Many moments of the novel that can be analyzed for their symbolism take place in central park. Americans had won world war ii, families were leaving cities to move to suburbia, and young people's perceptions of the world were shattered as if by an atomic bomb. Students could write an argumentative essay about the catcher in the rye by analyzing how caulfield represents the massive changes to america's youth. While many works of fiction once centered on a hero who more or less saves the day, caulfield is an extremely flawed character whose story does not end neatly. Because caulfield is a subjective narrator, readers must create their own interpretations of holden's statements and stories.

There are many reoccurring ideas and objects throughout the novel, such as the central park ducks, a carousel, caulfield's red hunting cap, alcohol and phonies. The oxford reference points out that many of caulfield's obsessions symbolize his hope to preserve the innocence of younger people after he realizes that he has lost his own. Many critics, including jonathan yardley of the washington post, argue that caulfield is just another whiny, rich kid, and therefore, his story is hard to swallow. Many schools and libraries banned the novel from reading lists in the past for its profanity and explicit content, but today it is one of the most read books in american classrooms. However, jessica roake of the slate book review argues that caulfield's teenage angst is outdated and too narrowly focused. Roake suggests that educators replace salinger's novel with a more current story of youthful exploration.

Students could write a comparative essay that places the catcher in the rye among more contemporary works that address similar themes but in new contexts. Holden narrates the story of the catcher in the rye while he is recovering from his breakdown. Do you think the promise of recovery that holden experiences as he watches the carousel at the end of the novel has been fulfilled? specifically, has holden gained a more mature perspective on the events that he narrates? it is possible that holden is simply trying to recapture his original emotions and thoughts in his narration, and thus masking the fact that he has a more enlightened view regarding his behavior than he had during his escapades.

Although holden narrates his story after it has already happened, he seems to have gained little perspective. He alludes to his present situation only twice mdash once at the beginning and once at the end of the novel mdash and he refuses to tell us much about it. Additionally, many of the personal characteristics that have been damaging to him mdash for example, his cynicism and his lack of introspection mdash are in fact more pervasive in his narration of his story than in the story itself.

As a result, the story he tells is only partial he often glides over moments of particular trauma or treats painful moments by pretending not to care. Because holden is an unreliable narrator, in order to understand his character it is necessary to look beyond his words at his behavior and his interactions with others, using the knowledge of his personality acquired from his narration and applying it to his actions in the story. For instance, when holden tells about being beaten and robbed by maurice, the elevator operator, he admits that he thought he was dying and fantasizes about being a movie hero and seeking his revenge. But he never describes how any of this makes him feel his sole comment is that the ldquo goddam movies rdquo can ruin a person. Since we have learned from previous moments in the book that holden is a deeply sensitive boy, we can look beneath the surface of his narrative to see the suffering it covers up. In this scene, we also see how self conflicted holden is: he claims to hate movies, but he turns to them in a moment of crisis.

Because the relationship between the events that holden narrates and his explanations of those events is so complex and contradictory, and because he is unwilling to discuss any part of his ldquo recovery, rdquo nothing that holden says suggests that he has really matured from his experiences. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of the catcher in the rye by j.d. Chapter 25 deals with the emotional climax of the novel and dramatic collapse holden caulfield suffers. Salinger draws upon holden's isolation from society within this passage through emphasis on the loss of innocence within what holden now. Holden caulfield, unable to accept the dishonesty of impending adulthood but powerless to avoid relinquishing his grip on the innocence of youth, travels through a crisis of identity within the three december days over which j. The themes of alienation and isolation in ‘the catcher in the rye’ and ‘one flew over the cuckoo’s nest’ are highly prominent, as the authors seek to portray the journey of an individual or indeed group that exists outside of mainstream society. In novels the catcher in the rye and the member of the wedding, salinger and mccullers both invite the reader to experience how the adult world can have an impact on the lives of young people.

In your answer make detailed reference to the novel as a whole and support your point of view with well chosen illustrative evidence. the catcher in the rye is a sad book because it shows how terrible it is to have to grow up. Holden: an ideal rebel or a neurotic misfit? what do you think? holden remains at the end what he was at the beginning: cynical, defiant, and blind. Do you agree? do you consider caulfield a misfit or would it be more accurate to say that it is society that is the problem? which view do you share and why? holden is more in flight from lies than in search of truth. the catcher in the rye is a boring book story of an over sensitive, self conscious adolescent who fails to face up to life and its responsibilities.

Do you agree? the catcher in the rye tells the story of a sensitive youth doomed to frustration and disillusionment in his struggle to find truth and sincerity in a shallow, pretentious world. What troubles holden? holden caulfield, the ‘catcher in the rye rsquo , failed in his desire to help others because he, although sympathetic and charitable, suffered from the over critical eye of youth. Holden rsquo s problem is not ‘phonies rsquo but his inability to accept reality. Do you agree? the catcher in the rye is a sad comment on the morals of youth holden is callous towards those who care for him, irresponsible and immoral. the catcher in the rye is about a teenage idealist who becomes submerged in the seamy side of adult society and almost succumbs.

Holden, through the course of his search, is repulsed and frightened, not only by what people do to him, but rather what people do to each other. Holden doesn rsquo t refuse to grow up so much as he agonises over the state of being grown up. Holden rsquo s problem is that he cannot reconcile the ‘nice rsquo world of childhood with the ‘phoney rsquo adult world.

Salinger loneliness is a feeling in which people experience a strong sense of emptiness and solitude. Someone who is lonely may find it hard to form relationships because they are unable to socialize. In the catcher in the rye, the main character, holden caulfield, is surrounded by people who he can form relationships with. However, holden fails to form relationships, because he chooses to alienate himself from everyone else. He is not willing to become a part of the environment around him, because he thinks he is different.