Literature Analysis

Catcher In The Rye
J.D. Salinger


Main Character: Holden, 17 years old, narrator


Summary: The novel begins with Holden getting kicked out of school and sent to a psychiatrist. While there he confesses he was expelled from an all boy prep school called Pencey Prep. We find out Holden is the jealous type when he gets angry at a boy who is taking holden's ex girlfriend out on a date. Holden begins a new chapter in his life and moves to New York. 
*An interesting topic and possibly symbolism gets brought up with the ducks.*
He wonders what happens to the ducks when the pond freezes over, but his question is dismissed and not examined closely. Holden becomes a regular at the bars and even gets a few prostitutes. He uses the prostitute as an outlet and talks to them as a type of therapy. Unlike others who use prostitutes for sex, Holden just simply wants to talk. Holden mentions his "kid sister Pheobe" a lot and his previous relationship with Jane. He then goes to find Pheobe and ends up sneaking into his own apartment to tell his sister he got kicked out of school, which she doesn't like at all. He also tells her about his fantasy of becoming the "catcher in the rye" and wanting to stop all of the people before they run off of the cliff.  Holden decides to leave one day and Pheobe wants to come along but he refuses. The novel ends very strangely... and I had to do some research to find out why this was. Holden goes to the zoo with Pheobe and Holden buys Pheobe a ticket for the carousel. He begins to cry when he sees how happy Pheobe is and then it begins to pour rain. That's it, the novel ends right there just like that...


Theme: Innocence, the struggles of growing up, and loneliness


Tone: Colloquial style, and a style of somber tied in. It can be straight forward and bitter at times.


" 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."
"Game, my ass. Some game. If you get on the side where all the hot-shots are, then it’s a game, all right—I’ll admit that. But if you get on the other side, where there aren’t any hot-shots, then what’s a game about it? Nothing. No game."


Lit Techniques:
Symbolism/imagery- the ducks. Holden kept bringing up the ducks numerous times throughout the novel and it symbolized his innocence and curiosity. The ducks ultimately symbolized himself.


Diction/syntax- colloquial. The choice of words by the author helped the reader better understand Holden's internal struggles as well as external. 
"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."


Setting*- the setting added to the overall tone of the story. It is interesting how something that simple can affect the story  overall. 


Direct/Indirect characterization- The author uses these techniques in such a way that the indirect characterization shines through and really explicates the structure of each character. "I ran all the way to the main gate, and then I waited a second till I got my breath. I have no wind, if you want to know the truth. I'm quite a heavy smoker, for one thing – that is, I used to be. They made me cut it out."