Alicia kim's blog

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger Jan. 14, 2024

Introduction:
The Catcher in the Rye is a novel by J. D. Salinger written in 1945 but published in 1946 due to World War II. It is a world-known novel as it is translated and sold worldwide. It is also famous among students as it’s discussed widely in schools.

The Plot:
Holden Caulfield reflects on the events that occurred throughout three days before Christmas. He starts at Pencey Academy, where he has been expelled for failing most of his classes. He visits his history teacher, Mr. Spencer, who gives him advice that makes him uneasy. Back in his dorm, Holden agrees to write a composition for his roommate, Stradlater, who is going on a date with Jane, a girl Holden has a connection to. Holden goes to the theater with his friends, but when Stradlater returns, Holden becomes upset when he refuses to share details about his time with Jane. This leads to a fight where Holden punches Stradlater but is quickly defeated. Feeling frustrated with the ‘phonies’ around him, Holden leaves Pencey and takes a train to New York City. In the city, he has various encounters, including hiring a prostitute named Sunny but only wanting to talk and getting assaulted by her pimp. He reaches out to Sally Hayes, and although they make plans, they end up arguing. Holden meets an old classmate, Carl Luce, and their conversation leaves him uncomfortable. He drinks heavily, calls Sally again, and wanders through Central Park. He breaks his sister’s record and visits her, resulting in jokes an emotional conversation. Holden goes to see his former teacher, Mr. Antolini but leaves after misunderstanding his actions. He spends the night at Grand Central Terminal, thinking about his future. When he heard a boy sing, “When a body meets a body, comin’ through the rye”, he thought about being the catcher in the rye. Initially planning to run away, he decides to meet with Phoebe, his sister. They have a tense interaction but make up at the carousel in the zoo. Holden reflects on his experiences gets sick and changes schools in September. The narration concludes with Holden missing his former classmates.

Analysis:
Holden introduces a lot of themes himself. He introduced himself as a teenage rebel as he thought about running away from his home and his family. He also thinks like a teenager but also like an adult from the way he judges people he meets. He also has a very distinguished style and knows exactly what he’s looking for when he meets a person. He is also very mature sometimes because he has a younger sister, Phoebe, and a younger brother, Allie. He was very mature about Allie when he passed away because of leukemia. Holden and Phoebe share similar traits while sharing whole different ideas and personalities. Holden has a very distinct thinking from other people. In this novel, Holden shows his thinking the whole time, and it tells us about his depression; he gets it very easily, even just by looking at someone else. It also tells us about his identity and where he belongs. In the book, Holden shows his connection and relationship with others. He adores his sister, Phoebe, and has a great connection and relationship with her. Allie’s death gave Holden a thoughtful and emotional experience. That made him have the personality that he has right now. The novel shows us his relationship with others and it also tells us about in the novel, when he is isolated from people, he tends to have better control over himself. It also shows us how he likes to be alone even if he wants to be with somebody at that time, but later, he would rather be alone.

Conclusion:
The Catcher in the Rye is a world-famous novel written by J.D. Salinger. It is about a boy named Holden Caulfield’s experiences in three days. It has many detailed information and clues about the themes – rebellion, loss, depression, identity, belonging, connection, relationship, and more. Holden experiences these through being isolated when he escapes to New York City. The novel talks about how these are impactful to our daily lives and shows the importance of teens’ lives.