Catcher In The Rye Loss Of Innocence Essay

Words: 472
Pages: 2
Open Document
A person's loss of innocence ultimately directs their transition into adulthood. As a person matures, their sense of innocence is lost and accepting society's flaws is the only way to cope with this problem. Growing up is important as it allows us to see a different and more realistic perspective on the world, shedding idealistic perspectives. In The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, one character tries to prevent himself and others from growing up, but ultimately realizes change is inevitable. Holden fears of leaving his past life of innocence and transitioning into adulthood. Holden’s efforts in preventing Phoebe from growing up ultimately show that all kids are prone to adulthood. Through Holden’s experiences, he is able to accept reality …show more content…
Holden went to an expensive boarding school, providing him with the opportunity to `become well educated and build a future for himself, however, he does not take responsibility seriously and drowns himself in his problems. He had bad grades and as a result was kicked out from his current and many other schools. Instead of telling his parents, he runs away from school and did not, “even know what [he] was running for... [he] just felt like it”(Salinger 5). Holden feels adult are “phonies” and in his mind feels that if he falls under the reigns of adulthood, he will be a “phony” himself. As an adult, he would gain new responsibilities, such as having connections. Holden is unable to maintain any relationships in or out of school. By running away from school, it symbolizes he is actually running away from his problems. Through his fear of adulthood, Holden feels that constantly running away from his problems is the only solution, similar to a child's solution. By doing so Holden proves his immature mentality, instead of facing his problems like an adult. Because Holden was sheltered from the corruptions of society, “he [wanted] to retreat backwards into the world he is leaving”(Vanderbilt 298). Pencey shelters Holden from the outside world, which he is reluctant to face. As a result, he struggles to cope with the idea of letting his childhood go and accepting adulthood, which he
Show More

Related Documents: Catcher In The Rye Loss Of Innocence Essay

Rye Lighthouse Essay

Elissa Savarese Comparative Literary Essay The Catcher in the Rye & The Lighthouse As children grow, they experience a gradual loss of innocence. In their first few years of life, children possess innocent bliss. They are filled with happiness and feel as though they are invincible, but as they grow older they lose what can never be regained so they behave and react differently to certain things. By this time, children have learned and understood too much, making it impossible to turn back. In…

Words 599 - Pages 3

Examples Of Loss Of Innocence In Catcher In The Rye

had a good heart. Holden wants to keep young kids innocent; from becoming corrupt by the world. Innocence is an important theme in J.D. Salinger’s “The Catcher in the Rye” because Holden, the main character has lost touch with his innocence. For an example he struggles with the death of his younger brother, Allie who died of cancer. Which plays a huge part in Holden’s day to day life. Loss of innocence plays in Holden’s childhood which when growing up was a struggle for him. Throughout the story…

Words 544 - Pages 3

Catcher in the Rye Literary Essay

English ISP 3/23/14 Daniel A. Edery Catcher in the Rye/Swing Kids In life, while trying to overcome obstacles there are two options: either it is overcome, or not. But there are many reasons behind whether one fails or succeeds. Holden Caulfield was “troubled”, and had many obstacles to overcome, most of which were his fault in the first place. He was failing out of school and was therefore getting kicked out. Also, he had this idea that everybody was a “phony”. Because of this notion he got…

Words 1954 - Pages 8

The Things They Carried Analysis Essay

The Things They Carried Analysis Essay Every story depicts some kind of truth, background, and moral. In The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger, Holden Caulfield is lonely and put himself in the position to believe that he must protect and stop people from losing their innocence. Similarly, in The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien, the life of a soldier is lonely and going into a battle so young can seem like a loss of innocence. In both stories, the authors use truth, or lack of it to emphasize…

Words 1844 - Pages 8

Catcher in the Rye Essay

adulthood scares and mystifies him, Holden invents a fantasy that adulthood is a world of superficiality and hypocrisy (“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…

Words 2239 - Pages 9

Catcher In The Rye Themes

There are quite a few themes packed into J.D. Salinger’s novel Catcher In The Rye. These are just a few of many themes in the book: loss of innocence, fear of change, isolation, loss of identity, and immunity to change. Today, we will be focusing mainly on the themes listed above. Throughout the whole book, Holden faces odd new situations while attending, and after being kicked out of, Pencey Prep. Some of these situations change Holden, for better or worse. These situations can be explained by…

Words 1078 - Pages 5

Thesis on Truth Essay

Anything You Can Truth, I Can Truth Better "Taking one's chances is like taking a bath, because sometimes you end up feeling comfortable and warm, and sometimes there is something terrible lurking around that you cannot see until it is too late and you can do nothing else but scream and cling to a plastic duck." ― Lemony Snicket, Horseradish: Bitter Truths You Can't Avoid Looking at this quote, you may be a little bit confused at what I’m trying to get at, but I’m reality it’s quite topical. Lemony…

Words 3454 - Pages 14

Dromas: Political Campaign and Relationships Holden Attempts Essay

I didn’t say anything . . . if they want to grab the gold ring, you have to let them do it . . . If they fall off, they fall off.” Holden’s pronouncement references his emendation of his “catcher in the rye” fantasy. Now he has come to terms with the idea that every child will eventually “fall”—out of innocence and into adulthood. Holden cannot prevent them from doing it or save them, just as he cannot prevent or save himself from becoming an adult. This recognition brings about a huge emotional…

Words 4470 - Pages 18