Alienation In Catcher In The Rye

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The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger is a book on the preservation of innocence in younger children by adolescent, Holden Caulfield. Holden has always been a loner; his dislike of people is obvious when, in the beginning of the book, he avoids the football game to go say goodbye to a particular teacher, then Holden's alienated attitude is once again illuminated by the fact that he dislikes both his roommate, Stradlater, and the neighbor,Ackley. The reader gets an insight of the reason behind his alienation and immaturity when he mentions that his brother, Allie, an innocent little boy, died from leukemia a few years before. Holden’s interest in children and innocence is first demonstrated when he mentions his brother being the most intelligent of his family members and identifies him as an incredibly nice and innocent child. This is the first person he has mentioned liking in the novel and it’s a child which illuminates his fondness of innocence. This revelation brings to the light the themes of innocence and alienation because Holden describes how angry he was when his brother died which leads …show more content…
He wants to be a ‘catcher in the rye’, a title that came from a poem written by Robert Burns, it refers to children running and playing in a rye, a field, and protecting them from falling off of a cliff, or growing up. This reveals to the reader how much Holden is in need of psychological help but before Holden leaves his home to ‘run away’ he takes phoebe on the carousel and as he watches her he comes to the conclusion that children don’t need to be protected because growing up is a part of life that cannot be avoided. He says “[i]f they fall off they fall off, but it's bad if you say anything to them,”which lets the reader know, without truly saying it, that he understands that partial loss of innocence is essential, in order to truly

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document. Be sure that your draft is double-spaced and in 12 point Times New Roman font. Save the file as: ENG304B_Honors_Project_Assignment_Name_FirstInitial_LastName.doc Example: ENG304B_ Honors_Project_Essay_M_Smith.doc (200 points) Catcher in the Rye is one of the most taught and controversial novels in the United States, it was written by J.D. Salinger and published in 1951. The novel is about a young Holden Caulfield and his mischievous adventures after he leaves his boarding school before…

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shared disdain for such corruption is analyzed in The Catcher in the Rye and The Grapes of Wrath. Both authors address the corruption; however they do so from different perspectives they come to differing resolutions. Both protagonists in their novels experience isolation as a result of society’s corruption; however, Salinger’s chooses to isolate himself whereas Steinbeck’s experiences isolation inadvertently. J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye and John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath share a social…

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On July 16, 1951, The Catcher in the Rye was originally published. It is a controversial novel written by J.D. Salinger. It was originally published for adults, but has become popular among young adults and teenagers for it’s themes of teenage anxiety and alienation. However, between 1966 and 1975, it was the most frequently banned book. I believe that the Catcher in the Rye should not be censored. It is a novel from which high school students can benefit. It is a book that shows teens that they…

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(Times New Roman, size 12 double-spaced) Tim Walsh J.D. Salinger’s bildungsroman novel, ‘The Catcher in the Rye’ is narrated by Holden Caulfield, the 16 year old protagonist and is deeply confused, dissatisfied and a self-declared loner. The novel focuses on a two day period following Holden’s most recent expulsion, from Pencey Prep, and it tracks his actions in New York City. ‘The Catcher in the Rye’ is a frame story, in flashback form, as Holden addresses readers directly, from a sanatorium after…

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Holden Caulfield wants to protect that innocence, he wants to be the Catcher in the Rye. Just as Holden wanting to protect the innocence from society corruption he tries to rebel it as well. In the Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger symbolism is used to represent a struggling young adult not wanting to grow up and rebelled causing him to spiral out of control. Pencey Prep and New York, is the setting for the story Catcher in the Rye. In the late 1940’s in the post World War II era, Holden ,the main…

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Andrew Geib A.P U.S History September 5th, 2013 Ms. Im The Catcher in the Rye J.D. Salinger’s novel, The Catcher in the Rye, follows the story of Holden Caulfield, who serves the role of protagonist and narrator. Holden tells the story of his younger sixteen year old self, whilst under treatment in a sanatorium. As a teenager, Holden was a rebel feeling the need to not care, or try hard in anything he does, thus “getting the ax” out of three schools, and soon to be his fourth. His latest…

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