J.D. Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye"

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that, in Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye", the narrator, a teenage boy named Holden Caulfield who comes from a rich family, seems to be a normal teenage boy; however, as the reader gets deeper into the story, he displays certain self-destructive and pathological qualities that separate him from the norm. The author points out that the beginning of the story is very interesting, as Holden points out that he does not want this story to be his life story; he simply wants the reader to understand how he ended up where he did: in psychiatric care. The paper concludes that Holden is said to suffer from psychological problems because of his self-destructive behavior and his nonconformist attitudes. The "cure", as implied in the novel, would be for Holden to stop resisting material gain and his adoration for nonjudgmental, genuine, human interaction.

From the Paper:

"Holden goes back to his dormitory and encounters Robert Ackley, a rude outcast with an acne-ridden face and a poor attitude, and Holden's roommate, an arrogant man-about-campus who Holden despises. As Stradlater gets ready for a date with Jane Gallagher, an old friend of Holden's, he asks Holden to write an essay for him, as Holden is a talented writer. Holden leaves with Ackley and another student to see a movie in New York City, but writes the paper when he returns. At this point, we catch a glimpse of the root of Holden's troubles. He writes the essay about his late brother Allie's favorite baseball glove. He pours his heart out in the story, describing how Allie died of leukemia and how he broke all of the windows in his garage in a rage the night that Allie died."

More papers on J.D. Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye":

• Book Review # 18375 : "J.D. Salinger's "Catcher in the Rye"
• Analytical Essay # 123282 : "'The Catcher in the Rye' and Aspect of Imagery"
• Analytical Essay # 123348 : "Imagery and 'The Catcher in the Rye'"

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