VALUES VANISH INTO THIN AIR
The Catcher in the Rye negatively criticizes society's way of living and the
"American Dream" most people look for their whole life, although for the majority of the
people this remains a utopia just out of reach. Modern society very nearly lost both its ideals
and its sense of direction. We have developed into a society of "phony" philistines.
All of society is based on a superficiality which makes it impossible for Holden to find
real friends and depresses him. Only Phoebe really understands Holden, because he can
communicate with her without being superficial. However, whenever he really wants to
discuss his problems with anyone, they turn away from him. For instance, when he asks the
taxi driver about the ducks in the Central Park, Horwitz tells him it is "a stupid thing"
(pg.82;6) to ask. The meeting with Sally is another typical example. Sally does not understand
his views and arguments or why he wants to abandon both his family and New York City for
a lonely life in the country.
Actually, she often does not even "know what he is talking
about"(pg.131,8&9). She sees everything much more realistically and knows his plans will
not work and finally she refuses to go with him (pg.130-134). Also, the conservation with
Carl Luce, which is shortly after the meeting with Sally, ends with Carl advising Holden to
see a psychologist, after Holden tried to conduct a serious conservation (pg.143-149). His
conservations show that Holden is a critical, thoughtful teenager who seriously thinks about
things but he does not fit into this society. This character dissociates him from other teenagers
and even many adults who live solely on their superficiality and society's whim.
Money and success have become the most important values of an American society
searching for the utopian "American Dream" that was an integral part of the American
propaganda machine during and before Holden's generation. These new values replaced the
traditional, important values like simply enjoying life. Holden's parents epitomize this new
American way of living. His father is a corporate lawyer which makes his family quite
wealthy. Admittedly, they are more concerned about Holden's career than his life itself. They
spend a lot of money on expensive boarding schools without realizing that Holden hates
school. He wants not a well-paying job, but rather to lead a happy and fulfilling life. He
develops his own values instead of assuming society's like most people do. The three young
women Holden meets in the hotel bar typify a young society, which is even becoming worse
than the current society of the time. The girls came to New York City with the intention of
getting to know a rich and famous celebrity, that would provide a quick-fix to solve both their
worries and problems. Especially, people like the three girls and Holden's parents show that
money is the most important value to obtain society's acceptance; in a fiscally driven society
even prostitution has become a viable source of revenue, as Maurice and Sunny prove
(pg.101-103). Holden can no longer tolerate a society, in which one must obtain their
acceptance and wants to flee from this inconvenient world. It is a depressing way of living
since money governs the world and especially in New York City where "money really talks"
(pg.69;9&10). That is why society judges people by their material wealth rather than their
personal qualities and character.
The book also calls attention to the American society of philistines, who live on their
wealth and mendacity. A serious, successful life in an organized country has become their
meaning of life, while having any fun and joy have become secondary. Holden calls almost
everyone a "phony" because he completely distrusts society. As a result of that he even
wanted to be deaf-mute rather than being subjected to all those people and their senseless
conservations. Curiously, The Catcher in the Rye's misfit protagonist is always right. He
knows what is going on in the world while the adults do not. His rough language distances
him from all other people and is his way of protest against the "phony" society which is full
of useless rules and laws. For example, Holden does not understand why he is not allowed to
drink alcohol but adults are. The laws have replaced the values of the "new" society, because
there is no room left for any real values between the strictly organized structure of the
American country and the "new" values. However, the society does not realize it is living a
two-faced life which is based on their mendacity and belief in the "American Dream".
The power of money destroyed society's important values which were responsible for
a balanced, fruitful life. Instead, it set norms which people try to reach, although reaching this
will not make life any happier. Everybody fights for acceptance, whatever it takes to be a part
of a modern society, whereby superficiality rises until society cannot lose anything anymore
and drowns in its wealth.