The Catcher in the Rye
by JD Salinger
Corruption
Corruption is a central theme in the novel The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger, for all of Holden's decisions and actions are based around his desire to protect others from losing their innocence. The theme of corruption--and Holden's hatred of it--is first introduced in Holden and Stradlater's conversation after Stradlater returns from his date with Jane, described when Salinger writes, "'If you didn't go to New York, where'd ya go with her?' I asked him, after a little while. I could hardly keep my voice from shaking all over the place. Boy, was I getting nervous. I just had a feeling something had gone funny" (42). In society, sexual intercourse is viewed as a source of corruption, for it is strongly associated with adults rather than children. Because of this, Holden is disgusted and horrified by even the idea of Jane facing such corruption with Stradlater. He gets extremely upset by the thought of his childhood friend losing her innocence, for he wants to believe that she is still the pure and honest little girl he once knew. Holden's inability to accept that Jane has grown up reveals his hatred for corruption and his overall goal of protecting the innocence of all people. Not only does Holden literally fight for the protection of innocence, but he also does so subconsciously, revealed in his discussion with Sunny the prostitute, examined when Holden describes Sunny when thinking, "It was a funny thing to say. It sounded like a real kid. You'd think a prostitute and all would say 'Like hell you are' or 'Cut the crap' instead of 'Like fun you are'" (94). Sunny reminds Holden of a child, full of innocence and purity. Because of this, Holden subconsciously tricks himself into thinking he is too "depressed" to have sexual intercourse, when in reality he does not want to be like Stradlater and corrupt Sunny. Even though Sunny has experienced much corruption in her life, Holden still tries his best to keep her as safe as he can by simply talking to her. He physically cannot allow himself to promote loss of innocence and corruption, further emphasizing Holden's core values and beliefs. Holden finally embodies his position in life through a metaphor which he tells Phoebe, described when Holden says:
...I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all. Thousands of little
kids, and nobody's around...except me. And I'm standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to
do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff... That's all I'd do all day. I'd just be the
catcher in the rye... (173)
In this metaphor, the little kids represent the innocent part of every person in the world, while the big field of rye represents the world. Holden's job as the catcher in the rye, on a symbolic level, involves protecting the innocence and preventing the loss of innocence in all the people of the world. He believes that it is his responsibility to ward off the corruption of others. This further proves Holden's role in the novel, and the overall importance of the theme corruption. At the end of the novel, Holden realizes that despite how hard he tries, he can never truly rid the world of evil, and learns to accept that doing his best to protect others is all he can really do.
...I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all. Thousands of little
kids, and nobody's around...except me. And I'm standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to
do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff... That's all I'd do all day. I'd just be the
catcher in the rye... (173)
In this metaphor, the little kids represent the innocent part of every person in the world, while the big field of rye represents the world. Holden's job as the catcher in the rye, on a symbolic level, involves protecting the innocence and preventing the loss of innocence in all the people of the world. He believes that it is his responsibility to ward off the corruption of others. This further proves Holden's role in the novel, and the overall importance of the theme corruption. At the end of the novel, Holden realizes that despite how hard he tries, he can never truly rid the world of evil, and learns to accept that doing his best to protect others is all he can really do.
Desire of independence
Holden's desire for independence is suggested in various places throughout the novel, for he is constantly making metaphors about wanting to escape the life he lives for something better (see Realization of Truth). The teenager directly states his desire for self-reliance in his conversation with Sally, revealed when Holden tells her, "'What we could do is, tomorrow morning we could drive up to Massachusetts and Vermont and all around here...I could get a job somewhere and we could live somewhere with a brook and all and later on, we could get married or something'" (132). Holden is sick of being a teenager and wishes to force himself into adulthood, which would ultimately force him into independence. He does not want people telling him what to do or how to live, but rather wishes for the power and ability to control his own destiny and life. He does not want to follow his previously established life of visiting home on Wednesday, going to another boarding school, etc., and instead wants to create his own journey and leave his responsibilities. Holden's craving for the independence and control over his life is a very mundane trait, for as soon as most people develop a sense of how life works, they desire to force themselves into more mature situations.
Desire to Find lOve
Holden is a very lonely character who is desperate for a friend to assist and guide him on what to do. Holden's desire for companionship is first revealed on a train to Penn Station when he asks Mrs. Morrow out for drinks, described when Holden asks, "'Would you care for a cocktail?' I asked her. I was feeling in the mood for one myself. 'We can go in the club car. All right?'" (57). Holden has not been outside of Pencey for more than a few hours, yet he is already lonely enough to ask his peer's mom to get a drink with him. It is inappropriate for a minor to ask an adult well over his age out on what seems like a date, yet Holden is willing to do so to escape his loneliness. Holden's desperation for companionship is further emphasized when he hires a prostitute, explained when Salinger writes, "'Okay,' I said. It was against my principles and all, but I was feeling so depressed I didn't even think" (91). At this point, Holden is so lonely that he is acting “against his principles” and not thinking when making decisions. His “depression”, which is simply a misnomer for his true problem (loneliness), is so overpowering that it is clouding his mind. Holden is so desperate for companionship, for someone’s attention and care, that he is willing to deny his own beliefs to find a friend in any way possible. His loneliness and desire for love is further proved when he goes on a date with Sally, his internal struggle being described when he narrates, “The funny part is, I felt like marrying her the minute I saw her. I’m crazy. I didn’t even like her much, and yet all of a sudden I felt like I was in love with her and wanted to marry her” (124). (Talk about clouded vision). Holden’s desperation for companionship has brought him to the point of wanting to spend the rest of his life with a person he does not care for. He is practically willing to do anything to find a companion and rid himself of his loneliness. Due to the fact that marriage is a strong bond that two people share for the rest of their lives together, the extent of Holden’s reckless desire for love is revealed. Overall, Holden’s loneliness reveals an important aspect of all people—that without companionship and love, a person cannot truly be who they are and abandon their identity and belief to attain what they crave so deeply.
Lack of Direction
In The Catcher in the Rye, Holden accurately embodies the struggle teenagers face with lacking direction. This trouble is presented many times throughout the novel to express the depth and intensity of Holden's confusion on what to do next. As soon as Holden gets off his train at Penn Station, he decides to call someone but is restricted by his lack of direction, expressed when Holden narrates, "I felt like giving somebody a buzz... I couldn't think of anybody to call up... So I ended up not calling anybody. I came out of the booth, after about twenty minutes or so, and got my bags and walked over to that tunnel where cabs are and got a cab" (59). Holden wishes to call a friend or family member not just for a conversation, but rather for guidance and assistance at this confusing point in his life, emphasized by his failure to determine what he should do next. His inability to pick up the phone and dial someone who could help him reveals how lost he is, and how he has absolutely no idea of what to do next in his life. Holden experiences another moment of confusion and lack of direction when he goes to the museum in Central Park, described as Holden states, "Then a funny thing happened. When I got back to the museum, all of a sudden I wouldn't have gone inside for a million bucks. It just didn't appeal to me--and here I'd walked through the whole goddam park and looked forward to it and all" (122). Despite the fact that Holden thought he would enjoy going to the museum, he once again changes his mind for something else, further emphasizing his complete lack of direction and inability to decide what he should do in life. It is significant that he had "looked forward to it", for even the things he believes will bring him joy end up being a disappointment and another confusing piece in his life. His mind is so clouded and he is so lost that he cannot even decide what makes him truly happy and what he would like to do. Holden's lack of direction is thoroughly explained through his metaphor about the ducks in the lagoon during winter, introduced when Holden recounts, "I live in New York, and I was thinking about the lagoon in Central Park... I was wondering if it would be frozen over when I got home, and if it was, where did the ducks go" (13). In this metaphor, the ducks symbolize Holden, while the lagoon represents life. This highly symbolic metaphor explains just how lost Holden is, for he does not even know what to do with himself. In asking the question of where the ducks go, he is begging for someone to tell him what to do. He is desperate for guidance and assistance through his life and asks practically everyone he meets for an answer to this question. Even subconsciously, Holden is confused about what to do next, and makes a distraught plea for help with his complete lack of direction. Holden's confusion and struggle in understanding his destiny in life is something that all teenagers deal with, for it is rare that a person always knows exactly what they want from life.
Realization of truth
In The Catcher in the Rye, the truth that is being realized is the fact that corruption is inevitable and there is no way to escape a loss of innocence. The novel does not directly deal with this realization of truth, however many of Holden’s actions and words reveal his internal struggle with deciding how to deal with this truth. Holden’s struggle is mostly expressed through his duck metaphor, introduced when Holden narrates, “I live in New York, and I was thinking about the lagoon in Central Park… I was wondering if it would be frozen over when I got home, and if it was, where did the ducks go” (13). In this metaphor, the ducks represent Holden, while the lake represents life as a whole. As the lake freezes over, struggles and problems in life present themselves and create a difficult situation for a person. So, in asking the question “where did the ducks go”, Holden is actually begging for someone to help him understand what to do during a rough time in his life. The metaphor is given further detail when Horwitz, Holden’s cab driver, tells Holden about the fish, explained when Horwitz states, “It’s tougher for the fish, the winter and all, than it is for the ducks, for Chrissake. Use your head, for Chrissake… They live right in the goddam ice. It’s their nature, for Chrissake” (82). The fish and the ducks represent two types of people: people who face their problems and stand their ground, and people who flee from their responsibilities (respectively). Holden's struggle deals with either being a fish or a duck, a brave person or a weak person. Holden's personality choice is revealed in his discussion with Sally, described when Holden asks, "'How would you like to get the hell out of here? ...What we could do is, tomorrow morning, we could drive up to Massachusetts and Vermont, and all around there, see. It's beautiful as hell up there. It really is'" (132). Holden's rash decision making to flee from his problems reveals the duck side of his mind. Holden's decision to run away from trouble is repeated throughout the novel, creating a sense of Holden's character. Despite the fact that Holden has realized the truth, he has not accepted it. This is a very mundane trait, for most humans have trouble accepting what is hard for them.
Rebellion
The theme of rebellion is first expressed in Mr. Spencer's metaphor of life as a game, illustrated when Holden and the teacher say, "'...Life being a game and all. And how you should play it according to the rules...' 'Life is a game, boy. Life is a game that one plays according to the rules'" (8). Life is not like a vast ocean, but rather a small pathway with guidelines and something to follow. A person cannot step outside of the boundaries and break the rules of life, and is encouraged to follow the game of life without rebelling against the standards. Mr. Spencer's emphasis on how a person plays the game "according to the rules" reveals that in flunking out of Pencey, Holden has rebelled against the game of life. Despite the fact that Mr. Spencer warns Holden about trying to rebel against the game of life rather than playing it, Holden continues to live life by his own rules, not the rules pre-established by society and human nature. Holden's rebelling against the rules of life is again captured in his conversation with Sally Hayes, described when Holden tells her, "'What we could do is, tomorrow morning we could drive up to Massachusetts and Vermont, and all around there...I could get a job somewhere and we could live somewhere with a brook and all and later on, we could get married or something'" (132). Holden's wish to flee from his current life reveals his breaking of the rules in the game. A person is supposed to let time and experience control their coming of age, and should not rush themselves into a life that they are not supposed to live. However, Holden decides that he is sick of being a teenager and makes the rash decision to leave with Sally and become an adult. He does not wish to play by the rules of the game, and would much rather skip the time between now and adulthood. He is rebelling against life, the societal standards of waiting until growing up, and his family, for he decides he would be better off running away than staying put. Conforming to the rules of life, society, and human nature is an important part of surviving in the world, for if a person does not follow the rules, chaos and confusion is inevitable.
Search for Identity
On his journey around New York, Holden realizes many aspects of his identity that allow him to truly be himself and be aware of his place in life. His lack of understanding about his identity is first revealed in his conversation with Mr. Spencer, introduced when Holden says, "'Oh, I feel some concern for my future, all right. Sure. Sure, I do... But not too much, I guess. Not too much, I guess'" (14). Like many people, Holden is faced with the struggle of lacking direction concerning what to do in his life. The goals of a teenager is an important part of his or her identity, because once a person truly understands themselves and what makes them happy, they get a definite sense of what their future should look like. In Holden's case, an undetermined future reveals his lack of identity and inability to understand himself and what he wants out of life. Later in the novel, when Holden is walking around a museum, he puts on his hunting hat, revealing more about his search for his place in the world when he narrates, "I took my old hunting hat out of my pocket while I walked and put it on. I knew I wouldn't meet anybody that knew me, and it was pretty damp out" (122). Holden's hunting hat is an important symbol of his identity, for he only wears the hat when he's truly being himself (see Superficiality). Similar to many teenagers in the world today, Holden is embarrassed of his true self and hides his identity from others, for he has not truly accepted himself yet. However, Holden does not realize that for a person to understand and realize their identity, they must first be comfortable with expressing themselves around other people. This further emphasizes Holden's need to find himself through his own personal search for identity. near the end of the novel, he finally realizes what he wants to do with his future in a long metaphor that reveals his duty in the world, expressed when Holden says:
'Anyway, I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all. Thousands
of little kids, and nobody's around--nobody big, I mean--except me. And I'm standing on the edge of
some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff--I mean if
they're running and they don't look where they're going I have to come out from somewhere and
catch them. That's all I'd do all day. I'd just be the catcher in the rye and all. I know it's crazy, but that's the
only thing I'd really like to be' (173)
At this point, Holden has grasped a major part of his identity in understanding his purpose in life. As the catcher in the rye, he believes it is his responsibility to protect the innocence of other people. He stands by this belief and even labels it as "the only thing [he would] really like to be", revealing just how true he is to his now realized identity. His character has developed throughout the novel to finally produce not a confused boy, but a man who is aware of his place in life and understanding of himself and his future. All people experience a time in their life when they are unaware of who they are or what their goals are in the world. Some people do not realize these important parts of their lives and live oblivious to the life they were meant to lead. However, the people who do realize what their duty in life is and pursue this dream go on to live in happiness and joy, no matter where they are.
'Anyway, I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all. Thousands
of little kids, and nobody's around--nobody big, I mean--except me. And I'm standing on the edge of
some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff--I mean if
they're running and they don't look where they're going I have to come out from somewhere and
catch them. That's all I'd do all day. I'd just be the catcher in the rye and all. I know it's crazy, but that's the
only thing I'd really like to be' (173)
At this point, Holden has grasped a major part of his identity in understanding his purpose in life. As the catcher in the rye, he believes it is his responsibility to protect the innocence of other people. He stands by this belief and even labels it as "the only thing [he would] really like to be", revealing just how true he is to his now realized identity. His character has developed throughout the novel to finally produce not a confused boy, but a man who is aware of his place in life and understanding of himself and his future. All people experience a time in their life when they are unaware of who they are or what their goals are in the world. Some people do not realize these important parts of their lives and live oblivious to the life they were meant to lead. However, the people who do realize what their duty in life is and pursue this dream go on to live in happiness and joy, no matter where they are.
SuperficialITY
Holden's superficiality and self-conscious state of mind is best explained in the novel by his red hunting hat, for the times and places in which he wears the hat gives deep insight on his character and subconscious. Holden first puts on the hat in a symbolic manner before he leaves Pencey, described when Holden narrates, "I was sort of crying. I don't know why. I put my red hunting hat on, and turned the peak around to the back, the way I liked it..." (52). Holden's hunting hat is symbolic of self-expression, for he only puts on and wears the hat when he believes no one can see him, or when he is experiencing great emotion that reveals his true character. The emotions he is experiencing at this point is sadness and frustration in leaving Pencey. Despite the fact that he despises the phonies at Pencey, he still feels a sense of attachment to the school and the people there. Previously in the novel, Holden expressed his hatred of goodbyes, and leaving Pencey is one goodbye out of many. This is why Holden puts the hat on, for he is experiencing such strong emotions that he needs to be himself to get his thoughts and expressions out correctly. The other aspect of Holden's hat wearing is revealed as Holden walks through the museum, explained when he narrates, "I took my old hunting hat out of my pocket while I walked, and put it on. I knew I wouldn't meet anybody that knew me, and it was pretty damp out" (122). Rather than experiencing emotion, at this point, Holden reveals his embarrassment of the hat, explained by his full willingness to wear it when no one is around to see him. He also exposes his insecurity to be himself, and through that proves that he is a phony. Holden is very self-conscious about himself and his true appearance, and is careful about where he expresses himself and around who he does so. Holden's lack of trust in himself and expression of who he truly is proves his superficiality and self-consciousness, for he is very aware of how he looks to others and is cautious about maintaining a good image.