The Catcher in the Rye Group at eNotes

Holden's appreciation and love of family is expressed through his...

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 13:23:33 PST

Holden's appreciation and love of family is expressed through his relationship with Phoebe. She also represents honesty and sincerity, something Holden has a hard time finding in adults and his peers. "She has a strong influence on her older sibling. Holden admires this "pretty little kid," raving about how smart and talented and neat she is." "She is very literate and articulate, and she listens closely when Holden is...

In "The Catcher in the Rye," what impact do Phoebe and Jane...

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 12:23:41 PST

In "The Catcher in the Rye," what impact do Phoebe and Jane have on Holden's life?

This is a great question, and like many authors, Salinger does put a lot...

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 18:40:28 PST

This is a great question, and like many authors, Salinger does put a lot of himself in his works. It is hard to point to exact items from his personal life since J.D. Salinger has always fiercely protected his privacy. However, we know he was born and lived in New York, and that he was kindly asked to leave several schools before he graduated from a military academy in Valley Forge in 1936. This sounds a lot like Holden Caulfield...

Holden begins telling the reader his story from the confines of a mental...

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 09:56:55 PST

Holden begins telling the reader his story from the confines of a mental institution. So, technically, he has surrendered his freedom, by way of being locked up in an institution, to be part of society."D.B. he's my brother and all, he's in Hollywood, which isn't too far from this crumby place, and he comes over and visits. He's going to drive me home when I go home next month, maybe." (Salinger, p. 1) Holden does not want to...

Does Holden sacrifice anything to be a part of the society in "The...

Sat, 14 Jun 2008 19:00:35 PST

Does Holden sacrifice anything to be a part of the society in "The Catcher in the Rye"?

How does Salinger represent himself (his values,beliefs,ideals,etc)...

Sat, 7 Jun 2008 17:39:57 PST

I would just like to found out how Salinger portrays/implements his own characteristics, values, beliefs, etc. into his works and where we can see these representations.

Holden develops this sense that he is supposed to be a protector of...

Tue, 27 May 2008 09:02:41 PST

Holden develops this sense that he is supposed to be a protector of innocent young people. His imagined destiny as a catcher in the rye is juxtaposed by his true impact on his little sister. He drags his horrible habits of smoking and drunkenness into her room late at night. He is unable to think of the impact of his constant swearing and reckless behavior on her. She seems wise beyond her years but we are taking Holden's view on this and...

In "The Catcher in the Rye," what impact does Holden have on...

Mon, 26 May 2008 21:14:31 PST

In "The Catcher in the Rye," what impact does Holden have on his sister?

There are many themes in this novel, as there are in any novel. With...

Mon, 26 May 2008 17:04:15 PST

There are many themes in this novel, as there are in any novel. With any piece of literature, you may fill in the following to find the theme(s):__________________________ (title of work) is a story about __________________________ (first thing that comes to mind).Some of the things you might fill in that last line with are suspicion of authority figures, innocence or loss of it, a hatred for phonies, alienation and loneliness, anger, guilt,...

There are usually many themes to a work; I would suggest another theme...

Mon, 26 May 2008 16:54:01 PST

There are usually many themes to a work; I would suggest another theme is innocence or the loss thereof.The title of the work 'cather in the rye' is first mentioned in Chap. 16 when Holden sees the little boy with his parents singing about a catcher. The little boy still has his parents to care for him. A good portion of Holden's depression stems from his nostalgia for his childhood, the time of innocence. Unfortunately, no one can hold on to...

The central theme in "Catcher in the Rye" is coming of age, or...

Mon, 26 May 2008 15:56:08 PST

The central theme in "Catcher in the Rye" is coming of age, or growing up. Holden is afraid to grow up, he rejects the adult world, he thinks it is phony. He has no use for a society that requires him to fit into a specific mold. He is caught up in a rebellion that is fueled by grief and rejection.Holden is thrown out of school after school for failing. I don't think that he is unable to pass, I think he doesn't want to...

What is the theme of "The Catcher in the Rye"?

Mon, 26 May 2008 15:17:15 PST

Remember to focus on a theme statement and use a minimum of three examples to support your thinking.

The previous answer is wonderful. I just wanted to add one aspect. The...

Mon, 12 May 2008 09:46:02 PST

The previous answer is wonderful. I just wanted to add one aspect. The previous generations had specific hurdles and obstacles to overcome. WWI, the Great Depression, unemployment, social strife defined one generation. WWII defined the other. Yet Holden's generation is blessed with plenty and no viable threat. The Cold War and the invisible threat of communism do not provide a rite of passage for Holden's generation. This isn't "The...

Holden says he hates movies for being phony. Yet he seems to base all of...

Mon, 12 May 2008 09:20:57 PST

Holden says he hates movies for being phony. Yet he seems to base all of his responses to life off the cues he receives from movies. He uses these stock characters as role models to rebel against instead of his parents. When he is punched in the stomach or has his face bloodied, he responds in a way that is reminiscent of the most cliche movie scenes. He rants about moving away to a cabin by the woods and creates scenes of emotional pain for...

Holden's brother D.B. is not referred to by his full name in the book or...

Sun, 11 May 2008 09:01:09 PST

Holden's brother D.B. is not referred to by his full name in the book or in any interpretations or reviews of Catcher in the Rye.It could be suggested that the older brother is referred to only by his initials because he is a writer. And, just like J.D. Salinger, initials are used. Or, the initials could make him a remote, distant character to Holden, who feels that his brother is a sellout because he writes scripts in Hollywood instead...

Does anybody know D.B's real name in "The Catcher in the Rye"?...

Sun, 11 May 2008 08:11:10 PST

I can't seem to find his real name..

Yes, the ducks are important. For Holden, the ducks represent...

Fri, 9 May 2008 18:22:20 PST

Yes, the ducks are important. For Holden, the ducks represent continuity, something that he needs in his life. When he goes to Central Park to look for the ducks, he has a question about where they go in the winter. Technically, what really fascinates him is that they come back in a very reliable way.Holden is suffering from grief over the death of his brother. He is isolated from society feeling unable to make a true connection with...

The ducks need to rely upon their instincts as the winter approaches....

Fri, 9 May 2008 10:10:43 PST

The ducks need to rely upon their instincts as the winter approaches. Holden is unconsciously equating this plight with that of adolescents who are confronted with the gray convoluted world of adulthood. He only supposes two possibilities for these ducks. They can either follow their instincts and fly south, or someone in a truck comes to take them away. This is his quandary. He feels no "sense" of where to go or what to do. So he fears that...

In "The Catcher in the Rye," what do the ducks mean?

Fri, 9 May 2008 10:01:29 PST

Holden had talked about the ducks for quite a few times. What do the ducks mean actually? Are they important?

How does the pain experienced by Holden (Physical pain, emotional pain),...

Sun, 4 May 2008 14:14:54 PST

How does the pain experienced by Holden (Physical pain, emotional pain), contribute to his maturity process in "The Catcher in the Rye"?