Analysis Of Holdens The Catcher In The Rye - 775 Words

George Will utilizes an iconoclastic look upon Holden Caulfield, the protagonist of The Catcher in the Rye. Will portrays Holden as a classical example of an American whiner. Holden represented the generation of the 1950’s and the struggles endured by the invisible shackles of social pressure. Will calls Holden out on his ever-so-present division of people into â€Å"phonies† and the â€Å"phoniness† evident in them. Holden is portrayed as an insufferable teenager who complains too much. However, Will does not explain the circumstances, nor the situations that Holden has had to endure throughout his life. Therefore, I do not agree with Will’s evaluation of Holden. In this article, Will portrays Holden as the beginning of a new social type,†¦show more content†¦When he invites Ackley to come along with him to the movies, he asks Ackley if he can sleep in Ackley’s roommates bed. However, Ackley denies Holden’s request. Holden’s answer? Ackley’s a phony. When Holden wrote Stradlater’s composition for him, he gets yelled at by Stradlater for writing about the wrong thing. He lent his hound’s tooth jacket even though he knew that it would be stretched out from the shoulders. Holden’s response to these situations? Ah, Stradlater is a phony. These examples help readers understand the pain felt by Holden at his social rejection. By calling them â€Å"phonies†, Holden is able to convince himself that they did, in fact, not reject him; instead, he was the one who was rejecting them, due to the â€Å"phoniness† present in them. Will criticizes Holden on this action, calling him rather unfocused, as his act of rebellion has no set direction. However, upon further investigation, it can be seen that this is yet another way of coping with Holden’s insecurity. By calling others â€Å"phonys† and such, he is able to satisfy his desire to find viable excuses as to wh y society does not accept him. This is yet another point of view not evident in Will’s analysis of Holden. Holden also does not like to be criticized, as seen in many instances in the book. When Mr. Spencer starts to lecture him about what Holden should do to succeed in life, he wants to leave Mr. Spencer’sShow MoreRelatedThe Catcher In The Rye Analysis1657 Words   |  7 PagesOne must inevitably confront the daunting face of adulthood. In J. D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, Salinger depicts the disheartening journey from adolescence to adulthood that Holden Caulfield endures. Although holden seeks the freedoms that mark adulthood, he has yet to take up the role of a truly mature citizen as the society conforming nature of those adults disgust him, leading him to his gradual mental decline. J. D. Salinger uses the immature character of Holden Caulfield as a meansRead MoreJ.b. Salinger s The Catcher s The Rye 1319 Words   |  6 PagesJ.D. Salingerâ₠¬â„¢s Use of Symbolism in The Catcher in the Rye J.D. 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