This paper shows how Stephen Dedalus, the main character in James Joyce's "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man", has a remarkable similarity to Holden Caulfield of J.D. Salinger's "Catcher in the Rye".
Abstract An exploration of the similar characteristics and personalities of Stephen Dedalus and Holden Caulfield. The writer shows that this similarity is not just in terms of the situations and incidents that occur in their respective novels, but also in the way both personalities are characterized. Both of these characters have the same outlook on life, the same voice and style, and the same attitude or temperament. Because of the authors? ability to portray characters so clearly, it is possible to draw some significant comparisons between the two protagonists.
From the Paper "Neither stephen Dedalus nor Holden Caulfield know exactly what to do with themselves in their respective futures, and both are extremely unsatisfied with their present circumstances. The only major difference between their characters is that although each of them are faced with similar problems and challenges, their reactions to these challenges vary significantly. This may be due to external circumstances, however, and not because of basic differences in the characters themselves."
Tags: style, voice, outlook, challenge, literature
Abstract Many people find that their dreams are unreachable. This paper examines how Holden Caulfield realizes this in J.D. Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye". As Holden tells his story, he recounts the events since leaving the Pencey School to his psychiatrist. It looks at how at first, Holden sounds like a typical, misguided teenager, rebellious towards his parents, angry with his teachers, and flunking out of school. However, as his story progresses, it shows how it becomes clear that Holden is indeed motivated, just not academically. He has a purpose: To protect the young and innocent minds of young children from the "horrors" of adult society. He hopes to freeze the children in time, as wax figures are frozen in a museum.
From the Paper "Holden wants to protect the innocence of his sister and every other innocent child in the world. Before Holden meets Sally for their date, he stops in front of the Museum of Natural History and begins to reminisce. He thinks about the way he visited the museum when he was younger. He also tells that every time one visits the museum, he is changed in some way, but the figures in the exhibits always stay the same. He wants to be able to preserve some things in the glass: "Certain things they should stay the way they are. You ought to be able to stick them in one of those big glass cases and just leave them alone," (122). "
Abstract In this paper the author makes a psychological analysis of a 16 year old youth who is demonstrating various recognized symptoms for negative affectivity. The author looks at all of the symptoms and attempts to asses what has led both to the symptoms and behavior of the youth. The author considers the youth's relationship with his parents and siblings and also the effect on the youth of his brother's death.
From the paper:
?Vacillations such as declaring himself an atheist one minute and praying to God the next Caulfield is in a flux of coming to terms with his own identity, not an uncommon trait among teens. The difference in Caulfield's behavior and normal "growing pains" are the extreme inter personal negativity, paranoia (e.g. knowing he is going to die from cancer because of a canker sore), and the descent into delusional behavior (e.g. speaking with his dead brother).?
Abstract This paper discusses J. D. Salinger's timeless novel, "The Catcher in the Rye." The paper focuses on the book's main character, the earnest and economically privileged, yet disaffected prep school student Holden Caulfield. It analyzes Caulfield as a character troublingly faced with a dilemma of remaining true to himself or 'selling out' to a "phony" society.
From the Paper "But Holden now accepts, if still reluctantly, the realities of a world where phonies enormously outnumber non-phonies, there are only really ever fleeting essences of real purity: unspoiled white snow; the Museum of Natural History; Phoebie in her blue coat riding around and around on the Central Park carousel. Everything else is less pure, and therefore points toward adulthood, responsibility, phoniness, death" (Pinsker 3). Holden still longs, even now, for the much less cynical in which children still live, but to which he himself knows now that he can neither live nor ever truly return. A Life's unstoppable current has carried him out among the very adult phonies he most abhors. And a refusal or failure on Holden's part to now at least float in these uncomfortable waters could be, even worse than just swimming along. The current carries everyone toward adulthood, wanted or not. One must sell out, or at least appear to have done so, lest on risk being eaten by the sharks."
Abstract The following paper examines how the character of Holden Caulfield still reminds us that cynicism and self-doubt are not characteristics that are proprietary to adults. The writer examines how teen-age Holden is cynical, defiant, and blind to what is actually going on around him, yet to the very end of the novel he continues to berate the "phoniness" of others, particularly adults. The irony of Holden's seeing the faults and foibles of others while not being able to recognize them in himself is Salinger's comment on the way society views the human condition . This paper discusses how society always views the human condition as "the other guy".
From the Paper "The novel begins with Holden proving this point: We"re introduced to Holden by his telling us that he doesn?t want to talk about his "lousy childhood" -- he doesn?t "feel like going into it" (Salinger 1). Holden is self-destructing but doesn?t realize it because he's so intent on blaming everyone else for his problems. These psychological battles within Holden's own head serve as the basis for critical argument. As we read and learn more about Holden's situation, we must accept that society does indeed fail us because the finger is always pointed toward someone other than ourselves, whether it's to help someone in need or accept that we ourselves need help. Holden's character has sometimes been criticized for possessing the same characteristics he abhors in other people, but that, as I see it, is the point ? he is a teenager and as such, rather self-centered. He doesn?t choose to see that the very qualities he finds fault with in other people.?
Abstract This paper provides a thorough explanation of the concept of teen depression as well as describes symptoms which could lead to alcoholism. Using the character of Caulfield, the writer looks at the process this youth went to in order to reach the lows of chronic depression and alcoholism. Various scenes in the novel are analyzed to provide a link between the character and this condition.
From the Paper "Depression is a serious problem facing many in our society, but especially poignant when dealt with by youths. Depression often leads to other serious disorders such as alcoholism. J.D Salinger in his coming of age novel The Catcher in the Rye accurately portrays the mental chasm many teens fall into as a result of depression. The depression and subsequent alcoholism his protagonist Holden Caulfield experiences are unfortunately not just a work of fiction for many teenagers."
Abstract This paper examines the book, "The Catcher in the Rye", by J. D. Salinger. Specifically, it presents an analytical discourse using narrative intentions as the critical instrument. It looks at how narrative intentions fill the novel with pathos and a sense of pervading doom hovering around Holden Caulfield throughout the book. It discusses how Holden must find himself, reach an apocalypse, and then discover who he is, as he moves through the pages of this novel.
From the Paper "As Holden begins to become more aware of himself and his place in the world, he becomes increasingly aware of his sexuality and his frustrations. What is even more frustrating is that he cannot act on them, even when he gives himself excellent opportunities. As his world comes crashing down around him, he learns that he is more of a boy than a man, yet attempting to make himself heard in a man's world, which he ultimately finds "phony." Holden is a tragic figure because his life is just as "phony" as what he sees around him. He cannot have sex with a prostitute, and he is continually rebuffed by the women he tries to befriend in the story. He is a boy, looking for himself in a world where he is not ready to fit in, and his quest leads him finally to his sister, who is truly happy, while Holden is truly not."
Abstract This paper examines the novel by J.D. Salinger, "The Catcher in the Rye", which portrays a disaffected youth named Holden Caulfield, who has recently been expelled from his preparatory school and who, basically, instead of returning home, runs away. It looks at how, like many runaways, Holden often behaves in very childlike ways that show he is ill-equipped for a mature and adult existence.
From the Paper "In some ways, however, Caulfield is not so different from many young runaways today of very different socioeconomic status. Although he is from a wealthy family, he feels a strong sense of moral and social alienation from his parents as well as the peer groups of his generation that he is exposed to. He frequently dissociates from his outer lying problems, such as the fact that he is flunking out of school, rather than attempts to actively engage with them. Holden prefers to live in a world of his own internal creation, rather than the "real world" in a strategy that is anything but psychologically and socially healthy. Although heterosexual many young runaways are gay, lesbian, or transgender Holden's assurance in his sexuality seems confused."
Abstract This paper examines how the characters Holden Caulfield, in "The Catcher in the Rye" and Seymour Glass in "A Perfect Day for Bananafish, have many characteristics in common. It looks at how both characters are non-conformists who don't fit in with the traditional American culture, how both have a love for children, and a hatred for "phonies" and how both have an obsession with death.
From the Paper "Seymour is interested in the company of four-year old Sybil Carpenter, a child he believes he can save from becoming a "phony". While swimming with the young girl, Seymour tells a tale of fish who swim into holes filled with bananas. These bananafish then gorge themselves on the fruit and, too fat to swim out of the holes, die of banana fever. Seymour is not a bananafish; it is the phonies of the world who are guilty of bingeing themselves with meaningless material objects until they become so superficial they are beyond hope of ever attaining spiritual purity. These people are intentional bananafishes."
This book report considers how J.D. Salinger's (1951) "Catcher in the Rye" offers a critical portrait of conflicts between masculinity/identity, adulthood/childhood and home/society. ,
1,400 words (approx. 5.6 pages), 3 sources, 2002, $ 53.95
Abstract This paper considers the uses of speech that the Salinger relies on for articulating Holden Caulfield's experiences. The author of the paper believes that, with the character of Caulfield as the narrator, the reader is offered an important insight into the difficulty of young men to communicate their struggles in a society that determines the norms of masculine identity.
Abstract This paper is a dissection of Holden Caulfield's psyche, as based on the DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). The paper presents an analysis of Holden Caulfield's personality from the point of view of psychopathology. The paper ends with the author's personal comments about the book.
Objectives
Type of Disorder
Synopsis
Events Leading to the Dysfunctional Behavior
Treatment
Personal Comments
From the Paper "Adolescence is one of the most momentous and yet most turbulent eras in one's life. It is here when a lot of people experience rifts inside their psyches, ambivalence towards themselves, the people around them, and society in general, and where they learn to synthesize their personalities."
Abstract In "The Catcher in the Rye", Holden Caulfield says one of the things he values is an "intelligent conversation." Throughout the book Holden engages in a number of conversations. Through the analysis of those conversations, the language used, and the phrase "intelligent conversation" itself, the paper reveals a great deal about both Holden Caulfield and J. D. Salinger, the author.
From the Paper "Holden constructs several layers of defense to protect himself from being hurt again. Alienation is one form of self-protection he adopts. Throughout the novel, Holden seems to be excluded from and victimized by the world around him. As he says to Mr. Spencer, he feels trapped on "the other side" of life (or of the looking glass or of gender preference), and he continually attempts to find his way in a world in which he feels he doesn't belong."
Tags: Elkton, Hills, Sally, Hayes, Sunny, Jane, Gallagher
A look at the themes of innocence and authenticity in J.D. Salinger's novel, "The Catcher in the Rye" and how it affects the life of the protagonist, Holden Caulfield.
1,062 words (approx. 4.2 pages), 1 source, 1998, $ 37.95
From the Paper "Through Holden's description of his actions, feelings, and opinions to the readers, we begin to see that he holds a very strong contempt for most people and things that exist in the adult world, or "phonies" as he refers to them. Wherever Holden goes, he is in search of truth and innocence, but always ultimately becomes frustrated by all the "phoniness" of the world, and no matter how hard he tries, he also can not protect other children from eventually being exposed to the same reality."
Abstract This paper presents a comparison to Leslie Marmon Silko's "Ceremony" and J.D. Salinger?s, "Catcher in the Rye". The writer of this paper takes the reader on an exploratory journey of both stories and details the theme of alienation of the two protagonists. Using quotes and summary opinion the writer argues that the alienation the protagonists experiences in the story is the very element that allows them the self-reflection that occurs.
From the Paper "Throughout history, authors of literary works have used their stories to uncover some aspect of their protagonists. It is a method that has withstood the test of time and continues to be popular today. The authors of two well-received books used this technique to illustrate alienation of a human being and the contribution the alienation made to the self-discovery of the protagonists. In Leslie Marmon Silko?s; "Ceremony" and J.D. Salinger's "Catcher in the Rye", we are directed on a journey that illustrates the alienation of each protagonist but as the stories draw to a close we are left with the understanding that the alienation allowed them to watch the world from the outside and reflect on their own inner souls."
Abstract This paper applauds the author's use of current day language. The author notes that the novel is written in first-person narrative and takes place in an ordinary middle-America town in the '90s. The author states that the novel is an amalgamation of Tom Sawyer and Holden Caulfield.
Table of Contents
About the Author
About the Book
Analysis of the Book
Conclusion
Works Cited
From the Paper "The author Russell Bank writes in the manner that infused his stories with a sadistic honesty and moral goodness that his characters strive to live up to. He writes in striking and most often sad tones about the drama of daily life (Anderson, eye net). Furthermore, his themes of failure, of weakness, of the complexity of living an honest life were often desolating, but all his stories does contain a positive wisdom to them along with a sense of optimism found in the details that he carefully draws out of his characters' routine and everyday realities. (Anderson, eye net)"
