Olivia Onofrio
Mrs. Ackerman
Honors American Lit
6 May 2009
Summary
“The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger when researched through a
psychoanalytic lens reveals much about the character of Holden Caulfield. In the article
“Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye” Holden’s desire to be a catcher of the innocent is
analyzed. As an example, one of the innocent that Holden would be trying to protect
would be Jane, as he wants to protect Jane from Stradlater, because she is referred to as
innocent. Yet he will not go down and say hi to her, and later in the book, he won’t call
her either. Holden’s role of the catcher is upheld by his not interfering with Jane’s
innocence. In the article “Holden's irony in J. D. Salinger's the Catcher in the Rye” the
author takes a look at the irony of Holden’s life judged by his ideals against “phonies”
and the way he avoids all the real parts of life, such as growing up. In addition, it is ironic
that Holden wants so much to fit in with other individuals that are his age, yet he calls
them all fake and is unable to connect with any of them. Also, the author mentions that
Holden’s innocence died when his brother Allie did, leaving him fiercely protecting the
“innocence of childhood” that he can’t get back, but he can save for others, such as
Phoebe or Jane.
Response
I think that Holden’s character is an irony in itself. He wants to protect the
innocent by being the catcher, yet he is exactly the opposite of the definition of innocent.
His brother’s death caused the loss of Holden’s innocence, but also messed him up
psychologically. As the story developed, it became obvious that Holden’s character had
troubles relating with other people, and had a very low opinion of himself. I question why
Holden wants to be the catcher of the innocent, when he can’t relate with any people, and
feels he can’t be understood by anyone. Maybe the death of his brother Allie, which
represented the death of innocence, because Holden held Alli up on pedestal as his
innocent and pure younger brother, caused Holden to want to protect other innocents,
because he couldn’t protect Allie. Holden seems to be very skeptical of all other people,
and always finds something wrong with the people he encounters in his life. None of the
people he meets are perfect. Because of those imperfections, he wanted to protect the
only people close to perfect in his life: Jane and Phoebe, from being corrupted by those
evil qualities found in all people. In the book he claims that he wants to be left alone, and
can’t stand the other people in his life, but he really and desperately tries to make a
connection to other people throughout the book with many different types of people. Yet
time and time again, he fails to make a connection with anyone. Holden’s character is
truly lonely, and through his lonesomeness, he learns to grow into an adult, and develops
into the “catcher” that he desperately strives to be to save the innocent in his life.
Works Cited
Privitera, Lisa. "Holden's irony in J. D. Salinger's the Catcher in the Rye." The
Explicator. 66.4 (Summer 2008): p203. Literature Resource Center. Gale.
ARAPAHOE HIGH SCHOOL. 6 May 2009
<http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRC&u=litt24484>.
Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 1951.
Takeuchi, Yasuhiro. "Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye." Explicator. 60.3 (Spring 2002):
164-166. Rpt. in Contemporary Literary Criticism. Ed. Jeffrey W. Hunter. Vol.
243. Detroit: Gale, 2008. 164-166. Literature Resource Center. Gale.
ARAPAHOE HIGH SCHOOL. 6 May 2009
<http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRC&u=litt24484>.