Joan Caulfield

In the early 1950’s, “Catcher in the Rye,” was written by J. D. Salinger. The improper writing style was/wasn’t common during its era. The novel was told from a teenage boy named Holden Caulfield in a first person perspective. Holden was a trouble boy and goes against regular standards. Holden see as if the world is against him; which causes him to have a negative outlook. He comes from wealth which may have affected his attitude and personality but created his bad habits. Since Holden see…

Comparing The Perks of Being a Wallflower to The Catcher in the Rye Personal suffering and the ability to manage the expectations of school and life are highly prevalent and recurring themes throughout The Perks of Being a Wallflower and The Catcher in the Rye, but the ways that the main characters cope with these issues are very different. Both Charlie and Holden come from privileged backgrounds. And, both characters deal with very tragic events while they struggle to find a way to fit in.…

In J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, 16 year old Holden is telling the readers about the events that happen in his life after he is kicked out of Pencey Preparatory school and finds himself back in his hometown, New York City. He gives readers insight to the struggle and depression he goes through that is solely caused by the grief he is dealing with. He is so caught up in the innocence of childhood that he does not want to enter the world of adulthood. Holden claims this world is full of…

Catcher in the Rye is a book about a boy named Holden Caulfield. Now Holden isn't an ordinary boy: He's been kicked out of multiple boarding schools; flirts with older women; and somehow managed to end up in some sort of mental hospital by the beginning of the book. Or chronologically rather, the end, it's all a flashback of sorts; it's Holden telling his story the way he sees it. But Holden's biggest issue is the idea of the word "phony,"—a word so vague and versatile he applies it to…

gaining popularity in the 1950s, sexuality was rarely spoken of. Similarly, smoking and alcohol consumption became quite attractive in the adult world, and was sought after by many adolescents. In The Catcher in the Rye, J. D. Salinger portrays Holden Caulfield to be like any teenage boy in the 1950s, a perverted, alcoholic smoker, who just wants to be on his own. Although Holden may seem like he wants to grow up, in actuality, throughout the novel, Holden is trying to escape adulthood in its…

Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest in everyday activities. This is the word that comes to mind when i think of Holden Caulfield's mental state. In the book The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, Holden has traits of depression and is a recurring theme throughout the novel. For instance, in the beginning of the book, Holden explains, “What I was really hanging around for, I was trying to feel some kind of good-by. I mean I’ve left…

The Loss of Childhood Innocence Have you ever wished that you didn’t waste your childhood by growing up too fast? Well in The Catcher In The Rye by J.D. Salinger Holden tries to be the ‘catcher in the rye’ by keeping children from growing up too fast. Holden had a very traumatic childhood, he was sexually assaulted many times, didn’t have a choice in life, and he had to experience the death of his younger brother, Allie. Holden’s childhood traumas is the reason why he wants to be the catcher…

He wants to protect those who are innocent and preserve their innocence. (Pg 206) “You can’t take anything. Because you’re not going. I’m going alone.” In his dream job he’s the only one who can save the kids that are about to run over the cliff. Going over the cliff represents his or her transition into the adult world of “phoniness” and Holden would be the one who stops that. Though Holden knows that being the “catcher in the rye” is something that that will never happen (Pg 173) “I know it’s…

The Theme of Teen Depression in The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger This book study will explore the theme of teen depression in The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. In Salinger’s novel, the main character, Holden Caulfield, is a teenager that experiences problems with depression. Holden is unable to concentrate and has vey little interest in talking with other people. These behaviors define the some of the psychological traits of depression, which prevent Holden from getting close to…

In “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” the main character Huckleberry Finn is given a voice to the readers where he narrates the story from his own perspective. Throughout the novel, we can see some of the adventurous, scary, terrible, and sometimes tragic things that happened to Huck. It is no surprise that he acts irresponsibly, considering that he is only a child and these bad circumstances happened to him. However, as he strays away from the people that he knows, Huck is given time on his…