literature analysis #3

1. The Catcher in the Rye is the story of Holden Caulfeild, a seventeen year old boy who has been exposed from Pencey Prep, a private school. After his expulsion, he gets in a fight with his roommate, Stradlater, and ventures off to explore New York before returning back to his home. Caulfeild experiences various encounters with old teachers, prostitutes, exes, nuns and even his sister during his journey. Catcher in the Rye is a very emotional and dramatic story of a teenager who faces many traumatizing struggles in his life lesson on growing up. All of Caulfeild's hatred and resentment towards others, diminishes and he soon realizes that regardless of their faults, he misses all his home.

2. Everybody fears being alone, even the most antisocial and socially award. Holden was designed to be an outcast.  Conflicts with family and friends, isolated everywhere he went. He was left alone and unloved. Holden had no choice but to fend for himself and adapt to his loneliness. Causing unrequited relationships and incomplete friendships. Loneliness drove Holden to New York and loneliness drove him back.

3.  The Catcher in the Rye was a very pessimistic novel. Holden's glass was always half empty and never half full.

• "I hope to hell when I do die somebody has the sense enough to dump me in the river or something."
• After I shut the door and started back to the living room, he yelled something at me, but I couldn't exactly hear him. I'm pretty sure he yelled "Good luck!" at me. I hope not. I hope to hell not. I'd never yell "Good luck!" at anybody. It sounds terrible, when you think about it. (Copy and pasted from shmoop)
• All the two of them were eating for breakfast was toast and coffee. That depressed me. I hate it if I'm eating bacon and eggs or something and somebody else is only eating toast and coffee.  (Copy and pasted from Shmoop)

4. Symbolism – Salinger uses many symbols that represent things to Holden.  The red hunting cap was Holden security blanket whenever he felt uncomfortable. It was the only things in his life that stayed the same.

Foreshadowing - Salinger brings up a mental hospital.

Syntax – Salinger uses pretty easy, colloquial language.  The text is mostly about Holden’s inner thoughts and his opinions about things.  It’s descriptive without being difficult to understand.

Descriptive paragraphs – The way Salinger explains the events that unfold in front of Holden are done in such a vivid way.   You can actually imagine yourself in the taxi with Holden when he is having a conversation with the cab driver.

Metaphors – The title of the book is a metaphor of Holden’s life.  He explains in one of the last chapters why he feels like he is a catcher in the rye and how this has brought about a sense of purpose to him.

Tone - Salinger's tone sets the mood for Holden. The tone alone tells you what time of person Holden is.

Allusion - Title of the book

Irony-  Holden states he's surronded by phonies when he is a phony himself, he even calls himself "the most terrific liar you've ever saw in your life."

1.  Direct Characterization is difficult to identify considering they are all Holden's thoughts.  There are few examples but some of them might be when Holden make statements about other characters, calling them "phonies" and "fakes.

Indirect: "One of the biggest reasons I left Elkton Hills was because I was surrounded by phonies. That's all. They were coming in the goddam window..."

The characterization that Salinger assigns Holden makes him appear very judgmental and negative. He rarely says anything positive and neither direct or indirect characterization compliment his character.

2. The author is Holden, his tone an the way he speaks is consistent throughout the novel. It changes slightly for other characters, but their words are considered to technically be spoken by Holden. Thus making the authors syntax and diction consistent.

3. Dynamic, Holden changes throughout the story. Slowly evolving and learning from every experience. Though his growth may not be apparent at first glance, Holden does change from the the phony police to realize that he too is at fault for being a phony. Holden also realizes that he doesn't enjoy isolation and that he misses all of those who were apart of his life, "even the jerks."

4. I read this book last year and it spoke to me in so many different ways my second read. Holden is the splitting image of an old friend of mine.. Pessimistic and hungry for isolation. His statement about being "dumped in a river or something" was very similar to a lot of the things my friend would say. He wanted nothing more than to be forgotten. It was actually somewhat depressing. It made me sick to my stomach but I couldn't put the book down. I still have so much love for my old friend, reading that book was similar to getting a tattoo. The pain was overbearing but the results made it seem worth the struggle. My only wish is that my friend too would realize isolation isn't the answer and that he too would realize the "phonies" he seemed to call out everyday were only so easy to spot because he too was a phony. Though it was very relate able to read, I think I'll choose to somewhat forget the content in this book for now. Or at least refrain talking about it until I can accept the painful memories that follow.