Holden on to that Innocence
Throughout The Catcher in the Rye, Holden hangs on to this thread of innocence, even though he himself isn't innocent anymore, he seeks people and moments that show their innocence. Even Holden's idea of someone being phony shows how he views them as someone who lacks that guilelessness. Though Holden finds many things to hate in life, he always finds himself seeing children as cute and almost as if they could do no wrong. Like when he sees the kid in the park tying her skate laces, "She was a very nice, polite little kid... Most kids are." (Salinger, 133). He has this more positive mindset for kids.
Throughout the novel, Allie is a major contributor to Holden's need to hold on to any ounce of innocence, he sees the world of Allie and constantly sees him as a forever eleven-year-old. When talking about the things he likes with Phoebe, we see how Allie is through his eyes when he says "especially if they were about a thousand times nicer than the people you know that're alive and all" (Salinger, 189). Allie's death left his image permanently perfect and child-like in Holden's head, giving him even an ounce of innocence to grasp onto.
Holden is scared to see the people dearest to him in a different light as they age, like Jane Gallagher. Whose innocence could be gone, the idea that maybe she doesn't keep all her kings in the back row anymore scares Holden. So throughout the book he alludes to talking to her but ultimately chickens out, leaving us wondering how he would view Jane as her sixteen-year-old self, rather than holding on to the memories of their thirteen-year-old selves.
During the scene with Phoebe, we see in his view she has changed a tad, but not so much that she isn't his smart and curious little sister. Nearing the end of the book Holden sees himself in Phoebe, yet she still has that innocence to her, but how will Holden feel about her as she starts to grow up and lose her child-like wonder, becoming just like all the other phony adults in his life.
Overall, the entire book was built off Holden's idea of holding onto innocence, and it is encapsulated in the chapter that he talks about being The Catcher in the Rye, he explains how he wants to be there to catch children who are falling of the cliff in the fields of rye, which is a metaphor for stopping children from losing their innocence, he wants to be able to take it into his own hands and keep the children from falling over the edge of adulthood. Holden is scared to grow up himself, but he's more scared for the people around him to become like all the phonies who lost their wonder, wisdom, and innocence.
I really liked how you used the scene with the kid in the park tying her skate laces; it’s such a brief moment, but it shows Holden’s positive view of children and their innocence. I also thought your point about Holden avoiding Jane growing up was really interesting because he’s scared of losing that image of childhood. Tying it all back to the “catcher in the rye” metaphor made it really clear why he clings to innocence so much. Good job!
ReplyDeleteI completely agree that Holden chases after this theme of innocence that he seems to see especially in children. Although, I think an interesting contrast to this is the way he views the nuns he meets. They aren't children, but Holden still deems them innocent and pure by his standards. Great blog!
ReplyDeleteNice pun :D I agree, Holden is definitely a character who focuses on innocence and pointedly seems to avoid adults and growing up because he wants to stop change and the process of becoming an adult. It's clear he doesn't only value innocence, but has seemed to learn that change only brings bad things, and he wants to protect them from it. His natural disposition also inclines toward kids and sometimes adults, like the nuns, that still have that wisdom with them. Great job!!
ReplyDeleteI think you have a really good point, but I actually disagree a little. I think he's more so obsessed with the idea of preserving the innocence of everything around him, like in his commentary in the museum. I agree that Holden is trying to avoid growing up, but I would argue that he sees himself more as just the "catcher in the rye" and not necessarily one of the children playing in the rye field. But this could also just depend on Holden's definition of innocence.
ReplyDeleteThere's definitely an undertone of sadness (on many levels!) in that final scene with Phoebe at the carousel, but I always note how Holden sees that she is ALMOST "too big" for the ride, but she's going to do it maybe one last time. So while she does "spin around and around," and readers have seen this as an image for her youth being preserved in some way, there's also this encroaching awareness that Phoebe is already slipping out of the category of "innocent but awesome little kid." Of course, she too will grow up, go through puberty, and likely get asked out on dates by guys like Stradlater. It's sobering to think of how Holden will handle the inevitable here: will he be able to view seventeen-year-old Phoebe in the same light? Allie really is the most "pure" of his "holy trinity," although he maintains Jane's purity by NOT checking in on her in the present. It's hard to imagine things coming to this point with Phoebe, but when we're talking about Holden having to face facts and contend with the reality of time's relentless progress, his relationship with Phoebe is about to undergo some changes. And already she's a bit of a firecracker--not quite the "innocent" kid he frames her as, when she starts calling him out on all his craziness and pushing back on his delusional plans. In some ways she already does seem more mature than him.
ReplyDeleteHi Emma!! I really like your take on this. The detail about Phoebe being almost too big for the carousel makes the scene feel way more bittersweet. It’s sweet on the surface, but there’s that realization that she’s growing up no matter what Holden wants. I also love how you pointed out that she’s already more mature than he gives her credit for. That adds tension to the whole idea.
ReplyDeleteHaha, I like your title, Emma! I like your approach to this. Your use of the girl typing her shoe laces really helps tie your point. Towards the end of the book, I started to wonder what would happen if Phoebe was the one who died and Allie was still alive. Would he see things differently? Would he be more quiet? Would his values change?
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