The Catcher In The Rye Essays

Essay about The Catcher in the Rye
Catcher in the Rye
Chapters 1–3
Discussion Questions
1. Who is telling the story? What are your impressions of the narrator? Would he be a friend of
yours? Holden Caufield maybe because he seems rebellious and open
2. How much time has passed since the events in the story? What do you think is Holden's purpose
in telling the story? 7 months has passed and to make sense of everything that has happened
3. What is Pency Prep like? Why is Holden leaving? How does he feel about leaving? It is a formal
prestigious private school, because he failed classes and everybody there hates him and a little bit sad
4. Why does Holden go to see Mr. Spencer? Why does he regret the visit? To say goodbye to him
and Pency and he regrets it...show more content...
Why does he lie to her? Have you ever done anything like that? A students mum, to make her son
look good and make her feel proud and no
2. In what sort of hotel does Holden stay? What sorts of "perverts" are there? Why doesn't he just
go home? A real kind of extravagant hotel and cross dressers
3. Who is the first person Holden calls? Why do you suppose he doesn't arrange to meet her the next
day as she suggests? A prostitute and not to sure doesn't want to wait that long perhaps
4. Who does Holden meet in the nightclub of the hotel? Why do these women depress him? Why
does he spend time with them then? Three older women, because they are obsessed with movie stars
5. What is Phoebe like? How can you tell that Holden adores her? She's intelligent and because he is
always talking about how great she is
6. Why do you think Holden says of Allie, "She killed Allie, too," then amends his comment to, "I
mean he liked her, too"? Cause it sounds like Phoebe literally killed allie
7. Holden remembers the time Jane cried and he kissed her. Why does he think she was crying?
What do you think? Because of her stepdad
8. What sort of place is Ernie's? How does Holden know about Ernie's? Nightclub sort of fancy
environment and through D.B
9. You learn a lot about Phoebe and Holden's tender feelings for her from the flashback on page 68.

Using that passage as a model, describe someone you know. As Holden does, begin your
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Catcher In The Rye Essay Outline
The Catcher in the Rye is written by J.D. Salinger and published July 16, 1951. This story in short
is about a boy named Holden Caulfield in the 1950s who is undergoing treatment in a mental
hospital. It begins with Holden at a private school named Pencey Prep School in Agerstown,
Pennsylvania. This was Holden fourth school as he'd been failed from the previous three, also he
was soon to be expelled from Pencey to. Holden visits his old history to say goodbye and that he
would not be returning after the break. Back in his dorm, Holden's roommate Stradlater had been on
a date with Jane Gallagher who Holden has some affection for. when questioning Stradlater about if
he performed coitus with Jane, Stradlater teases Holden in a fit Holden attacks...show more content...
The call was an attempt to get her to have intercourse with him but Holden hung up without
making a date. Holden went to the lobby as he walked he remembered Jane Gallagher and began
to reminisce about their past together. Holden left the hotel he was staying, but not before the
elevator operator Maurice offered a prostitute for five dollars Holden agreed. Part way Holden
begins to feel "peculiar" and asks the prostitute to leave, she does , but returns with Maurice who
demanded he pays a ther five Holden refused and was punched in the stomach feeling tired he
falls asleep. Holden wakes up and takes a cab to Central Park to find his little sister Phoebe. After
some more useless interaction with past acquaintances, Holden sneaks into his own apartment
where Phoebe is sleeping. He is forced to admit his expulsion to his sister who gets quite angry.
Later Holden speaks to his former English Teacher who speaks to him about his expulsion and his
future after their chat Holden falls asleep at the Grand Central Station. Waking up sometime later
Holden writes a letter to his sister Phoebe saying he would be leaving home for good and should
meet him at the

Rye Essay Prompts
ENG 3U1 – The Catcher in the Rye Essay Outline Assignment
Task: Pick one of the essay prompts below. Your answer to the prompt will be the thesis of your
essay. Thoughtfully and carefully craft an essay outline to develop and defend your thesis. Be
concise and to the point, this is only an outline!
You may consult your agenda, previous notes and our class for essay writing tips. Be sure to use
text–based evidence to support your thesis.
Essay Prompts
Throughout the novel, Holden is a tormented adolescent. He feels alienated and isolated at Pencey
Prep, he is belittled and dismissed by women he wants to impress, he is beaten up twice, he dreams
of escape from the world he lives in and he even considers suicide. Yet, despite these hardships,
...show more content...
He escapes his life by living another. All of these are showing how he is not healthy at all and
needs help. Holden tries not to think about these issues in his life, so he choses to make jokes about
them
Proof: The humour was used to point out all the flaws in nature.
Analysis: The one thing that Holden hated most was phonies. He constantly ranted about how he
hated these so called people. Salinger used Holden as a way of speaking his mind. about his subject
without going out publicly about it himself. He was able to speak his mind behind the disguise of a
character. In Chapter 22 Holden says that adults are inevitably phonies and the worst part is that they
can't see their own phoniness.
Proof: The larger meaning of the story is that childhood can never remain, meaning you can't stay a
child forever.
Analysis: Holden's humour shows the childish–like qualities that he possess within him. He switches
moods very often. When with the women or out on the town, he has a very grown up personality
then he would have a child–like quality while doing something else. Overall, although Holden acts
older then his age, but wants to preserve his youth, he will never get his way, it's just impossible.
Supporting Argument 3
How would the story be different if humour wasn't used? Humour is an important aspect in this

Catcher In The Rye Critical Lens Essay
The Catcher In The Rye Essay Prompt: Choose a character from a novel or play of recognized
literary merit and write an essay in which you (a) briefly describe the standards of the fictional
society in which the character exists and (b) show how the character is affected by and responds
to those standards. In your essay do not merely summarize the plot. In The Catcher in the Rye by
J.D. Salinger the protagonist in the story in the Holden is placed in a society where he feels he
does not fit in. He is constantly pushed to accept the standards of the the society he lives in but he
refuses to abide to rules. Holden also responds to society by identifying all the flaws he doesn't
approve and complains of how "phony" everything and everybody is. Due to the external pressures
of society and his internal beliefs Holden is caught between expecting the standards of society or his
He raised in a upper income family that was able to afford for him to go to a accredited
prestigious boy's academy. Being from a higher income family it was expected he would do
something productive in his life and career. He was expected to pass his classes and go to college
and then from there he pursue a career and thrive in his adulthood. Also as an adolescent in his
late teens he was also expected to emerge from his childish behavior such as and adapt the role as
a man. He even admitted in chapter two that he even acts childish, "Boy!" I said. I also say
"Boy!" quite a lot. Partly because I have a lousy vocabulary and partly because I act quite young
for my age sometimes. I was sixteen then, and I'm seventeen now, and sometimes I act like I'm
about thirteen. It's really ironical, because I'm six foot two and a half and I have gray hair". Also
society expected him to act as man should act such as taking control of his future and take action to
get where he need to go in

An Essay On The Catcher In The Rye
I have broken down in tears in despair and have been unable to contain my own laughter countless
times. I will undoubtedly do so another countless number of times the rest of my life. Of course, the
reasons for my despondency and gaiety have evolved with time from not getting a cookie to not
being able to go Trick or Treating and from hearing a funny joke to getting to spend time with friends
after a stressful week of finals. And I am the product of the accumulation of all those moments. All
that pain. All that happiness. In a world centered around the present and the prospects of the future,
it is difficult to remember that there exists something arguably more important: the past, and more
importantly, childhood – the days of what seems like a life–time ago. But our childhood is actually
probably closer to us than anything else. With a little provocation, the dam constructed of our
current burdens is breached and all the childhood memories flood us with nostalgia. And that is
precisely what childhood is: a constant reminder of the past and its everlasting impact on us. Time is
unmerciful and makes aging a painful but ultimately inevitable process. But no matter how old we
For instance, after a troubling day, he recalls a museum that he often visited when he was younger
and decides to visit it in hopes of finding consolation there like he once did. To Holden, the
museum is the symbol of his childhood and his fantasy of a world that he could forever live in
which would preserve the simplicity of those days. However, Holden realizes the unfortunate brevity
of youth and decides to become a guardian angel for the unsuspecting victims of aging, helping them
retain their innocence so when in time of need, they can be better solaced by their

Catcher In The Rye Passage Essay
I think that this passage is related to The Catcher in the Rye because it is about a boy who faced
troubles right when he was born. The boy in the story was born with a caul, which is "part of the
amniotic membrane occasionally found on a child's head at birth, thought to bring good luck."
Because he was born with this, people began to judge him, thinking that he was destined to be
unlucky in life or that he was privileged to see ghosts and spirits. Eventually, his caul put on sale
for people to buy it. It was held in an auction. He said, "I was present myself, and I remember to
have felt quite uncomfortable and confused, at a part of myself being disposed of in that way." He
felt uncomfortable exposing himself to others like this. This is

Catcher In The Rye Theme Essay
Have you ever had this feeling of being so stressed out that you would escape to hopeless dreams,
causing you to withdraw yourself from others? Among many themes that J.D. Salinger expresses in
his novel, The Catcher in the Rye, there is one that fits that type of feeling perfectly. That theme is:
isolation is a product of the individual's reaction to the environment and often leads to downfalls and
other negative consequences. This is clearly demonstrated through the influence of the allusions and
symbols that Salinger uses to subtly apply the theme mentioned above. Allusion is seen multiple
times throughout the book. Holden makes these allusions towards many famous poets and novels
during that time. For instance, Holden himself agrees...show more content...
Modernism basically moves away from the romanticism trend to focus more on the individual in
the story, which is seen throughout the story. For example, "If you really want to hear about it,
the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born and what my lousy childhood was
like..." (Salinger 1). That quote is exactly how the story starts off, so a couple of things are already
clear: The story is in a first–person point of view and the tone is that of an average attitude–filled
teenager. On top of this, while the entire story is being narrated by Holden, the reader doesn't get the
chance to be able to interact with him and vice versa. Thus, creating a type of mood that makes it
seem as though the reader is stuck in Holden's head, but the upside of this is that the reader is able to
read and understand the character and his values much better. In conclusion, Salinger portrays
isolation being the product to an individual's reaction to the environment, often leading to downfalls
and other negative consequences. By choosing to use different allusions and symbols in the story,
ranging from the red hunting hat to the shared similarities between one character and another,
having a tinge of influence from the modernism trend that was happening during that literary time,
not to mention the influence that Salinger himself on Holden, for they were very similar, Salinger
got his point

The Catcher in the Rye Essay
This paper proposes to delineate the characteristics of Holden Caulfield, the adolescent protagonist
hero of J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye and illuminate the reasons as to why this prototype of
brooding adolescence, displaying a rather uber–cool style of disaffection, disenchantment and
disillusionment became an indispensable figure of interest, in literary circles as well as popular
culture. The paper seeks to take issue with the wider dimensions attached to the 'incapacitation and
debilitation' Holden is often accused of and address Salinger's vision behind etching Caulfield
precisely the way he is. The paper also wishes to foreground the socio–political implications that
reverberate within the rubric of the novel, Holden's...show more content...
The sales figures of the book evince the case of its popularity. Needless to point out, the immense
popularity of The Catcher in the Rye can be attributed to Salinger's ingenious creation– Holden
Caulfield. Holden Caulfield is the primary reason of the novel's sustained readership.
Anyone even remotely familiar with the text can point out that the protagonist who uses 'crazy'
verbatim and mentions the cognates of that word over fifty times, has been alleged to be a
misanthropist, a human "who dislikes everything." Christopher Parker contends, "Holden likes
the only things really worth liking...because he is sincere and he won't settle for less." Several
critics in the recent past have concurred with Parker's line of thought. They have dismissed the
initial response to the 'incessant rant of Holden Caulfield" as adolescent babble as a misreading
of the text, and instead placed the novel in its rightful place as a text that seriously engages in the
exploration of the picaresque, an acute intensity of longing and yearning for the shared tenets of
authenticity and innocence. While Holden's choice of being the 'catcher in the rye' clearly depicts
his yearning for a bygone era, the innocent experience, his choice is rooted at once in his fate of
being both beloved and banned, as is that of his narrative The Catcher in the Rye, in its character of

Catcher In The Rye Narrative Essay
The Cather in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, is the story of a troubled young man named Holden
Caulfield. Holden meanders through New York for two days contemplating his place in the world
and what his future will look like. The duration of Holden's stay in the city is filled with depression
and loneliness, but also small glimpses of hope and happiness. Through the use of repetition and the
use of anecdote, Salinger spins a cautionary tale which all adolescents should heed.
Through the entirety of the novel, Salinger intentionally has Holden use phrases such as, "and all",
"or anything", and "or something" multiple times to create an authentic representation of the 'average
American teen' in the fifties. Salinger writes in this manner in order to attract the attention of the
real 'average teens' in the era the novel was written. However, the repetition which is used to spin a
cautionary tale is found within the voice of Holden when he is speaking about something he is
passionate about. From...show more content...
The anecdote Salinger includes about the death of Holden's younger brother Allie is a
commentary on the loss of innocence in the world. Holden is deeply troubled by Allie's death at a
young age. Allie's death is one of the factors which have contributed to Holden's skewed view of
the world. Because of Allie's death, Holden's childhood and youth is spent in sadness and anger at
the world and at himself. Holden associates 'phonies' with older, duller, and denser people. Further,
the anecdote about Holden witnessing an acquaintance commit suicide shows that Salinger wants the
reader to understand the severity of depression among the youth. Holden witnessing the suicide is
key to his decision to push forward and not take his own life. Salinger is leading the reader to see
that suicide is no joking matter and that nothing is worth taking your own

The Catcher in the Rye
The Catcher in the Rye a novel written by J.D. Salinger, the book starts off by Holden Caulfield,
main protagonist, talking about his experience alone the weekend before he went home. Holden
struggles to fit in society, communicating with others but most of all he is struggling to find
himself. Holden lurks for advice from different people in order to get some insight of their
perspective. Even though Holden seems to be embracing the growing up mentality yet he wants to
keep his innocence. Holden is quite an interesting character because his attitude toward life in
general is very complex. He pretends to be an adult by drinking heavily, yet he complains like a
child. You can clearly see the struggle Holden is going through in finding...show more content...
Holden interprets people's action differently because according to him, they have different
motives. Holden seems to think that all his surrounding is phony because it's not to his
expectation. The only thing that he considers worth of value is a child's innocence. Holden has a
significant attachment to his little sister and the warm memories they shared together. It's
probably the only thing that keeps him from carrying out his thoughts and keeps him from losing
his mind. Holden's relationship with his sister Phoebe is a strong one like any other brother and
sister relationship. Although he is a bit too caring and protective of her because he doesn't want
her to indulge the process of being an adult, he wants her to stay ten year old forever. Holden
knows from his own experience life isn't easy growing up and most of all he doesn't want his
sister to lose her innocent. Holden soon learns that Phoebe can stay ten forever and he can't avoid
being and adult. He realizes it while he is watching Phoebe ride the carousel in Central Park and
fears Phoebe will fall off her horse while reaching for a gold ring which gives the winner a free
ride, he says, "The thing with kids is, if they want to grab for the gold ring, you have to let them do
it, and not say anything. If they fall off, they fall off, but it's bad if you say anything to them."
Holden acknowledge that children must grow up and move on. He can't always believe that children
will never reach the "phonieness"

Catcher In The Rye Analytical Essay
UPDATED Draft of Analytical Paper Title: to be determined
When reading a novel, it is crucial to realize what is being symbolized in it. Symbols can bring up
main points and get the theme of the novel across to the reader. Motifs are just as important because
they convey important objects or events that develop a character. The theme in J.D. Salinger's The
Catcher in the Rye portrays how maturity and struggle go hand in hand. Becoming mature causes
struggles but struggles cause maturity. Through the usage of motifs and symbolism, Salinger
displays how growing up can cause issues in a person's life in order to mature.
The use of motifs displays how important different things are within the novel based on how much it
appears.Three main motifs...show more content...
When Holden "dropped old Phoebe's record [and] It broke into about fifty pieces" (Salinger 154),
it made him "feel so terrible [that he] took the pieces out of the envelope and put them in [his]
coat pocket" (154). Showing the importance of the record. The record comes up many times in
the novel showing the importance and value it has to Holden. It also makes an appearance in our
music video and shows Holden dropping Phoebe's record (Fakenbridge et al. 1:34). It is
significantly important to Holden because it was a gift for his sister Phoebe. This incident
displays how that if Holden really cherishes something that he does not want to be ruined, them
he needs to make sure it is safe and he is wise on how he handles it. He does not want to let go of
something that has been a part of his life for so long, he is afraid to let go. Another motif that is
also shown throughout the novel is Holden's attempts of calling people. Holden attempts to call "this
girl [he] used to go around with quite frequently, Sally Hayes"(59), but did not because he "was
afraid her [mother would] answer the phone [because] her mother knew [his] mother"(59). This
shows that

The Importance of Language in The Catcher in the Rye J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye has
captured the spirit of adolescence, dramatizing Holden Caulfield's vulgar language and melodramatic
reactions. Written as the autobiographical account of a fictional teenage prep school student named
Holden Caulfield, The Catcher in the Rye deals with material that is socially scandalous for the time
(Gwynn, 1958). As an emotional, intelligent, and sensitive young man, Holden puts his inner world
to the test through the sexual mores of his peers and elders, the teachings of his education, and his
own emerging sense of self. Throughout the years, the language of the story has startled readers.
Salinger's control of Holden's easy,...show more content...
Another colloquialism can be seen in the last two examples. Holden has a habit of ending his
descriptions with tag phrases such as "and all" or "or anything." (Salzman, 1991). Not only does
Holden speak like this in the beginning of the novel, but throughout the book, making this pattern
a part of his character. One could imagine Holden frequently ending his sentences with "and all,"
and realize it is a character trait of his, since not all teenagers used that phrase. Therefore, the "and
all" tag to Holden's speech served to make his speech authentic and individual. (Salzman, 1991).
Salinger intentionally used such speech patterns to individualize Holden but also to make him a
believable teenager of the early 1950's. Another example of how Holden's speech helped define
his character is his constant need to confirm his own affirmations, as if even he did not quite
believe himself. These confirmations include phrases such as "...if you want to know the truth," or
"...it really does." Holden repeats the first phrase several times throughout the novel: "I have no
wind, if you want to know the truth," "I'm pacifist, if you want to know the truth," and a variation:
"She had a lot of sex appeal, too, if you really want to know." In each of the above instances,
Holden makes a statement and then feels compelled to clarify that is he is not making it

Holden Caulfield, the protagonist and main character of The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger,
seems to have many dislikes and much fewer likes about life, as a whole. In many situations
throughout the book, Holden seems to have negative thoughts about every little thing. From his
school, Pencey Prep, to movies or actors; even to the word "grand," Holden seemingly holds a
distaste in just about anything that crosses paths with him. However, further into the novel, it
becomes apparent that one of the causes Holden holds dearest to his heart is to keep the
innocence of children for as long as possible. Holden wants to be the "catcher in the rye" because
one of the things he loves is young kids and the catcher saves them. Holden didn't seem to care
about much in the world, but near the end kids seemed to be what he adored most. He cared
about them and knew what to do to take care of them. "The thing with kids is, if they want to grab
for the gold ring, you have to let them do it, and not say anything. If they fall off, they fall off, but
it's bad if you say anything to them." (Salinger, 211) From this quote Holden is explaining to us how
to interact with kids. He is saying let them fail at something so they can learn the lesson rather than
telling them...show more content...
He realizes this when he hears a song "Catcher thro' the rye" and mistakes the lyrics to be
"Catcher in the rye" which he thinks of as a man who stands at the edge of a cliff at the end of a
rye field and catches the children who are running around in the rye field with no clear vision. He
determines that this is what he wants to do with his life in a figurative way, which means that he
wishes to keep the last bit of innocence in children that is left in them. This shows his passion for
kids and explains why he seems to only like children and everything else is negative in his

Catcher in the Rye Theme Essay
"Catcher in the Rye" written by J.D. Salinger, is a novel in which the author creates much irony in
the way he presents the loss of innocence or the fall from innocence in his main character, Holden
Caulfield. While Holden clearly believes in protecting the innocence of children in society, he
himself cannot seem to hang onto his own innocence. Throughout the novel Holden shows his love
and protection for childhood innocence, the irony that he in fact himself may be losing his own
childhood innocence mainly due to the responsibilities which he has taken on, and also shows that
he may be more innocent than the reader first thinks as his simplified view of a complex world is
much like an innocent child would see. In this novel...show more content...
In the book Holden seemed to be angry with life and almost everyone in his, and although we
dont know for sure I believe he wasnt as pessimistic before his brother died. Holden did not
understand why innocent people like Allie had to die and let conceited people like Stradlater live.
No one was there to catch Allie and he feels that no one is there to catch him either.

The Catcher in the Rye Essay
The Catcher in the Rye is a novel by J.D. Salinger. It is narrated by Holden Caulfield, a cynical
teenager who recently got expelled from his fourth school. Though Holden is the narrator and
main character of the story, the focus of Salinger's tale is not on Caulfield, but of the world in
which we live. The Catcher in the Rye is an insatiable account of the realities we face daily seen
through the eyes of a bright young man whose visions of the world are painfully truthful, if not a bit
jaded. Salinger's book is a must–read because its relatable symbolism draws on the reader's emotions
and can easily keep the attention of anyone. Salinger's full use of symbolism goes unnoticed until
his novel is read a second or third time. Most of it...show more content...
This character is going to tell it like it is, and he does. The most powerful emotional standpoint in
the story is when Holden goes to his sister's elementary school to deliver her a note. While he is
there, he discovers two words scribbled on the wall. "Fuck you." Most people would look at that
and think nothing of it. Some would bow their heads in shame at the person who thought it was
funny. Others might laugh. Not Holden. He did not think about the normal persons response to the
note. He thought about the child's response. About how a little kid is going to see that seemingly
meaningless phrase and wonder what it means; about how some dirty kid would explain what it
meant; and about the person who wrote it and how they are destroying the childhood of everyone
who reads the 'harmless' graffiti. This section takes the reader to the door of Holden's mind. It is at
this point that one truly understands his emotions. As previously mentioned, it is obvious of
Holden's intentions from the first chapter. The reader learns that they are not going to be following
the life story of some random kid; they are going to read about the introversive thoughts and
assumptions everyone makes at some point of their lives. Throughout the tale, it is obvious that
Caulfield is depressed and as the story progresses, he seems to lose himself in the real world. As he
moves

Catcher In The Rye
J.D.Salinger's the Catcher in the Rye is a classic American novel. The novel is based in the time
period of the 1950's. It's a first person telling of a teenage boys life after his brother passes away
and he is kicked out of his fourth school. Not wanting to attend school anymore with a bunch of
"phonies" he decides to have himself a little vacation before returning home to his parents. On his
night out on the town he acts the way a teenager would act when alone with a good sum of dough.
He goes to a couple of bars and successfully gets drinks, buys his own room at a hotel to stay in for
the night, even hires a prostitute. The reason behind all of his rebellion and getting kicked out of
school is simply because he's lonely and depressed. The...show more content...
J.D. Salinger makes his book very unique and original. He uses the main character Holden as a
prime example. Holden acts like an overly emotional teenager that isn't afraid to state his opinion.
He's very enthusiastic about things he believes in and will be very blunt. "C'mon let's get outa
here," I said. "You give me a royal pain in the ass, if you want to know the truth." (133). Along
with the character being unique he also has a very original writing style. He wrote the novel in
the style of how a teenage boy would think. He stops and changes topics mid paragraph like any
young person would do. His excessive use of curse words is a risky decision but it helps you
understand the character and his views on things in a more intense level. When he curses about
things it shows how strongly he believes in what he does. The author also leaves many holes
throughout the book to engage the reader and make them have to infer what happens. Throughout
the book Holden brings up a love interest named Jane. She is always on his mind and he
contemplates calling her but never actually does it, leaving you as the reader to determine if he
ever actually goes and finds her eventually. His biggest hole in the story is the ending. He is at the
park with his sister and he still hasn't seen his parents or ran away and it just ends with you leaning
on the edge of your seat waiting for the answers to what

Catcher In The Rye Essay example
From the Outside, Looking In
Despite the debate that may wage on regarding the status to be afforded J. D. Salinger's writings, the
author's books have not quietly faded into obscurity. Although published almost a half–century ago,
the author's most famous work, Catcher in the Rye, enjoys almost as healthy and devoted a
following today as the book did when it was first published. Because of a self–imposed exile that
began almost at the same time the Salinger's career was just taking off, much of the substance of the
writer's lifeВ—his thoughts, ideals, writing objectivesВ—remain shrouded in mystery. The few
writings Salinger did offer up for public consumption, though, provide his audience cryptic clues into
his inner most thoughts and...show more content...
Perhaps the reason the author has become such a recluse is because it is only by withdrawing from
society that Salinger has been able to resolve his personal conflicts with the workings and objectives
of the society in which he lives. Take religion for example. If his writings truly do offer some insight
into the private thoughts and beliefs of the author, J. D. Salinger is a God–fearing man who has the
utmost respect for his Creator. It is not the reverence of a divine being that causes Salinger
difficulty; it is the mind–numbing customs and practices that cause parishioners to lose focus on
the basic reason they engage in religious worship that compels the writer to speak out. The formal
practice of religion at times places a greater emphasis on conformance with rituals than it does on
fostering a better understanding and appreciation of the basic notions upon which a religion is
based. In Salinger's mind, some religious practices have run so far afield of the original premise
upon which the religion was based that he questions whether the customs today can even loosely be
tied to actual religious worship. Salinger's most noteworthy character, Holden Caulfield, struggles
with how society has lost sight of the foundations upon which Christianity was organized. The
setting for Salinger's novel, Catcher in the Rye, is the Christmas season in New York City.
ChristmasВ—the time–honored tradition by which Christians pause to reflect on the birth of their

Essay About Catcher In The Rye
"Where the hell is everybody? It's like a goddam morgue around here." I shouted, there was no
one here except Holden who is the last person that I want to be seeing right now. Why him? Out
of all the guys she could have known, why did it have to be him? Now I have to be in the same
room as the person who practically ruined my date. I'm just going to try forgetting about the whole
thing cause it's going to piss me off even more. "Did you write my composition?" I asked to
Holden who then pointed over to the bed. As I walk over to my bed, I start to think about Jane, then
Holden, and then my goddamn composition that's due tomorrow. Holden and Jane's relationship was
making me furious again, I tightly clench on to the side of the paper. I...show more content...
Now he's trying to provoke me? Who does he think he is? I should put him in his place right now
but then I would just end up feeling bad. "Holden, God damn it, I'm warning you, now. For the last
time. If you don't keep your yap shut, I'm gonna–". He interrupts me and spurts some nonsense and
out of nowhere I find my arm swinging at him knocking him to the ground. He's hurt, what did I
do? I didn't want for this to happen and now his nose is bleeding and it really looks like he's in
pain. "Why the hell don'tcha shut up when I tellya to?" I say to him feeling very guilty but trying
to levitate the fault off of me and onto him. "You asked for it, God damn it," I said, still trying to
make myself feel better, but it wasn't working. Holden really had nothing to do with how my date
had went, it was the first time I had actually liked a girl, so the fact that she was taking so much
about another guy just got me really pissed, and now because of me Holden is bleeding and hurt.
Not to mention if the teachers find out I'd be getting into much more trouble. Maybe I'm just not
cut out for stuff like this. I look down at Holden who was bawling his eyes out and calling me
things like "moron" and "sonuvabitch". "Listen. Go wash your face," I said to Holden, but Holden
ignored what I had said and kept calling me names and such. I should probably leave Holden alone.
I left the room and closed the door, I'll talk to him tomorrow and make things right with

Catcher In The Rye
Imagine this: a school without an emphasis on letter grades. It may seem like a utopian ideal,
however, this idea is being tested in English 1 classes. So that brings the question, can this concept
be applied school–wide or will we succumb to society's desire to quantify us?
Currently, all English 1 Poetry/Drama classes participate in this initiative of non–letter grading as an
effort to combat students' extrinsic motivation to attain As. Instead, students are being assessed on
how well they embody and work on "the aims of a Punahou education": things like critical thinking,
persistence, resilience, and interpersonal collaboration. Over the course of the semester, teachers
take notes on how students are applying these aims; for example, if a student creates an English 1
project about the symbolism of Holden's red cap in The Catcher in the Rye using thoughtful outside
research and supporting quotes from the text, a teacher may construe that as an excellent example of
critical thinking. At the end, students are still administered a letter grade for the semester, based on
how well students worked on these aims and not due to aggregate point values converted to
percentages and letters....show more content...
On one hand, the traditional grading system is universally recognized; its simplistic nature allows
teachers, students, and parents to easily interpret, understand, and directly compare others in the
same class. But on the other hand, there also significant cons, such as its subjectivity, lack of
explanation, and cultivation of testing culture. This is exactly what non–letter grading is intended to

The Meaning Of Catcher In The Rye
The title If you remember what the title meant, "catcher in the rye", the title refers to the song "if
a body catch a body comin thro the rye." Holden mistakenly interprets the song to be about a
person who stands in a rye field, near the edge of cliff, to stop the children from falling off the
cliff. Similarly, James Castle's name alludes to this theme of falling in the story. Castle falls out
of his window to his demise, or out of his castle of higher ideals. His name is a kind of metaphor
that Salinger uses to say that maturing is sometimes a harsh reality, or otherwise that allowing
society to control you is a bad thing. Even while he is being pressured and tortured by the large
group of boys, he chooses to jump out of his window rather

The Catcher In The Rye Essays

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