Catcher in the Rye :: essays research papers

Over 50 years ago, an author named J.D. Salinger wrote one of the best novels that I have ever read. This story is entitled, The Catcher in the Rye. The Catcher in the Rye is an excellent story narrated by the main character, Holden Caulfield. Holden is a confused 16 year old, who is struggling to find himself. He is a very cynical and hypocritical young man. Throughout the entire story, Holden points out all of the flaws of every person he is associated with, and actually says that he dislikes almost every one of them. The funny thing about that fact is that, after you have finished the book, you realize that Holden possesses similar qualities to all the people that he claims to hate, and you also realize that this is quite possibly the reason that he does in fact hate each of them, because I believe that Holden is dissatisfied with himself. The Catcher in the Rye begins with Holden Caulfield telling the story from a medical facility of some sort that he has been sent to, to recover from an illness or breakdown. He refuses to talk about his early life, but tells the story of when he broke down, beginning with his expulsion from a famous Prep School in Pennsylvania. At Pencey Prep, Holden fails four of his five classes, and is expelled due to grades before winter break. Knowing that they are his last days, Holden makes the best of it by going to the movies, which he claims to hate. I chose to talk about that particular event, because this is one of the many things that Holden claims to hate, but throughout the entire story, he goes to movies, and makes connections to them. Holden doesn’t want to go back home to New York with the news of his school status, for fear of what his parents will do, seeing as how this was the fourth school he has been enrolled in. Holden is then sparked to leave early because his roommate, who is one of the only sexually experienced boys at Pencey, is taking out a girl named Jane, who Holden is in love with. Because of this event Holden leaves for New York early, deciding that he will go to New York and stay in a Hotel for a few days before arriving at home. Now this is when the story actually begins to take form.