Catcher in The Rye Essay -- essays research papers

Catcher in the Rye   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  J.D Salinger’s novel â€Å"Catcher in the Rye,† focuses mainly on Holden Caulfield because he is the narrator and the novel is about his memory of characters and events throughout the story. These characters are more than just remembrances but actually help the reader to better understand Holden. Mr. Antolini, Phoebe, and Jane Gallagher are all characters that help fully characterize Holden.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mr. Antolini helps the reader better understand Holden’s hasty judgments about characters in the novel. He is one of the few people in the novel who Holden respects and does not consider a â€Å"phony.† Holden respects Mr. Antolini because he understands him and does not treat him like an inferior student like the rest of his teachers do. Mr. Antolini is very open with Holden and this is shown when he lets him stay the night in his apartment. Holden’s quick judgments of people are shown and better understood when Mr. Antolini touches his forehead while he sleeps in chapter 24. â€Å"I know more damn perverts, at schools and all, than anybody you ever met, and they’re always being perverty when I’m around.†(192) Holden jumps to conclusions right away when he wakes up to Mr. Antolini touching his forehead. Instead of thinking that his teacher was just showing affection and care for a student he is very quick to think that he is a pervert and homosexual. In the quote Holden says, â€Å"they’re always being perverty when I’m around,† this is more evidence that Holden jumps to conclusions and is quick with assumptions rather than to think about what it is to be a pervert. He thinks that he is just in the wrong place at the wrong time but it is more likely that he just assumes they are being â€Å"perverty† when they are truly not. Another example of Holden being quick with judgment is directly after the incident happens. Without letting the incident sink in, Holden changes into his clothes and runs out of the apartment. Mr. Antolini and the events that take place in his apartment help the reader fully understand Holden. Mr. Antolini is a compassionate person and his actions are out of care for his friend and student, Holden’s quick and hasty judgment is shown when he overlooks Mr. Antolini’s concern and affection for a homosexual advance.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Phoebe is another character that helps the reader bet... ...y voice was shaking something awful.† Holden’s helplessness to realize that sex can be casual is showing that he is immature and that he doesn’t want to let go of his childhood innocence. Jane’s character, a girl who Holden knows very well and has affection for, has casual sex which makes Holden very upset, this helps the reader better understand Holden’s immatureness and his refusal to let go of his childhood innocence.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the novel â€Å"Catcher in the Rye† the reader is able to better understand Holden by the characters in his remembrances. Mr. Antolini, a person who shows affection for Holden, shows the reader that Holden makes quick assumptions and judgments with characters in the novel. Phoebe, Holden’s younger sister, makes it evident to the reader that Holden does not want to grow up, mature, and have a future as an adult. Jane Gallagher’s character also helps the reader better understand Holden by making it evident that he does not want to let go of his childhood innocence. Although Holden’s character is the main focus of the novel, his remembrances of other key characters help define him and give the reader a better understanding of who he is.