Adolescent Idealism in Catcher in the Rye

 Adolescent Idealism in The Catcher in the Rye - AP LITERATURE

Desiring to stay young is nearly a tired trope in modern media, which has somewhat removed the deepest meaning of the phrase. An older woman’s desire to stay youthful is far different than a teenager’s dread of aging. J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye follows a sixteen-year-old Holden Caulfield as he struggles with growing up and maturing in a fast-moving society. Salinger uses a relatable adolescent style for the writing of this novel, which invites the reader to converse with Holden, listening to the teen in a way he is constantly deprived of. The story of this novel could be described as simply “a boy’s trip to the city,” but this book is introspective to both its semi-unreliable narrator and its reader. In The Catcher in the Rye, Holden’s idealism is formed by past experiences, current assumptions, and future knowledge. 

Holden’s life before the book’s setting slowly becomes revealed as he shares more with the reader, and he mentions many details flippantly that are crucial to an analytical reader’s understanding of his character. For example, at the very end of the novel, Holden visits the house of an old teacher, who ends up stroking his forehead and hair in his sleep. While describing himself leaving this situation, Holden remarks that he has experienced “perverty” situations like this one previously. With his description of these events, a reader is led to understand how Holden’s exposure to a modern world of desired or undesired sexual advances shaped his view of those around him. He constantly refers to the adults he encounters as “phony,” emphasizing his distrust of the people meant to provide mentorship and mature examples in his life. Another example of Holden’s past influencing his worldview is seen in his constant expulsion from schools. Though a very basic part of his character, constant rejection from adult figures in his life keeps Holden from the natural progression of a teenager through the school system. Without the consistency that school brings, however challenging to work through, he lacks the linear timeline that school provides. Both academic success and previous instances of perversion or dominance teach Holden the behaviors of the adult figures in his life, preventing him from desiring to join the ranks of such “phoniness.”

The assumptions Holden makes of both himself and the people around him inform his worldview to a remarkable degree. Salinger uses the distinct style of Holden’s storytelling to elaborate on his perceptions of the people around him, and he is, therefore, subject to both his critiques and ones of his society. Holden views himself as older than he is, constantly smoking and attempting to order drinks, but the people he interacts with see him as young, and whether that means vulnerable or naive varies by encounter.  When Holden perceives himself as older, he is burdening himself with the weight of adulthood while he has the untapped capability to remain childish, and, in his eyes, complacent. His active choice to separate himself from the stagnant and fake society he lives in puts him in danger of standing out and becoming a target. When he sees other people, Holden’s assumptions about them affect how he views society’s validity as a whole, in turn affecting his worldview. Holden is extremely critical of those around him, especially people his age. When referencing other students at his school, he is consistently nit-picking their personalities and habits, not understanding the irony of his judging behavior. While their behaviors may be as irritating or messy as Holden describes, he rarely critiques anything but his standing in society. He sees himself as separate, unwilling to acknowledge his place living among the “phony” people he interacts with.

Finally, Salinger uses Holden’s retrospective knowledge of his situation to dictate his worldview. While, on the surface, it may seem that Holden has not changed much by the end of his story, his behavior has noticeably shifted by the final chapter, which is the point of view from which he’s telling his tale. Even if the change seems abrupt, there is a completely untold year of this boy’s life that caused him to develop enough to tell this story in its entirety. As the reader learns of Holden’s consistent distrust of the people around him, it becomes clear that he has grown to a certain degree by the conclusion. The version of Holden that is present within the story of leaving school is affected by the honesty of the seventeen-year-old narrator Holden shown in the beginning and end. The idealism that shapes Holden’s experiences varies by circumstance, but he is seemingly more trusting at the story’s end, signifying that he got some of the help he needed. His future assumptions also dictated which events he preferred to include, as he mentions in the last chapter. Though Holden can be unreliable, he doesn’t seem to lie to the audience as much as the world around him, alluding to growth not present in the contents of this story. His choice of events to include in retrospect tells the reader why the occurrences within the book have meaning. Simply put, the events of the novel initiate a path of growth in this teenager’s life, and the reason for documenting them is specifically directed at these occurrences themselves, and why they matter to the character within.

J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye is a story about growing up and seeing the world around you for yourself. His narrator, sixteen-year-old Holden Caulfield, explores adolescent idealism as he investigates the society that surrounds him. Through past anecdotes, present assumptions, and future references, Holden relays his worldview to the reader, allowing them insight into his thought process and a place to see the world through his eyes. Modern teenagers can find themselves identifying with Holden’s beliefs on an introspective level due to the honest nature of this book, and the specific language choices that Salinger maintains throughout the story. Salinger’s narrator was and remains a testament to teenage growth, and the book’s story remains relevant to teenagers at any time.