European Jews.

World War II and its result, the Cold War, set the tone for the rest of the 1940s. Being the most destructive and terrifying war in history and introducing the constant threat of nuclear war, World War II and the Cold War instilled a mood of constant fear, tension, and nervousness throughout the 1940s. In addition, many soldiers returned from the war with //**Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder**//. This overall tone is reflected in //The Catcher in the Rye// through Holden’s mother, who is nervous supposedly because her son Allie died. However, her nerves may also be wrought by the tension the decade itself holds. Holden is definitely affected by this tense and fearful mood, as throughout the book he is often nervous, restless, overemotional, and shows signs of having some sort of mental disorder.

From an economical standpoint, Germany was the least stable out of all the European countries heavily affected by World War II, due to terms imposed by the Treaty of Versailles. This treaty had humiliated Germany by stripping it of its military and imposing heavy fines, which led to massive debt. Adolf Hitler took advantage of this time of weakness and low morale and rose to power, promising the German people the return of Germany’s previous glory. Hitler believed the pure German race, or “Aryans” to be superior. His goal was for his people to dominate the world, and eliminate all other non-Aryans. Thus began Hitler’s aggressive campaign for “Lebensraum,” or living space.23]
 * Events Leading up to World War II:**

Portrait of Adolf Hitler Caption: Adolf Hitler, Fuhrer of Germany, with a swastika, the symbol of the Nazi (National Socialist) Party[24].

Hitler illegally rearmed Germany’s military and began annexing bordering countries, such as Austria and Czechoslovakia. Other world powers ignored Germany’s aggression, due mostly to internal issues or the desire to avoid another war. However, when Hitler invaded Poland on September 1, 1939, Britain and France decided that it was time to act. They declared war on Germany on September 3, beginning World War II.23]

For the first 3 years of the war, the United States attempted to remain neutral and uninvolved in the war for political and economic reasons. However, this isolationist approach was shattered with the attack on the naval base in Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on December 7, 1941. Japanese aircraft bombed the base, killing more than 2,300 troops.23]
 * United States’ Involvement:**

Photo of Pearl Harbor Caption: The //USS West Virginia// burning after the attack on Pearl Harbor. [8]

The Japanese claimed that they were merely trying to establish superiority in the Pacific Ocean. In the end, they only succeeded in enraging the American people. On December 8, Congress declared war on Japan.

World War II had two end dates: May 8, 1945 (Victory in Europe, or VE day) and September 2, 1945 (Victory in Japan, or VJ day). Victory in Europe resulted from Germany’s surrender after an Allied land invasion along with intense aerial attacks. By this date, Hitler had already committed suicide in his bunker in Berlin.6] To conquer Japan, President Harry Truman authorized the use of the first atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6 and 9, respectively. On September 2, the Japanese government formally surrendered. The aftermath of the war included the spread of communism and the shift in world power to the United States and the Soviet Union.23] Both of these factors would soon play large roles in the most influential consequence of World War II: the Cold War.
 * End of World War II and Aftermath:**

**The Cold War**
The Cold War was a time period of high political and military tension and economic competition between the world powers that started shortly after World War II. The United States, the Soviet Union, China, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) played especially large roles. The Cold War lasted from 1946 until 1991.

The Cold War originated mostly from the sense of mutual distrust and tension between the Soviet Union and the United States. Although the two nations were allies in World War II, fear, differences in political ideology, and resentment created an extremely hostile world environment.21]

By 1949, the Cold War was comprised mostly of 3 components: containment, the Atomic Age, and the Red Scare.

After World War II, American officials perceived the spread of communism as a growing threat, and felt an obligation to contain the Soviet’s expansion of communism. This was believed to be the best defense against the Soviet Union. The plan also included supporting “’free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation…by outside pressure,’”21] as President Harry Truman stated.
 * Containment:**

Containment goals eventually led to the Red Scare, which was launched by the actions of the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) in 1947. The committee forced workers, especially those in the movie industry, to testify against colleagues believed to be supporters of communism. More than 500 writers, directors, actors, and others lost their jobs and were “blacklisted”, resulting in them being unable to find work for more than ten years.[[|21]]
 * The Red Scare:**

President Harry Truman allowed and encouraged the U.S. to use military force to contain communist expansionism. Government officials encouraged the development of atomic weapons, creating a deadly “arms race.” In 1949, the Soviet Union tested their own atomic bomb, only to be belittled later by the United States’ even more destructive hydrogen bomb.21] Daily life changed drastically for American citizens, who constantly lived in fear of nuclear attack. Bomb shelters were built in backyards, and children practiced attack drills in schools. In this way and many others, the Cold War shaped the lives of American citizens in the late 1940s, and would continue to do so for many years.[[|21]]
 * The Atomic Age:**

**The Life of a Teenager**
The 1940s were a turning point for American teenagers. In the 1940s, teenagers finally began to be recognized as a valuable and powerful force in society.20]

Cover of Seventeen Magazine Caption: The first cover of Seventeen magazine, published September 1944.[[|31]]

A teenager in the 1940s could easily find work, as all the men were off at war. Working left teens with more money to burn, and soon advertising companies began targeting teens. “Seventeen” magazine was established in 1944.20] However, with the lack of the presence of a parental figure (Dad was at war, and “Rosie the Riveter” was hard at work) made getting into trouble easy. Thus, the 1940s marked the rise of juvenile delinquent.

This trend was also reflected in //The Catcher in the Rye//. While Holden’s parents were not away at war in the year 1949, he spends nearly all the book roaming New York City unsupervised. As a result he drinks even though he’s underage, almost loses his virginity to a prostitute, and engages in other mischievous activities. Perhaps Holden was well on his way to becoming a juvenile delinquent himself.

**Art**
Many artists and writers immigrated to the United States in the 1940s in an effort to escape prosecution under Adolf Hitler, who only accepted art that supported his ideals. New York City, rather than Paris, became the artistic center of the world.20] Since artists now had freedom of expression, they could use abstract forms to express their raw emotions regarding the war raging around them.

Abstract Expressionism is a school of art (often called the New York School20]) that attempts to “maintain humanity in the face of insanity.” 20] Abstract expressionists attempted to answers the questions of human existence, exploring internal, external, and spiritual struggles.22] The art form often uses shapes, lines, and forms that are not meant to represent images in the real world. It also often involves physical action.22] The best example of abstract expressionism and the use of action is the work of Jackson Pollock, the leader of the movement. Pollock’s work often used paint drips and splatters. Other influential leaders include Willem de Kooning, Robert Motherwell, Mark Rothko, and Piet Mondrian.22]
 * Abstract Expressionism:**

Jackson Pollock Painting Caption: Number 8 by Jackson Pollock. Created in 1949.32] While J.D. Salinger was not a graphic artist, it would be hard to believe that he wasn’t inspired in some way by the Abstract Expressionist movement. Holden struggles with many of the same questions that the abstract expressionists sought to answer, and he, too, was desperately trying to “maintain humanity in the face of insanity.” The Catcher in the Rye also pushes the envelope, much like abstract expressionist art did, by experimenting with a flow-of-consciousness style of writing, and including profanity (which was strictly taboo in literature in the 1940s).

**Books and Literature**
The early 1940s marked the dawn of the first inexpensive paperback. As a result, book sales skyrocketed, going from one million volumes to over twelve million volumes sold per year.20] Many famous and important literary works were written or based on this time period, but published later. As a result, the unveiling of all the details of the horrors and atrocities of World War II was greatly delayed.20]

1984 For example, Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” shows how fundamentally “nice people” could allow something like the Holocaust to happen. George Orwell’s //1984// (published in 1945) criticized the world we were becoming, one constantly at war and in which free speech and free thought were nonexistent. Nonfiction books were also published, giving first-hand accounts of the war.20]
 * The first cover of the British edition of 1984 by George Orwell.33] ||

Some other books that defined the 1940s are:
 * //The Naked and Dead// by Norman Mailer
 * //Young Lions// by Irvin Shaw
 * //A Bell for Adano// by John Hershey
 * //The Human Comedy// by William Saroyan
 * //Black Boy// by Richard Wright
 * //Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care// by Dr. Benjamin Spock

Despite the exciting and important works conceived during this time period, Holden probably wouldn’t see any of them in his high school or college curriculum. Not only were most of the World War II-related books published years later, but many of them were not as highly praised at the time of thier release as they are now. This is why Holden mentioned David Copperfield from //The Personal History, Adventures, Experience and Observation of David Copperfield the Younger of Blunderstone Rookery (Which He Never Meant to Publish on Any Account)// (commonly called simply //David Copperfield//) by Charles Dickens as an example of an autobiographical reading assignment, rather than something more modern.

**Speech and Slang in the 1940s**
In the early 1940s, many slang words were created by the jazz and swing music community. Many teenagers imitated the language the jazz greats used in everyday conversation or sang as lyrics, and thus words such as //cool, groovy,// and //hep// were born. 26] In the late 1940s, after the United States entered World War II, the public began to adopt military expressions as they sprang up in the media. Words and acronyms such as //GI, WAC, WAVE, hit the silk// and //threads// were all created in the wartime era.26] While Holden uses only a few of the words listed below, //The Catcher in Rye// was highly praised for its authenticity of the vernacular and syntax used by teenagers in the late 1940s by the Sunday //Tribune//, the New //York Herald Tribune Book Review//, the //New York Times//, the //New Yorker//, and the //Saturday Review of Literature//.[27] //The Catcher in the Rye// provides the reader with a deeper understanding of the mindsets and viewpoints of the post-World War II teenager with its striking accuracy in teenage speech and slang. J.D. Salinger wrote //The Catcher in the Rye// in a very distinctive and, at the time, controversial style. He incorporates excessive profanity and makes use of sentence fragments and a stream-of-consciousness style to demonstrate how people really think. Because Holden is not an average post-World War II teenager, (he goes to a expensive private school, his parents are moderately wealthy, he lives in New York City) he displays different qualities than his peers. This may account for why Holden uses so little of the vocabulary and slang that surrounds him.

**Slang Words From the Late 1940’s and Early 1950’s**
28]29]30] Baby- Cute girl, term of address for either sex Crazy; "Like crazy, man"- Implies an especially good thing Dolly- Cute girl Flick- A movie Flit- A homosexual Goof- Someone who makes mistakes Hip- cool, in the know, very good. Kill- To really impress Make out- A kissing session Necking- Making out Pound- Beat up Split- Leave Threads- Clothes

**Fashion**
[Picture here] With the war over in the 1940s, new materials became available again, as they were no longer rationed. Designers such as Christian Dior developed the New Look. The New Look often included different characteristics such as outfits with dresses and featured padded shoulders. Also, different clothing became common for women, such as sportswear. Women could use a lot of ingenuity in mixing separate pieces of clothing so their wardrobe would look more diverse. Different types of homemade accessories and curls enabled women to display their flair without waste or expense. Also, women would wear different types of hats to add extra creativity to their outfits. The common styles in the late 1940s included:
 * Narrow waists, which in many cases were formed by corsets
 * Soft, sloping shoulders, rather than the shoulder pads seen earlier in the decade
 * Skirts wrapped tightly over the hips
 * Full busts
 * Full skirts38]

This was an average outfit for women during the late 1940s 34] || The end of the war and brought a big change in fashion for men, too. Their style after the war began to lean towards full-cut, long clothing. Part of the reason for these differences was because of wartime shortages. Long coats and full-cut trousers were popular, in different colors from garish to delicate hues. Another popular trend was hand-painted ties with different exotic foliages, Tahitian sunsets, skyscrapers, rodeos, limousines and even pin-up girls.39]
 * Dress

Men's Outfit This was a common outfit for men during the late 1940s 35] Hunting Hat Caption: This hat is very similar to the one Holden describes 36]

While Holden didn’t talk much about style and fashion, it can be assumed that he kept up to date with the general trends. This hunting hat would most likely be similar to the one Holden talks about multiple times. It is evident that he kept up with the trends somewhat because he was embarrassed whenever he was cold and had to wear his hunting hat. Holden must have cared about his image enough if he would only wear the hat when he knew he wouldn’t see anyone he knew. Also, because of the time period, the fact that the war was over and the fact that Holden went to an expensive, private boarding school, it can assumed that his parents were about middle to upper-middle class. Holden goes to an expensive school, has enough money to sustain himself in New York City for two days, and shows no signs of having financial issues; however, he also doesn’t want to waste his money on purchasing a new winter hat.

**Music of 1949**
Songs such as the Jitter Bug, “Take the “A” Train”, “Riders in the Sky”, “Dear Hearts and Gentle People”, were all very popular during the late 1940s, and early 1950s. The term “Jitter Bug” was a slang term used to describe alcoholics during the 20th century that suffered from the “jitters”. It then became used to call people who danced without any knowledge or clue of the dance they were doing. Later, it transformed into a very popular dance also known as the Lindy Hop. Swing music was extremely popular in the late 1920s, when hot jazz transformed into swinging jazz. It then fizzled out in the later 1940s as the swing era moved to bebop and rock 'n roll. The new genre of music that became very popular in the late 1940s to early 1950s was rock n’ roll. It was formed from a fusion of America’s blues, jazz, country and gospel music 37]. It is clear that music was a big part of Holden’s life because it appears popping up throughout the novel. Whenever Holden went somewhere, whether it was the club, the hotel bar, or Radio City Music Hall, he was surrounded by different types of music. These different genres and songs must have all had an impact on Holden’s life because he was constantly around it. Holden also spends a large portion of Chapter 10 dancing with a girl and reflecting on the importance of a good dancing partner. This demonstrates tat music and dancing were important parts of a teenager's life in the 1940s.

=**II. History of the Novel**=

J.D. Salinger was born on January 1, 1919, in New York City. He flunked out of a private school during High School, and was then sent to Valley Forge Military Academy. The Military Academy would later serve as a model for Pencey Prep, the school the main character in //The Catcher in the Rye//, Holden, attends. Raised in Manhattan, Salinger began writing short stories while in secondary school, and published several stories in the early 1940s before serving in World War II.[17] The novel had immediate popular success, with Holden Caulfield being extremely influential among teens and others. “Holden is such a cool kid. I think he's my favorite fictional character."[9] Holden is a very bold and influential character throughout the book, immediately affecting teens across the globe once the book was published, as he still impacts teens and others today.

**Reviews**
“Plenty of teenagers still love //Catcher in the Rye//. In fact, my Facebook feed was full of tributes to Salinger the day he died. If that doesn’t prove that this book has got appeal that spans generational differences, I don’t know what could.” [6]

“//The Catcher in the Rye// is not dated, uninteresting, or irrelevant to my generation as compared to yours. Holden’s rebellious search to understand human nature and himself is something every human being must go through at some point of his or her life—and will most likely never complete.”[6]

“The first time I read //The Catcher in the Rye// I loved it, because I connected with it immediately. It’s naive to say that teenagers are no longer teenagers, or that they don’t have the same teen angst that Holden has, because we do, trust me we do.”[6]

The novel illustrates frequent use of vulgar language, with other reasons including sexual references, blasphemy, undermining of family values and moral codes, Holden's being a poor role model, encouragement of rebellion, and promotion of drinking, smoking, lying, and promiscuity.[7]

In 1977, an article in the York Times was posted that stated "After more than a quarter of a century, J.D. Salinger's novel, 'Catcher in the Rye,' is still stirring controversy"[14] //The Catcher in the Rye// was first published in 1951. Ever since its publication, there has been a lot of controversy over the book. Many have “argued that Salinger's tale of the human condition is fascinating and enlightening, yet incredibly depressing”[15]

The novel was published in the summer of 1951, and by the end of July that same summer, the novel was already a hit selling book. It was so good, even the associated press was impressed, stating "month in, month out, novels don’t come much better."[16] In a review from July of 1951, the associated press wrote "this raucous novel... delights, frightens, shocks you and leaves you close to the tears."[16] They also stated "it reminds us of significant conclusions reached by other writers in our time."[16] The book “gained even more notoriety in 1981 when Mark Chapman approached [|John Lennon] on the steps of the Dakota Hotel, New York and shot him five times killing him. [|Chapman] then removed his copy of //Catcher in the Rye// from his pocket, signed by Lennon earlier that morning, and tried to read it.”[16]

**Ban on Book**
The novel, //The Catcher in the Rye// was banned from schools all around the country due to the fact that it contained “'vulgar and obscene language', drunkenness, prostitution, delinquency and references to sex.”[10] However, “year after year, //The Catcher in the Rye// and other well-respected works of literature show up on a national list of challenged books compiled by the American Library Association.” [12] This book is a classic but even 60 years after it has been written, it is still causing controversy. Parents have cited that the book contains “racist language, including the use of the ‘n’ word more than 200 times.”[12] A mother of five says “I’ve always been taught, and always have believed, what goes in is what comes out. If your children read garbage and trash, that’s how they’re going to behave.”[12] Some parents believe that the book promotes wrong values and encourages “too much premarital sex.”[12] Today there are still many schools around the country that teach the novel in their curriculum.

**Related Stories**
The shooting of John Lennon by Mark David Chapman, the shooting of Rebecca Schaeffer by Robert John Bardo, and the assassination attempt of Ronald Reagan have all been related to //The Catcher in the Rye//. In Mark David Chapman’s case, he contained a copy of the book when arrested, with a note written by him stating “Dear Holden Caulfield, From Holden Caulfield, This is my statement.”[7] Throughout the novel, Holden illustrates many outrageous, and unreal events and conversations, all that are unrealistic for many current teenage boys. Virginia Woolfe insists the novel depicts “the memories and myths of life.”[9] David Copperfield, the novel mentioned at the beginning of the novel, //The Catcher in the// Rye, begins with the line “Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show. To begin my life with the beginning of my life, I record that I was born (as I have been informed and believe) on a Friday, at twelve o'clock at night. It was remarked that the clock began to strike, and I began to cry, simultaneously.”[11] This quote from //David Copperfield//, illustrates that //The Catcher in the Rye// today, is similar to //David Copperfield// during the 1950s. The language in //The Catcher in the Rye// happens to be a lot different than the text in //David Copperfield//, however they both relate to their own time periods, as //David Copperfield// was published in 1850, 101 years prior to //The Catcher in the Rye//. Students and others thought the language of //David Copperfield// in the 1950s was ancient and unrealistic, similar to what current students think about the novel //The Catcher in the Rye//. The students and readers of //David Copperfield// in the 1950s related to the readers of //The Catcher in the Rye// today.

=**III. What's Bothering Holden?**=

//**Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder**//, or //PTSD,// is a type of anxiety, often caused by a tragic event, such as war, injury, or a death. This disorder can happen at any time in your life, regardless of age. During World War 1, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder was called Shell Shock. During World War 2, however, it was called Combat Fatigue. When soldiers came back home during the Vietnam war with PTSD, people started to call it Post Vietnam syndrome. In modern times, “about 7 percent to 8 percent of the general population will develop PTSD. These numbers go up significantly for veterans and rape victims, among whom PTSD has anywhere from a 10 percent to 30 percent chance of developing.”[ [|1] ] Even today, “The cause of PTSD is unknown. Psychological, genetic, physical, and social factors are involved. PTSD changes the body's response to stress. It affects the stress hormones and chemicals that carry information between the nerves (neurotransmitters).”[ [|2] ] There are many symptoms for PTSD, such as re-experiencing the event, avoiding different situations or places that can remind you of the event, feeling numb and feeling more alert than before the event. Other symptoms that can occur are feelings of shame, difficulty controlling your emotions, problems occurring with family or friends, impulsive behavior, and change in beliefs or personality.

**Depression**
When people suffer from an event and they have certain symptoms, such as a depressed mood during most of the day, fatigue or loss of energy almost every day, feelings of worthlessness almost every day, etc., they are diagnosed for depression. Other symptoms that can occur are:
 * impaired concentration
 * indecisiveness
 * insomnia almost every day
 * markedly diminished interest
 * loss of pleasure in almost all activities nearly every day
 * recurring thoughts of death or suicide
 * significant weight loss or gain

During the beginning of the 20th century, scientists tried to fix depression with barbiturates, which are “ drugs that act as central nervous system depressants, and can therefore produce a wide spectrum of effects, from mild sedation to total anesthesia .”[[|3] ]. People previously called depression melancholia, however, in the 1970’s; it was from then on called depression. If someone is diagnosed with depression, there are three phases that the person goes through. The first phase is the acute phase where the goal is to get rid of all the symptoms that you have of depression. This “is generally 6 to 8 weeks from the start of treatment. By the end of this phase, you should have no more lingering symptoms and should be getting back to yourself again.”[[|4] ] When this phase is complete, people go into the continuation phase, which is maintaining or keeping the symptoms that were resolved in the first phase from happening again. This phase can be four to five months long. When someone completes this stage, they go through the maintenance phase. This phase is decided by whoever is taking care of the symptoms. The goal is “to prevent a new episode — a //recurrence// — of depression. Maintenance therapy may be particularly helpful for people who have been depressed before or whose symptoms do not resolve fully during the acute phase. These people have a higher risk for a recurrence of their depression.”[[|5] ] These phases occur if someone is diagnosed with depression.

**5 Stages of Grief and Loss**
After learning about an illness or death or other shocking or sad news about a close or loved one, people deny the truth of the situation. They can’t comprehend what happened and they do not believe that it could have happened to them. It is a defense mechanism that helps people with the shock. People isolate themselves from the reality and temporarily deal with the situation by doing so.
 * Denial and Isolation:**

Once the denial and isolation goes away people start to face the pain but are not ready. The emotions we feel are not sadness, but anger. The anger is usually projected towards someone or something that the person can blame. It may even be towards the person who passed away.
 * Anger:**

This is when the affected individual reflects upon what they think they could have done to prevent the death.
 * Bargaining:**

The people affected worry about costs of burial and other expenses but deeper than that they worry that they have spent less time with people that depend on them. All people need during this stage is a hug or a few kind words. This is also when people prepare to live without the lost one. They mentally and physically prepare for life, with the loved one absent.
 * Depression:**

This is the stage when people have to accept that there is nothing they can or could have done to change what happened. Friends and family help people during this stage and the best thing to do is to just let the grief surge through you. Do not try to block it out because it will only make it worse. [ [|6] ]
 * Acceptance:**

**Impact of Death on a Family**[[image:thecatcherintheryeanalysis/funeral.htm align="right" link="http://www.empoweredpeace.org/2011/02/life-insurance-and-funeral-arrangements.html"]]
The impact of death on a family is very complicated and affects everybody differently but almost always comes down to if one is prepared or not. There are three steps that an individual faces when facing a death of a loved one. First there is knowledge, which is the quickest yet most devastating step. The hard part doesn’t always come right away though. Usually people aren’t with the person that passed away when it happens. One either finds out over phone, letter, or some other way of communication. When learning of the death in a distant manner, it doesn’t seem real and comprehending reality is difficult. One usually holds back their feelings until they reach their family. Ken Meltsner who has suffered the death of a loved one first hand explains, “Anything past simple knowledge has to come from within.”[ [|7] ] He means that the inner feelings of sadness, regret, lonesomeness, etc., come once surrounded by family, at the funeral, or when one personally experiences something that is a reminder of or is not the same without the lost one. The next step in the process if belief. This comes when one is somewhere or sees something that reminds you of the person that passed on. Even simple things that are just subtly connected to that person can trigger fierce emotion. These feelings build up and up until they have to be let out; either by crying or talking to someone that can listen and understand. To live in a world that the loved one has always been a part of and then suddenly is no more, is difficult and very hard at first. Holding in feelings will only make things worse. You have to face the fact that the loved one is gone and will never return and the only option is to move on and live without them. The last step is acceptance. This is the step when one has to accept the fact that the relationship with the deceased has come to a close and that nothing can be done to change that. Feelings of sorrow, guilt, and regret do no good and only make it harder to move on. The good thing about this stage is that it helps people realize that everybody is not around forever and influences one to spend more time with relatives. Lastly, this phase makes it easier for one to deal with and face the deaths of other loved ones later in life.

On July 18, 1946 Allie Caulfield died after a prolonged battle with leukemia. The family had been vacationing in Maine at the time. That same night, Holden slept in the garage and “broke all of the windows with [his] fist just for the hell of it” (39). He even attempted to break all the windows on the station wagon his family had purchased that summer, but he had already broken his hand, making the task impossible. At this point Holden displays the first step in facing the death of a loved one known as knowledge. The novel does not exactly state how Holden learned of Allie’s death and many other details pertaining to Allie because Holden is an unreliable main character. In Ken Meltsner //Death has a gradual effect on family//, “[his mother] calmly made plane reservations and called [him] to check on how [he] was doing. She kept her feelings on ice until she could get home” [|[8]]. Experiencing the death of his grandmother led to Ken Meltsner’s theory that one usually holds back his or her feelings until he or she reaches his or her family. However, in Holden’s case, his parents shipped him to an all-boys boarding school in Pennsylvania, and successfully avoided the impact of Allie’s death on Holden. In a way Holden’s parents abandoned him when their support was needed most. When facing the death of a loved one, it is important for a family to help each other through the grieving process. Unlike Ken Meltsner, Holden is grieving alone, with no moral support from his friends and family. In order to complete the final stage grief, acceptance, Holden must be able to talk with his family about how Allie’s death affected him. Confronting his family is the first step in the healing process for Holden.

**Diagnosis and Possible Medication for Holden**
Holden doesn’t have a disease but is solely suffering from the loss of his brother Allie. Children and young teenagers find it harder to accept and move on from death. Allie died when Holden was 12 and was more vulnerable to the effects of traumatic events. Even though he is 17 when he was experiencing everything that was happening in the book, he still hadn’t gotten over his brother’s death. This is the only reason for his unsupervised drunk, lonely, sad, and sexual madmen days around Christmas.

A possible condition that Holden has is situational depression. This is what a person feels and experiences following a traumatic event. There is no medicine that Holden should be prescribed to. He only needs to spend time with his parents and siblings and possibly start seeing a shrink. Spending time with his family and therapist allows him to talk and express his feelings about past events and get everything off his chest. Holden could also have abandonment issues because when Allie died, he had no one to talk to about it with. In most cases, people get rid of their situational depression within 6 months. However, Holden took at least five years to get rid of it. This could have caused many other problems in those five years, such as drinking, lack of interest in school, smoking, and much more.

=**IV. Character Analysis**=

**Narrator**
At the beginning of the novel, J. D. Salinger introduces the readers to the protagonist and narrator, //**Holden Caulfield**//, a sixteen-year-old junior attending Pencey Prep. Holden has a severe disease called Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. [|Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder] has had a huge effect on the way he reacts to different situations and the people around him. When Holden was 12 years old, he experienced the traumatic death of his little, brother that died of Leukemia. Allie had a major impact on Holden’s outlook on life. Since Allie had to overcome numerous struggles that came with leukemia, he taught Holden to never let anything get him down. After the death of his little brother, Allie’s, death, Holden had no motivation to be successful any longer, and gave up on most aspects of his life. Holden was definitely the most affected by Allie, out of all the characters mentioned in this novel. Right away, Holden displays his dynamic characteristics by coming across as very sarcastic and extremely rude. He seems like a consistently annoyed and resentful individual. Right off the bat, Holden is very judgmental and is very frank with his generalizations of people. He philosophizes about people who are boring, annoying, and above all, people who are “phony”.

[[image:Holden.jpg align="left"]]
However, Holden is critical of other people to hide the fact that he is depressed and lonely. Since he doesn’t get the attention he craves, his exhibition takes over, and he tries too hard to connect with people. Also, from the beginning, it is very evident that Holden is indifferent to his education. He was forced to leave Pencey Prep due to his academic failure. He didn’t care about the fact that his education, basically, determined his future. On a similar topic, Holden is immensely impacted by the different characters he encounters throughout the novel. He acts different around so many different people to try to please or test them.

Since Holden wants to receive approval from others, he is a compulsive liar. Most of the time, Holden surrounds himself with other peoples’ issues to distract himself from his own conflicts. Holden is very significant to this novel because he constantly uses alienation as a way to protect himself. When Holden was attending Pencey Prep and was on the fencing team, “the whole team ostracized [him] the whole way back on the train. It was pretty funny in a way.”[44] Provided that Holden doesn’t usually know the best way to fit in, he isolates himself frequently to avoid any social situation in general. In Chapter 22, specifically, Holden went back to his apartment to talk to Phoebe. When Phoebe asks Holden what he wants to do in his future, Holden responds with his vision of “little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all. Thousands of little kids, and nobody’s around-nobody big, I mean-except me. And I’m standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff-I mean if they’re running and they don’t look where they’re going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them.”[44]

His ideal image of childhood, that Holden displays for his little sister, Phoebe, shows that more than anything, Holden wants to “shield” children’s innocence. In fact, caul from Holden’s last name, Caulfield, is denotatively defined, on dictionary.com, as a membrane that covers the head of a fetus during birth. So, in relation to Holden’s last name, it could symbolize the blindness of children to see the reality of the world. Holden wants himself, along with every child, to never let go of their innocence or “sightlessness”. Holden’s visualization further reiterates how he only favors visualizing the world that he believes is superlative. Throughout the entire novel, has continued to show his immense disconnection with the world around him.

**Characters Encountered**
Although **//Phoebe Caulfield//** is six years younger than Holden, she is a very intelligent and [|gifted] yet innocent girl that teaches Holden a lot of significant life lessons. Phoebe’s character challenges Holden’s perspective on the world, overall. She has very high expectations for Holden. She gives Holden all the love and support he needs because she knows him so well, and can tell that he is struggling in finding himself. Thanks to Phoebe, Holden will always have a very open and amiable person in his life. She doesn’t like to see Holden in a negative position and gives him good advice for his benefit. To add, Phoebe is a significantly independent individual. She always strives to be different and more mature than expected. When Holden went to visit Phoebe, he described her preferred sleeping areas. “She likes it because it’s the biggest room in the house. Also, because it has this big old madman desk in it that D.B. bought off some lady alcoholic in Philadelphia....She doesn’t like her room because it’s too little, she says. She says she likes to spread out.”[44] Provided that Phoebe favors a very open sleeping area, it symbolizes her individualism throughout the novel. Phoebe never settles for little, she always wants bigger and better for herself. Furthermore, when Holden opened up her notebook, he noticed that Phoebe changed her full name to: Phoebe Weatherfield Caulfield. In reality, her “middle name is Josephine…she doesn’t like it though." Phoebe never liked to listen to other people’s decisions for her. She made numerous choices for herself, extending the trait that Phoebe is greatly independent.
 * Major Characters:[[image:Phoebe.jpg align="right"]]**


 * //[[image:Stradlater.jpg align="left"]]Ward Stradlater//** is the perfect definition of what Holden calls “phony”. The readers are introduced to Stradlater as Holden’s roommate at Pencey Prep. He is a handsome, popular individual that is also significantly [|arrogant]. He has major disrespect for woman and all he can think about is being sexually active. From an outside perspective, one would see that he is academically gifted, charming, open, and would automatically think that he is a wonderful guy. However, in reality, he isn’t a very reliable friend and wouldn’t be considered the nicest person. Overall, Stradlater is immensely unscrupulous. In Chapter 6, Stradlater had assigned Holden to do his essay for him. Holden poured his heart out into this essay. However, when Stradlater read it, he screamed, “’God damn it….You always do everything backasswards….No wonder you’re flunking the hell out of here.”[44] First of all, Stradlater shouldn’t have been criticizing Holden’s work at all; Stradlater was the one that should have completed the assignment. Second of all, Holden based the essay off a symbolic baseball glove that his little brother that died of Leukemia owned. It was extremely disrespectful for Stradlater to say those harsh words. This further reiterates Holden’s ungratefulness and discourteousness.


 * //Robert Ackley//**, otherwise known simply as Ackley, is Holden’s neighbor at Pencey Prep. A senior at Pencey, Ackley is considered to be very peculiar and quite [[image:Ackley.jpg align="right"]]anti-social. He is known particularly for his very [|poor hygiene], and uncouth personality, “And not only that, he had a terrible personality. He was also sort of a nasty guy. I wasn’t too crazy about him, to tell you the truth.”[44] To Holden, he is somewhat reliable; however, his utter lack of cleanliness and rude behavior leaves them to only tolerate each other. They create and odd sort of pair, comforting one another unintentionally. Holden finds comfort in Ackley after his fight with Stradlater, and Ackley says not a word to do so. Being that they both have few friends, they provide for each other the human need for at least the most basic amount of human interaction. However, their relationship ceases from growing because of Ackley’s abhorrent attitude. Despite the comfort he provides to Holden, he still manages to annoy him at the same time. He is described as going around Holden’s dorm and touching everything, being very nosey in Holden’s business and very blunt with his thinking. He has shown to have no regards for proper social actions and has no shame inflicting his disgusting behavior on those around him.

A character introduced much later in the novel is **//Mr. Antolini//**. Described as intellectual and an honorable man, Holden considers him to be one of his favorite teachers. Holden admires him especially for his personality as he says, “you could kid around with him without losing your respect for him.” Holden also admires him for his courage in difficult situations being that he was the one who picked up the boy who jumped from the window, and as Holden mentions, “He didn’t a damn if his coat got all bloody.” Mr. Antolini and Holden are also very close, so much so that Mr. Antolini would have many dinners with Holden and his family, and Holden would go out with the Antolinis. The only negative comment to be said about Mr. Antolini is his heavy drinking, which seems to have played an important key role in the most important event between Holden and his teacher. It is when Mr. Antolini makes Holden uncomfortable when he is sleeping as Holden says, “I woke up all of a sudden…I felt something on my head, some guys hand… It was Mr. Antolini’s hand.”[44] This event leads to a discovery of an important part of Holden and the era he is living in. It shows that what Mr. Antolini did to frighten Holden, giving him the impression that he was being [|sexually harassed], may have had a key impact on the person he is, more specifically why he is so distrusting. Holden’s experience with Mr. Antolini brings the events where this had happened to Holden “about twenty times” as a kid.

In the beginning of the novel, the readers are introduced to **//Old Spencer//**, a seventy year-old [|retired teacher] had Holden at Pencey Prep. When Holden conjures up memories of him, he pictures how “he was all stooped over, and [how] he had terrible posture.”[44] In his old age, he is debilitated, struggling with the simple things, such as bending down to pick up items off of the floor. No matter, he always has an upbeat and positive attitude, and this is the reason why Holden admires and looks up to him. In addition to his outlook on life, old Spencer is also very knowledgeable and he always knows the right thing to say when Holden comes to him looking for advice; his words are inspirational. These qualities mixed together are the recipe for the ideal mentor for Holden. There are few people that see the potential in Holden, but Spencer has always believed in him. This unique bond between a teacher and his former student is one of the motivating factors in Holden’s life. As Mr. Spencer would put it, “life is a game”, so why not play it?


 * Minor Characters:**
 * //[[image:Sally_Hayes.jpg align="left"]]Sally Hayes//** may appear to be just another girl that Holden does not appreciate or respect, but her importance to this novel goes much deeper than that. She is the character in the story that teenage girls can relate to and picture themselves as. She increases the size of the audience that this tale is applicable to. For instance, despite Holden’s beliefs that her emotions are “phony,” when Holden told her of his plans to run away with her, “she hit the ceiling." This reaction, filled with anger, surprise, and hurt, is completely sincere; most girls would feel this way in her [|situation]. She felt sensitive and gullible for believing Holden’s lies in the first place, and plenty of girls can understand that. In addition to that, she is a follower. She wants to fit in, for others to like her, so she goes along with what other people are doing. She craves approval, especially of Holden, and is crushed when he does not return the feelings she wants. Without people like her in this novel, it would be less relevant, or appealing, to the female audience.

An interesting character Holden meets on his travels is **//Maurice//**, having the profession as a “[|pimp]”. He is best described as shifty, sly, and devious. He takes advantage of people: Holden included. After relieving Holden of his funds, Maurice physically attacks him, “Then he smacked me…all I felt was this terrific punch in my stomach.”[44] In Essence he shows Holden what sort of person he does not want to be. For Holden, he represents an understanding that the path he is on is bad and wrong. Despite Maurice’s shrewd and deceitful nature, he represents a very important change in Holden. Maurice symbolizes the bad decisions Holden has made in his life.


 * //Sunny//** is a person who accidently becomes the object of Holden’s impulsivity. A ‘[|prostitute]’, Holden purchases her services by mistake. Despite her abrupt demeanor, she is considerably innocent and almost childlike. Holden observes this when she says “like fun you are”, rather than saying something more analogous with her personality. Her statement is something that Holden finds to be more similar to a young child. She tries her best to appear experienced, yet her over-exaggeration shows how little experience she truly had. Also contrasting her brusque demeanor is her very “push-over” like attitude. Not even coming to Holden’s defense when Maurice attacked, although she knew Maurice was wrong. She becomes the object of Holden’s mistake, and in turn, like Maurice, also represents the change in Holden as he realizes what he is doing is wrong.

**Characters Discussed**[[image:Allie_Caulfield.jpg align="right"]]

 * //Allie Caulfield//** is another one of Holden’s siblings. A talented writer and baseball player, he had a baseball mitt that he filled with his writing. After he passed away with [|Leukemia], Holden kept his glove to have a piece of his brother. In death, it is also important to note Allie’s appreciation for life, although it was cut short. Also, it is important to note his place within the Caulfield family, “But it wasn’t just that he was the most intelligent member in the family. He was also the nicest."[44] As brothers, Holden and Allie were very close. This is why Allie’s death affected Holden so deeply and had such a long and lasting impact on Holden’s life. Allie represents a very big change in Holden that ultimately affected who he became.

In practically every chapter, Holden’s thoughts have wandered to **//Jane Gallagher//**, one of his closest [|friends]. Since he is constantly thinking of calling her and confiding in her, she is obviously friendly, reliable, and easy to talk to. In addition to listening, Jane loves to talk; actually Holden notes that “she never really closed it all the way, her mouth."[44] She is such a valuable friend to Holden because of these qualities. Since Holden mentions her so often, one can also determine some of her other characteristics. For example, Holden becomes enraged when he discovers what Stradlater did with Jane, most likely by force. This hints that Jane is a very modest person and would not do something like this if not pressured into doing so. In addition, the incident with her step-father shows her emotional strength. In the story that Holden shared, he depicted her as normally being able to maintain her composure in public and suppress her true feelings to deal with them later. Jane is important in understanding how Holden’s grief over the loss of his brother led to his depression. They both suppress and keep their emotions from others. Holden, however, is not as strong and could not carry his burdens alone and broke down under the weight. Because of Jane, the readers can clearly see one of the causes of his depression.


 * //Holden’s parents//** are mentioned quite often within this novel. When one thinks of parents, the characteristics such care, concern, and love all come to mind. Yes, Holden’s parents do possess these typical traits. However, there are a few qualities that set them apart from the rest. To them, appearances are very important. Obviously, they are [|rich], but it goes much deeper than that. The mother cares very much about her clothing and how she presents herself to other people. The father wants to show others how successful his children are, through their schooling and career paths. They want the best for their children and for themselves. This concept is not blatantly stated in the novel, but more subtly noted when Phoebe continues exclaiming how the parents will kill Holden because he was kicked out of school. They care a lot about what this is saying about their parenting. They feel as if they have something to prove to the world and they do it through their children. In addition, the mother “can make a very big stink” and cause drama over the smallest details, such as the neighbor’s dog relieving itself in her yard. Her yard represents her and her husband and, since image is everything to them, it must look perfect.

Growing up, some of the high expectations set for Holden were established by his older brother, **//D.B. Caulfield//**. His shoes are big ones to fill because of his long list of achievements and talents. First, D.B. is a skilled author trying to make it in the glamorous city of [|Hollywood]. He has always been intelligent and excelled in school, leading other people to believe that Holden would be just as successful. Another thing that people in Holden’s life always imagine when they think of his brother is his way with women. He is very handsome and favored by many girls. Some, like Lillian Simmons on pages 86 – 87, still have him on the brain. Third, D.B. was in the military for four years, risking his life for his nation. His looks and the respect he has gained from people make him someone who is hard to forget. Even after moving miles and miles away from his family and friends, he and his accomplishments are never actually far from thought.

=**V. Literary Elements**=

The Catcher in the Rye is a novel that was written by J.D. Salinger in 1951 that has battled much controversy throughout the years since being published. The novel features main character Holden Caulfield and offers a glimpse of his sporadic life over the course of two days. The short length of this novel allows for specific analysis of individual topics within The Catcher in the Rye, as well as elements that factored into the writing by J.D. Salinger himself.

**Foreshadowing**
There are hints of nervous breakdown and his final destination at the mental institution in the beginning of the novel, for example when he talks about how he broke the window in his garage. As the story unravels Holden does as well. His disintegration of mental stability in its entirety reflects the fact that he was placed in a mental institution. He is evidently emotionally unstable and dwells upon his past substantially. His thoughts are scattered and he is very articulate about some things such as his dancing partner. The hinting of his breakdown foreshadows a cause for the way he acts and his location. Once discovering where he is at the end, you can go back and understand the reasoning for nearly everything he does. For example why he randomly wants to elope with Sally whom he dated in New York, also why he commented so much upon suicide and mortality, for example when he thought of jumping from the window in his hotel room. Holden introduces his brother Allie in the beginning of the book. This introduction was much more important than perceived at the time of reading that specific part. As we are introduced to more characters within his life, there are more ties to Allie and the true importance of his death as the novel progresses.

**Imagery**
Most of the imagery of wildlife in the novel revolves around ducks and fish. The ducks are important because they symbolize resurrection in that they always return in the spring; however, Holden is more worried about the ducks dying than he is excited as the prospect of them returning. This obsession can also be explained by connecting resurrection to the theme of mortality. As a boy who has experienced death on a personal level, Holden is plagued with thoughts of death. While others find piece of mind in religion (like the two nuns, or the Quaker student that he knew at school) or logic (like the cab driver who insists that mother nature would take care of the fish and the ducks), Holden doesn’t.
 * Wildlife:**

Holden draws a distinction between death and disappearing, and that's why he's so into the mummies. He explains the process of mummification to two boys with enthusiasm; mummies are blatantly representative of death, but rather than get depressed by the obvious morbidity of the subject matter, Holden is fascinated by the thought that some things stay as they are. The mummies die, but they don't disappear. Also, the mummies aren't so much an uplifting example of preservation after death, but are more about lifeless shells – bodies without spirit, much like the fish stuck in the frozen lake. Maybe this is even how Holden sees himself.
 * Death and Mummies:**

**Metaphor**
The main metaphor in the novel used by Salinger is a metaphor for American society. It deals with the value that growing up is one of the most important parts of life. The novel is essentially about a young person's growth into maturity, even if Holden's path wasn't the norm. The metaphor is most evident in the way that Holden resists maturity by reverting back to memories of his childhood, just as how American youth resist growing up because it comes with so much more responsibility and change. Holden wants ever ything in life to be easily understood and fixed. He's afraid because he can’t understand everything around him, sort of like a little girl. His continued immaturity is shown in how he refuses to admit how scared he is of the mysteries of adulthood.

**Symbolism**
The ducks in Central Park fascinated Holden because they show how life is a cycle and not all change is permanent, which is related to Holden’s constant mobility. The ducks also represent Holden's curiosity and praise of youth and a joyful willingness to encounter the mysteries of the world, which he lacks in other aspects of his life.
 * The Ducks at Central Park:**

The red hunting hat has the same color as both Allie’s and Phoebe’s hair. The hat is symbolic of Holden’s individuality, but also his strong connection with his siblings and his attachment to the past. The hat also represents Holden's individuality as a person. The hat is outlandish, and it shows that Holden desires to be different from everyone around him. At the same time, he is very self-conscious about the hat—he always mentions when he is wearing it, and he often doesn’t wear it if he is going to be around people he knows. The presence of the hat, therefore, mirrors the central conflict in the book: Holden’s need for isolation versus his need for companionship.
 * Holden's Red Hunting Hat:**

The baseball mitt symbolizes Holden’s emotional expressions, while the poems on it’s interior signify how he keeps these emotions hidden.
 * Allie's Baseball Mitt:**

**Setting**
The year in the novel is set sometime in the lat 1940s, either 1948 or 1949. This can be found by doing some close reading, it is know that Allie's death was in 1946, when Holden was thirteen. Since Holden seventeen in the present, and the novel takes place in December, it could be 1948 or 1949.
 * Time Period:**

The time period is then significant in a historical aspect because it reflects upon post-World War II and the dropping of the atomic bomb, which is mentioned in the novel. Holden is living in a generation that still feels some isolation from the occurrences of the war, which reflects on Holden's own feeling of isolation from everyone else.
 * Historical Setting:**

Holden's 3-day journey begins at Pencey Prep, which he refers to constantly as the land of the phonies. Next, Holden finds himself in New York, trying to escape from the phonies, but instead realizes he has only further immersed himself in them. This type of setting reflects Holden's self vs. self conflict that he can't seem to figure out.
 * Location:**

**Irony**
The book, //The Catcher in the Rye// is filled with irony, such as, Holden's hate for religion and God. He talks about how much he despises religion and God's disciples. However, he later tells us how he admires Jesus. In chapter 2 he says, "One of the biggest reasons I left Elkton Hills was because I was surrounded by phonies." He often deceives people to hide his true identity. "I'm the most terrific liar you ever saw in your life," he admits. Holden is very critical of everyone he meets, but the people who he finds to be the most “phony” or even just people who get on his nerves, tend to be the most like him. Holden also claims to be a pacifist in the novel, when he actually has a pretty violent and abrupt nature. He first lived at Pencey Prep where it seems

**Point of View**
The narrator in this novel is Holden Caulfield. He talks in the first person and is telling a story of the events occurring over a three-day period. It seems he is telling the story to someone specific because he refers the reader as “you.” Because Holden is telling a story he is also an unreliable source and he tends to exaggerate or give incorrect information within the novel. He sometimes He is evidently in a mental institution so his ideas are scattered and are very likely to be un-true. He contradicts himself often for example when he states he is a pacifist although he has violent thoughts and occasionally does violent things.

**Tone**
The tone of the novel is the tone of Holden since he's the narrator. As Holden's mood changes, so does the tone. That's why the most prevalent tones in the novel are cynical, wit, sad, bitter, annoyed, and ironic. //The Catcher in the Rye// is full of observant compassion, and its tone is in part defined by it.

**Conflict**
The main conflict in the novel is within Holden’s own mind. Holden battles himself between trying to do more “adult” things, while also being constantly nostalgic of people and times of his childhood.

**Theme**
Throughout the novel, Holden seems to be excluded from and victimized by the world around him. As he says to Mr. Spencer, he feels trapped on “the other side” of life, and he continually attempts to find his way in a world in which he feels he doesn’t belong. As the novel progresses, we begin to perceive that Holden’s alienation is his way of protecting himself. Just as he wears his hunting hat (see “Symbols,” below) to advertise his uniqueness, he uses his isolation as proof that he is better than everyone else around him and therefore above interacting with them. The truth is that interactions with other people usually confuse and overwhelm him, and his cynical sense of superiority serves as a type of self-protection. Thus, Holden’s alienation is the source of what little stability he has in his life. As readers, we can see that Holden’s alienation is the cause of most of his pain. He never addresses his own emotions directly, nor does he attempt to discover the source of his troubles. He desperately needs human contact and love, but his protective wall of bitterness prevents him from looking for such interaction. Alienation is both the source of Holden’s strength and the source of his problems. For example, his loneliness propels him into his date with Sally Hayes, but his need for isolation causes him to insult her and drive her away. Similarly, he longs for the meaningful connection he once had with Jane Gallagher, but he is too frightened to make any real effort to contact her. He depends upon his alienation, but it destroys him.
 * Isolation:**

Holden invents a fantasy that adulthood is a world of "phoniness", while childhood is a world of innocence, curiosity, and honesty. Nothing reveals his image of these two worlds better than his fantasy about the catcher in the rye: he imagines childhood as an idyllic field of rye in which children romp and play; adulthood, for the children of this world, is equivalent to death—a fatal fall over the edge of a cliff. His created understandings of childhood and adulthood allow Holden to cut himself off from the world by covering himself with a protective armor of cynicism. But as the book progresses, Holden’s experiences, particularly his encounters with Mr. Antolini and Phoebe, reveal the shallowness of his conceptions.
 * Growing Up:**

“Phoniness,” which is probably the most famous phrase from //The Catcher in the Rye,// is one of Holden’s favorite concepts. It is his catch-all for describing the superficiality, hypocrisy, pretension, and shallowness that he encounters in the world around him. In Chapter 22, just before he reveals his fantasy of the catcher in the rye, Holden explains that adults are inevitably phonies, and, what’s worse, they can’t see their own phoniness. Phoniness, for Holden, stands as an emblem of everything that’s wrong in the world around him and provides an excuse for him to withdraw into his cynical isolation.
 * Phoniness:**

=**VI. Outside Elements**=

**Authors Mentioned**

 * //[|Ring Lardner]//** was an American short story writer as well as sports columnist. He was the son of nine children, and was born into a wealthy family under his two parents. He wrote the lyrics for “That Old Quartet,” composed by //**Nathaniel D. Mann**//, and also wrote numerous short stories. His first successful book, called //**You Know Me Al**// , was originally a compilation of short stories, but was then put together as a novel. Lardner used satire in most of his stories, which highlighted the “stupidity and avarice” of specific athletes. Ring Lardner was admired by the author of //** The Catcher in the Rye , J.D. Salinger .**//

//** Emily Dickinson **// was an American female poet born in 1830 in Massachusetts. After attending one year in Mount Holyoke Female Seminary, she returned home due to extreme homesickness. For the rest of her life, she rarely let her home, and therefore came into contact with very few people. The people she did come into contact with, however, had a major impact upon her poems and thoughts. Some such people include a reverend, a Massachusetts Supreme Court Judge, and the editor of a newspaper. Even though she lived in almost total physical isolation by the time she was 30, she maintained much contact with others by writing with others and reading avidly. Dickinson’s poetry deeply reflects her loneliness, and the narrators of her poems generally live in destitution. Despite this, however, her poems also have hints of happiness and inspiration. Dickinson died in 1886. The first volume of her poems was not published until 1890, and the last was published in 1995. Salinger probably included Emily Dickinson in the novel in order to exemplify the isolation that Holden is feeling during the novel. Holden has felt emotionally isolated from everyone since Allie’s life. He was also physically distant from the people he cares about for parts of the novel. Even though Dickinson was not emotionally or mentally distant from others during her lifetime, she was still isolated. Holden felt isolated, as well. Also, Dickinson was most likely included in the novel to give the reader a bit of hope that Holden will be able to find happiness again later in his life. The majority of Dickinson’s poems deal with isolation and the feeling of want. There are many instances, however, where hints of happiness and joy can be seen. These instances are something that the reader hopes to see in Holden’s life in the near future. If Holden has already reached the stage of want and desperation, it is only logical to assume that he will eventually feel happiness in his lifetime. [[|3]]

**Books Mentioned**

 * //Out of Africa//** is a memoir that was written by Isak Dineson, the pen name of the Danish author Baroness Karen Blixen. It was first published in 1937. It was written in English and then translated into Danish. The memoir is told from the point of view of a narrator, a Danish woman who owns the farm. She has natives who work on her farm that she’s very close to. The majority of the memoir consists of different events that occurred on the farm, told out of chronological order. During the memoir, the narrator creates a beautiful landscape, in which she

[[image:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/6b/OutOfAfrica.jpg width="202" height="337" align="left" caption="Out of Africa original book cover"]]
lives in unity with the natives, any visitors, and the animals. Out of Africa is concluded on a tragic note, for the farm goes bankrupt and the narrator is forced to sell it. The narrator has to leave Africa and her farm. Salinger probably included the memoir Out of Africa to exemplify how a good life can turn to disaster suddenly. This is a direct parallelism of Holden’s life. In Out of Africa, the narrator had a wonderful life in a paradise-like land. This all fell apart abruptly, however, and she had to leave all of her old life behind. Similarly, Holden had a wonderful life, but after his brother’s death, he suffered great turmoil and had his life fall apart. He stopped doing well in school and distanced himself emotionally from all those people he loves. Thus, he left behind everything he loved in order to deal with his new emotional problems. The inclusion of Out of Africa in Catcher in the Rye reveals the emotional turmoil Holden is experiencing throughout the entire book. Holden says that the memoir “was a very good book.” This shows a clear connection between Holden’s emotions and the tone of the memoir. To further this connection, Holden goes on to say that he “wanted to read certain parts [of the memoir] over again.” The fact that Holden identifies with this memoir, especially with particular pieces of it, shows that he felt a deep personal connection to the loss and suffering the narrator in the memoir goes through. This gives the reader of Catcher in the Rye a peek into the emotions that Holden feels. [[|1]]


 * //The Return of the Native//** by //**Thomas Hardy**// is a novel in which the main character, Eustacia Vye, is out of place and doesn’t fit into her surroundings. She wants to live in the city. She falls in love with a man named Damon but he cheats on her with another woman and they break up. When Thomasin’s cousin Clym returns from Paris, Eustacia Vye falls in love with him because she has always wanted to go to Paris. They get married but are not happy for long. Clym goes partially blind, they struggle with financial issues, and they eventually separate. Eustacia considers running away with Damon because he offers to take her to Paris. Damon and Eustacia both drown on the night of their departure. //The Return of the Native// is Thomas Hardy’s most controversial and popular books. Thomas Hardy wrote a lot about characters that struggled socially. Salinger may have mentioned //The Return of the Native// in his novel because Holden is similar to Eustacia Vye. They both start off very happy, but then something tragic happens in their life. For Eustacia, her family was struggling economically and her husband went partially blind. For Holden, his brother Allie, who he admired greatly, died at the age of 10. Although Holden does not die at the end of the novel and Eustacia does, they are both overwhelmed with their situations and Holden ends up in a mental hospital. They both travel to wherever makes them happy at that moment. It is likely that being able to connect with someone his age, even a character in a book, pleased Holden and reminded him he was not alone. [[|4]]


 * //Of Human Bondage//**, a novel written by **//Somerset Maugham//**, is about a nine year old boy named Philip Carey. In the beginning of the novel his parents die and he is sent to live with his aunt and uncle. His aunt tries to act like a mother to him but fails because of her immaturity. On the other hand, Philip’s uncle takes a strong hatred towards him and has a lot of power over him since his fortune is held in custody by his uncle. When he goes to Oxford to become a clergyman, he does not make any lasting relationships causing him to become miserable and moody. In [[image:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/41/OfHumanBondage.jpg width="230" height="328" align="right" caption="Of Human Bondage original book cover"]]Germany Philip meets a boy named Hayward who he believes to be superficial. When he returns from Germany, Miss Wilkinson, a family friend, is very flirtatious towards Philip. Although Philip is not attracted to her due to her old age, he likes the idea of having an affair so he pretends to be passionate towards her. Later on, Philip moves to Paris to study art. His fellow student, Miss Price falls in love with Philip and when he does not feel the same way, she commits suicide. When he returns from Paris, he learns that his aunt has died. He struggles in medical school and comes across a waitress names Mildred whom he falls in love with although she never showed any emotion towards him. She abandons him many times and turns to prostitution yet he still helps her. In the end, he has a job, is married, has kids, and then later dies; simple and perfectly. Salinger included the novel Of Human Bondage in The Catcher in the Rye to show the parallel lives between Philip and Holden. They both go through similar experiences including struggling in school, hatred towards guardians, moving around a lot, and sexual maturity issues such as prostitution and affairs. Holden most likely enjoys the book because he can connect well to Philip because of the many similarities between the two of them. However, Holden is not fond of Somerset Maugham, saying that “he isn’t the kind of guy [he’d] want to call up.” Holden clearly states many times that people who write for movies are phonies such as his brother D.B. and that they should write for enjoyment rather than fortune. In 1934, a film was created based on the book which could be a cause of Holden’s hatred towards Somerset Maugham. Also, Holden called his brother a prostitute for selling his writings for money in Hollywood. Ironically, Somerset Maugham was the highest paid author in the 1930s. [[|5]]

//**The Great Gatsby**// is a novel written by **//F. Scott Fitzgerald//**. Taking place during World War I, main Character Nick Carraway is home and in search of a career. He moves to New York from Minnesota into a wealthy district within Long Island. Carraway's neighbor, Jay Gatsby, is regarded as a very mysterious man for good reason. He lives in an enormous mansion with multiple gothic features, and manages to throw parties for no apparent reason, every weekend. Nick Carraway's district is known as the West Egg, and typically, most who are stationed in the West Egg are unfamiliar, and therefore lack connection to the East Egg. However, Nick is different because of his experience at Yale, where he met others who are from the East Egg. One night during the summer, Nick recieves an invitation to Jay Gatsby's party. At this party, Nick runs into Jordan Baker, who he'd previously seen that summer when some of his old friends introduced him to her while out to dinner. During the party, Gatsby requests to speak to Jordan alone, where he tells her that he is madly in love with Daisy, Nick’s old friend whom he had dinner with earlier in the summer. He’d previously known of her and even after Daisy’s marriage, he still maintained his love for her. Gatsby wants Nick to set him and Daisy up, and the two begin to have an affair. Nick, the narrator makes it evident here that Gatsby had grown up relatively uneducated, and until he met Dan Cody, a wealthy elder, he would not have grown up to be the rich man he was. Exactly how he obtained so much money is unknown. When Tom, Daisy’s husband, becomes aware of the situation he fights with Gatsby about who should have Daisy. Daisy leaves with Gatsby, and they decide to strike and kill Myrtle, Tom’s mistress. Jay Gatsby informs Nick that Daisy was indeed the one driving the vehicle at the time that Myrtle was killed, but that he plans to be the scapegoat. Tom finds out of the situation and informs Myrtle’s husband, George. George hunts down Gatsby, shoots him to death and then kills himself. Tom and Daisy flee together, and Nick abruptly ends his relationship with Jordan because of the mess that he had to deal with involving Gatsby’s funeral. He is left to arrange everything, but oddly, no one from any of the many parties Gatsby threw showed up. A main theme within this novel that is similar to **//The Catcher in the Rye//** is the idea of the struggles of relationships. Within //The Great Gatsby//, there are multiple affairs that occur between different couples. In fact, multiple affairs occur within one relationship. Holden himself is unable to have good relationships with women outside of his family. His encounters with the three women whom he danced with at the bar really never went well, as the girls were never really into him. Holden also struggled with his ability to maintain his cool about Jane Gallagher’s relationship with Ward Stradlater. It was evident during this novel that Holden had feelings for Jane. Because of Stradlater’s previous sexual experience with other women, Holden is afraid that Jane will lose her virginity to Stradlater. He struggles accepting the fact that Stradlater and Jane are together as a couple, and that his chances are slim to none. Holden’s last major struggle with women is when he meets Sunny, the prostitute. Holden really doesn’t treat Sunny like a prostitute at all. In fact, he just wants to sit down and have a nice discussion with her. Because of this, Sunny just asks for her pay and leaves. J.D. Salinger may have incorporated //The Great Gatsby// into this novel because it outlines the struggles of a relationship. Although to the extreme, the struggles displayed in this novel mimic the same ideas of struggle that Holden encounters with women in //The Catcher in the Rye//.[[|45]]

**Comin' Thro' the Rye**
The title of the novel, **//The Catcher in the Rye//**, is taken from the poem **//[|Comin' Thro' the Rye]//** by **//Robert Burns//**, written in 1782. It is also known as a children’s song, which is how Holden first heard the poem. The poem is about a girl losing her virginity which is an essential part of growing up. The poem hints at casual sex without commitments, one of the things that Holden dislikes the most during the novel. When Holden first heard the poem, he thought the lyrics were “If a body catch a body comin’ through the rye”. Holden then goes on to explain to Phoebe that he wants to be the catcher in the rye in order to save children from falling over the cliff. Phoebe then breaks this illusion by telling him that he misheard the lyrics, thus shattering his chance of happiness. Salinger based the title of his novel off of Burns’ poem in order to show that Holden’s dreams will never become reality. Holden uses the poem as a connection to show that all he wants to do is save children’s innocence and protect them from growing up. He wanted to protect others from the harsh realities that he encountered while maturing. Burns’ poem actually symbolizes growing up and the loss of innocence. This directly contrasts what Holden hoped to do in his future. Holden wanted to protect innocence, while the example that he used is actually about losing innocence. This contrast proves that Holden’s hopes and dreams for happiness will never exist.

=**VII. Bibliography**=


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