Holdens Escape of Corruption Through Childhood and...

Holdens Escape of Corruption Through Childhood and Innocence in The Catcher in the Rye Works Cited Missing Holden Caulfield was in conflict with the society he was living in. He regarded it as corrupted and totally insincere; and therefore he attempted to escape from falling into this corruption of adulthood, by holding onto his childhood innocence. However he was unsuccessful in his strong sense of desire to prevent this inevitable fall into adulthood. Later in the novel after coming to terms with this fact, he developed a new desire to act as The Catcher In†¦show more content†¦He was confused about his virginity and could not foresee how he would react in front of the prostitute. However he thought the prostitute would at least offer an opportunity to practice his sexual skills. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. When Im horsing around with a girl, I have a hulluva lot of trouble just finding what Im looking for (Chapter 13). The prostitute appeared very experienced. There was great contrast between her determination and Holdens discomfort. Holden had no vivid knowledge on this issue to tackle her professionalism. Holden offered a fictitious name, which was disregarded. He also matured his age by an additional six years, which was also disbelieved; and his desperate wish to delay the moment of confrontation treated with despise. Holden had now deliberately involved himself with the adult world and must extricate himself. He was searching for love and she was selling sex. Holden refused to proceed once he began to consider the prostitute as an individual. He could no longer consider her as a sex object and he gathered a feeling of sympathy for her, instead. Her attempts to flirt with him, he found vulgar. Throughout the book, Holden feared any sexual activities. He was also physically repelled by anything homosexual. This was an area he could not cope with. Thus it was not surprising that Holden ran in shock and fear when Mr Antolini was caressing hisShow MoreRelatedHow Salinger’s Holden Caulfield Relates to Teenagers Throughout Time1412 Words   |  6 PagesSalinger’s The Catcher in the Rye was #1 on the New York Time’s bestseller list. Since then, the American Literary Association claims The Catcher in the Rye is a â€Å"favorite of censors.† The use of harsh language and profanity has been a long time debate of educators causing the novel to be pulled off bookshelves and propelling J.D. Salinger and his protagonist, Holden Caulfield, into reluctant fame. The translation of the book into many other languages speaks to the relevance of Holden’s teenage experienceRead More Innocence In The Catcher In The Rye by J.D. Salinger Essay examples1412 Words   |  6 Pages In J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher In The Rye, Holden Caulfield, a seventeen-year-old boy, transitions from childhood to adulthood. 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He be lieves the children are ruined by the ribald behavior of the older generations around them and as he shows the readerRead MoreThe Catcher In The Rye Character Analysis1472 Words   |  6 Pagesopposing views. Indeed, in J.D. Salinger’s novel, The Catcher in the Rye, the way Holden reacts to and interacts with secondary characters reveal his established philosophies and the values he holds most dear to him. Although Holden never directly interacts with Jane Gallagher during the course of the novel, the way he thinks and talks about her, as well as the way he remembers his time with her, shows his fixation with childhood and the innocence he strives to protect in himself and others. The factRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald3044 Words   |  13 PagesFitzgerald, and ‘The Catcher in the Rye’, by J.D Salinger, is American lifestyle and mind-set during a time of prosperity. Both texts suggest that changes to American culture causes disappointment as many spent their life searching for the false sense of perfection that the American dream offered. In ‘The Catcher in the Rye’ Holden Caulfield, a boy with extremely high standards finds society and American culture ‘phony’. He resents conforming to adulthood and wants to escape the horrors of adulthoodRead More Catcher in the Rye Essay: Holden’s Metamorphosis1954 Words   |  8 Page sHoldens Metamorphosis in The Catcher in the Rye      Ã‚  Ã‚   J. D. Salingers The Catcher in the Rye is the chronicle of a young mans metamorphosis from immaturity to unsure manhood. Holden Caulfield, the protagonist, is a sixteen-year old boy who leaves the prep school he has been expelled from to escape the frightening reality of dealing with his parents. However, during his visit to New York City he is faced with the harsh reality that he cannot continue to hold onto his childhood. Holden isRead MoreCharacter Portrayal Of John Caulfield s The Big Day 1911 Words   |  8 Pagesathletic equipment and all’ (155). In this image, Mrs. Caulfield is unable to handle even the simple problem of finding a place to put Holden’s possessions, pointing to her ineffectiveness in solving the issues relating to her children. A lack of parental authority is also demonstrated in the scene where Mrs. Caulfield comes home and notices the smoke left from Holden’s cigarette in Phoebe’s bedroom. Phoebe confesses falsely th at she had been smoking because she couldn’t sleep, to which her mother’sRead MoreLoss of Childhood Innocence: the Transition to Adulthood2831 Words   |  12 PagesSociety is filled with corrupt adults, which makes it inevitable for the loss of childhood innocence as children enter into the adult world. Some say that society can change and take a turn for the better, and though it may not be filled with honest, pure hearted people, it can be more genuine and more about the heart and less about success and materialistic pursuits. Others say that society cannot change and that it will continue to be corrupt and filled with selfish individuals, regardless ofRead MoreA Book About Life, Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger Essay984 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Catcher in the Rye† by J.D. Salinger is, in simplest terms, a book about life. A novel about what it means to exist, to be human, and to live – and a sixteen-year-old boy mercilessly critical of the wor ld of 1950’s New York he lives in. The movies, the music, the people are all meaningless to him, even despicable. He hates the way life works – the divisions between the rich and the poor, the endless walking in circles and the inability to understand one’s purpose. Holden feels that life is sad andRead MoreA Psychological Interpretation: the Irony of Holden Caulfield’s Inner Conflict with Society2496 Words   |  10 PagesThe Catcher in the Rye, a novel written by J. D. Salinger is a story about a unique yet troubled boy named Holden Caulfield. Salinger masterfully depicts the story’s protagonist as a well rounded character who feels the full range of emotions. Holden is consumed by the desire to live in a world where he can play the hero and surround himself with love and acceptance. Holden’s need for love and belonging, however, creates an irony because it provokes an intense aversion to society that pushes Holden