A Moment in Time: "The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger

Essay by shaqattack32High School, 11th gradeA-, April 2007

download word file, 4 pages 4.3 1 reviews

In the novel The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, the main character, Holden Caulfield, tells the story of his life. However, he doesn't explain to the reader the basics of his life, such as his birthplace or his early childhood memories (3). He discusses the days after leaving his Pennsylvania prep school and the brief time spent in hiding shortly there after. While Holden is spending time on his own, the reader recognizes the way his mind works. Through obstacles and victories, one is able to see that his mind is very simple yet entirely complex, and it is for this reason that the narration of this story is somewhat difficult to understand (jacket). But if looked into deep enough, the reader comes to realize that Holden has different outlooks on life. Some believe this position to be negative while others consider it to be positive.

But with a mind as complex as Holden's, one can only speculate that he looks at the world with a very different point of view than one would assume. Since the death of his brother, Holden learns to appreciate life more and realizes that what is now gone, can forever be cherished.

As a child, Holden lost his younger brother, Allie, to leukemia (49). At this point, Holden was not seriously affected by the incident. But as the years passed, Holden began to experience the effects that Allie's death had brought about. This incident took a toll on Holden's life throughout his adolescent years. Most assume that Holden's school life was severely effected by this traumatic happening, as seen by his classroom behavior and mind-set. One may also consider the many schools that he attended within a matter of years. However, there is one exception to this assumption. Holden excels...