The Catcher in The RyeThe Catcher in The Rye

Chapters 1-3Chapters 1-3

Holden Holden • Narration / Cynical tone

– “If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you’ll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap…” (Salinger 1).

• Allusion • Story told from adult’s perspective • Holden tells story as a teenager

– Holden will tell story in a deeper, more intelligent level

• singular first-person perspective– Follow along with Holden

ToneTone

• “Besides, I’m not going to tell you my whole goddam autobiography or anything. I’ll just tell you about this madman stuff that happened to me around last Christmas just before I got pretty run-down and had to come out here and take it easy” (1). – Where he is telling the story from – Doesn’t include personal information

Characterization Characterization

• “practically the whole school except me was there…” (2)– Ostracized by fencing team – On his way to Spencer’s, been expelled

HoldenHolden• Characterization

– Contradiction• Respects their academia but hates it• “ What I was really hanging around for, I was

trying to feel some kind of good-by. I mean I’ve left schools and places I didn’t even know I was leaving them. I hate that. I don’t care it’s a sad good-by or a bad good-by, but when I leave a place I like to know I’m leaving it. If you don’t, you feel even worse,” (Salinger 4).

• Looks for a sense or feeling of good-by – Indicates true feelings

HoldenHolden• Characterization

– Contradiction: • Praises academia but hates Pencey• “ What I was really hanging around for, I was

trying to feel some kind of good-by. I mean I’ve left schools and places I didn’t even know I was leaving them. I hate that. I don’t care if it’s a sad good-by or a bad good-by, but when I leave a place I like to know I’m leaving it. If you don’t, you feel even worse,” (4).

• Looks for a sense or feeling of good-by – Indicates true feelings

CharacterizationCharacterization

• “After I got across the road, I felt like I was sort of disappearing. It was that kind of a crazy afternoon, terrifically cold, and no sun out or anything, and you felt like you were disappearing every time you crossed a road” (5).– Feels lonely and isolated

Tone Tone Holden’s Tone: Cynical

• “Game, my ass. Some game. If you get on the side where all the hot-shots are, then it’s a game, all right…But if you get on the other side, where there aren’t any hot-shots, then what’s a game about it?” (Salinger 8).

• Holden refuses to “play” by the rules – conform

• Alienation- identifies with the “other side”

• Contempt for adults

HoldenHolden • Characterization

– Refuses to face reality – Reality causes sadness and despair of his

situation • “I didn’t like hearing him say that. It made me

sound dead or something. It was very depressing,” (14).

• “ But I just couldn’t hang around there any longer, the way we were on opposite sides of the pole…” (15).

• “It made me feel sad as hell,” (15).

HoldenHolden

• Characterization

- Hypocrisy that surrounds him

- Ugliness which surrounds him

- Unpleasantness of Spencer’s room

- Reveals own flaws and condemns the rest of the world

Holden’s ActionsHolden’s Actions

• Despises everyone/ everything– Contradiction in his thoughts

• Surface behavior versus inner feelings

• No close bond- irritating/ disgusting

Characterization Characterization

• “I’m the most terrific liar you ever saw in your life” (16). – Indicates that he will lie, unreliable narrator– Exaggeration but not malicious – Life is boring for Holden, how he “spices it up”

Hunting Hat Hunting Hat

• “…then I put on this hat that I’d bought in New York that morning. It was this red hunting hat, with one of those very, very long peaks…The way I wore it, I swung the old peak way around to the back- very corny, I’ll admit, but I liked it that way. I looked good that way” (17-18). – Holden’s sense of joy when he wears it – Unconventional in style, as Holden sees himself

Ackley & StradlaterAckley & Stradlater

• Recluse• Gross personal habits• Hates everyone• Loner

• Self-absorbed • Concerned with

appearance • Many friends

• Still acts kindly to both

Holden’s InteractionsHolden’s Interactions

• Parallel between Ackley and Holden:– Isolation– Bitter, critical tone and outlook -shield

themselves from others.– Ackley’s annoying habits protect him from

interaction & intimacy– Interaction & intimacy are what Holden needs

and fears most