J. D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye revolves around a teenage boy called Holden Caulfield who goes through the challenges of adolescence into adulthood. The book is set in 1950s America, and remembers events Holden describes (which are told in the first person) with Mark Caulfield’s voice. After receiving great discontent and being kicked out of the latest boarding school named Pencey Prep, he wanders around New York City for three days filled with contempt and angst looking for purpose around a world which he regards as “phonies” – pretending to be something they are not.
He feels disconnected to the world due to his younger brother Allie’s death who also succumbs to childhood innocence and the fear of maturity. As he travels, he comes across several characters, such as a few acquaintances, people he has never met before, and eventually his younger sister, Phoebe, whose naivety he adores. However, these interactions depict his conflict of being a normal functioning adult and being a refuge for all the children’s unexpected vulnerabilities.
This is emphasised in the book’s title when he daydreams of gallantly being a “catcher in the rye” as he attempts to catch the children before they enter as adults. He hopes to be able to prevent the devastation of holding the understanding of adulthood. Selinger successfully embodies a delicate stage of life involving revolution, distinct self, and confusion; an endearing portrayal of finding oneself amongst the inner chaos.
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