Another Catcher In The Rye Essay Research

Another Catcher In The Rye Essay, Research Paper

Here is an essay on "The Catcher in the Rye" Hope you will

be able to post it! Through Holden’s Eyes The Catcher in

the Rye has truly earned it’s place among great classic

works. J. D. Salinger created a literary piece that was

completely unique. The entire novel was written in the first

person view of the 17-year-old, Holden Caulfield. The

majority of the story is compiled of Holden’s rudimentary

monologue of ‘complexly simple’ thoughts, the rest utilizing

his relay of previous dialogue. That and the use of unique

punctuation, digressing explanations, and complex

characterization, transformed the simple plot into the

complex literary classic. The novel’s dialogue and

monologue alike, manage to relay the feel of natural

speaking such as: "I mean you’d be different in some way – I

can’t explain what I mean." The contractions; you’d and can’t

- since they are common in everyday language – establish a

very common and simple tone. Stress on the first syllable of

"different," reinforces the tone by demonstrating how

typically they speak, just as in reality. He uses dashes for

pauses and signaling associative digressions. Instead of

signaling pauses, commas are used mostly where

mechanically required, for instance: "So all of a sudden, I ran

like a madman across the street – I d*** near got myself

killed doing it, if you want to know the truth – and went in

this stationary store and bought a pad and pencil." Holden

Caulfield creates a thought provoking point of view. On the

surface many of his thought patterns seem unrelated and

straying from the topic. His association of topic with

digression is used almost constantly throughout the novel.

However, realizing that these digressions are very relevant

and even crucial to the topic allow the reader to gain true

insight to the character. His statements about his sister’s

intelligence, followed by explanations of how well she listens,

reveals Holden’s associations of intelligence with being quiet

and observant. Another example would be his tension

around the nuns. Even though he enjoyed the conversation,

he worried about being asked if he was Catholic. He stated

they "…would have liked it better if he were Catholic." This

gives insight to his discomfort with being judged morally, and

to his association of people of morals looking down on those

who don’t share them. In Holden’s descriptions and

thoughts, Salinger accomplished the most unique aspect of

the story’s point-of-view. Instead of using the popular -

however overrated – style of well refined thoughts and

flowery descriptions, Salinger describes things as they are

perceived upon a first impression. Naturally the human mind

does not instantly process first encounters or experiences

into drawn out rhetorical metaphors. We must think about

them first, relate and compare them to past experiences,

then form associations. This is based on Jean Piaget theory

of assimilating new situations, accommodating them with

previous knowledge, then forming generalizations for

understanding, called schemas. [Houghton-Mifflin

Psychology, pgs. 49-50] That is exactly how Salinger

describes Holden’s thoughts. Holden, like us all, has

difficulty explaining things until they have been thought

through. For instance, Holden observes Stradlater’s

grooming and his looks. Then he compares it to the way

guys look in yearbooks, and what parents say about them.

Last he concludes, through comparison, that Stradlater is the

kind of guy that your parents ask about. He states: "I’ve had

that experience quite frequently." In the more descriptive

writings of other authors, it is difficult to relate to the

complex associations. The majority of thought inspired by

these works can sometimes be just to figure out the point.

However, Salinger expresses the thought patterns of Holden

in the same inherent ways that all humans think, and through

that, relays a strong tone of realism and active thought.

Despite the lack of dazzling rhetoric, Salinger’s descriptions

are no less intricate. They inspire a more natural style of

analyzation that most can relate to easily. A more logical and

linear path, relating to typical primal human thought, is

followed instead of abstract reasoning and artistic

representation. Finally, the elements previously discussed,

and a few independent ones, will be used to examine the

characterization of Holden Caulfield. Such as how

Caulfield’s tendency toward constant introspection and

analyzing of his world, his digression of topics, and the

nature in which he speaks, gives us clues to his character.

His level of intelligence is

Внимание, отключите Adblock

Вы посетили наш сайт со включенным блокировщиком рекламы!
Ссылка для скачивания станет доступной сразу после отключения Adblock!

Скачать