Literature Analysis

Catcher in the Rye


1. Holden Caulfield is the protagonist and the narrator in the novel. He is struggling at school and failing his classes. After flunking Holden, his teacher tries to give him advice on life and his future but Holden rudely interrupts him and leaves. Holden struggles to connect with his peers and finds his hall mate Ackley extremely annoying. He is also jealous of his roomate Stradlater, who took Holden's crush Jane out on a date. When Stradlater returns from his date, Holden questions him so much that the two of them get in a fight. Holden abandons school and goes back to New York without alerting his family. While in New York, he gets a prostitute sent to his room and is initially interested in having sex with the woman. Just as she is coming on to him, Holden decides not to go through with it and sends her away after paying her. Holden then gets in a fight with the man who sent the woman to his room.
2. The main theme in the novel is alienation. Holden constantly is alienated from society and fails to connect with his peers. There are several textual examples that display his alienation from the world around him. He doesn't like or get along with any of his peers from school. He fights his roomate and hates Ackley. He also doesn't know how to act around the prostitute and fails to carry out his initial plan of having sex with her. Also when his teacher is giving him valuable advice, Holden is uninterested and leaves.
3. The tone in the novel is casual mostly but when Holden is in a conflict or deep thought it becomes more serious. When he realizes he is about to get beat up for ditching the prostitute, he becomes frantic and the tone is serious. But in certain social situations and descriptions, a very relaxed tone is presented.
4. Symbolism is a very relevant literary technique in Cather in the Rye. Holden's red hunting hat is used as symbolism while he is reading. It represents his separation and alienation to society. Characterization is another literary element in the novel. The author describes Holden and places him in social situations that allows the reader to obtain a deep understanding of how odd and irrelevant he is to society.