Colin Hughes

AP Language

Period G

3/19/12

Achieving a Purpose in the Catcher in the Rye Holden Caulfield embodies the extreme image of the American teenager in thought and action. Salinger uses Holden as an outlet to achieve his purpose of showing how people change as the world changes around them, and the necessity of others to help in that change. By using Holden as a first person narrator, Salinger provides a youthful, but also extremely cynical point of view on everyday events. He creates a very distinct tone for Holden. In order to achieve his purpose of showing the steps of personal change in an always changing world, J.D. Salinger shows the change from Holdens initially condescending tone into one of understanding, irony to show Holdens growing maturity and an abundance of symbolism to relate Holdens personal changes to the changes occurring in his environment. Initially, Holden always seems to see himself as better than others. In feeling intellectual superiority, Holden frequently uses a condescending tone when talking to and thinking about those around him. He degrades Ackley with this tone. One of the many times he talks down to Ackley, Holden says I just want to thank you for being such a goddam prince, thats all, I said. I said it in this very sincere voice. Youre aces, Ackley kid (66). He uses all of these phony words to make fun of Ackley, because he sees himself as intellectually superior to him. By developing this distinct tone for Holden, Salinger shows the change in Holdens outlook as the story progresses. He slowly becomes less condescending and more understanding. He begins to see those around him almost as equals and learns the importance of personal relationships. At the very end, when reflecting on his past, Holden says About all I know is, I sort of miss everybody I told about. Even old Stradlater and Ackley (277). He comes to realize the importance of these personal relationships that he neglected and now refers to Ackley as an equal instead of talking down to him. As Holden travels towards maturity, his tone and understanding of the world becomes more mature as well. Salinger uses irony to help develop Holdens character. In a world of opportunity, Holden cannot appreciate anything around him. However, he realizes that he wants to be a catcher in the rye. He developed this desire by reading Robert Burns poem. He remembered the words to the poem incorrectly and chose this dream based on a misconception, but he continues to focus on being this heroic figure, especially towards his sister. Holden describes this dream by saying What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff I mean if theyre running and they dont look where theyre going and I have to come out from somewhere and catch them (225). Towards the end of the story, Holden visits Phoebe, still desiring to be her hero. However, when he takes her to ride on the nearby carousel he witnesses the little children reaching for a brass ring as they ride. He says All the kids kept trying to grab for the gold ring, and so was Phoebe, and I was sort of afraid shed fall off the goddam horse, but I didnt say anything or do anything. The thing with kids is, if they want to grab for the gold ring, you have to let them do it, and not say anything. If they fall off, they fall off, but its bad if you say anything to them (273). This event leads Holden to realize that he does not need to be a catcher in the rye and protect Phoebe all the time, because she can do it herself and learn from her mistakes. He originally wanted to protect Phoebe, but now she teaches him to let her protect herself. This irony demonstrates a huge step in Holdens development and maturation.

Symbolism plays a very key role in achieving Salingers purpose. He frequently uses symbolism to relate changes in the world to changes in Holdens life. The museum symbolizes Holdens ideal world one that stays permanent, while everything around it changes. He says The best thing, though, in that museum was that everything always stayed right where it was. Nobodyd moveNobodyd be different. The only thing that would be different would be you (121). This permanence provides him with comfort as everything else that he knows changes all the time. However, when he returns to the museum he sees that it has changed, and this proves to be the first step in his true acceptance of the necessity for change. The carousel at the end also symbolizes a development of maturity. As Phoebe reaches for the gold ring, Holden realizes that she has been maturing just as quickly as him, and he must let her strive for her goals on her own. Through his powerful use of symbolism, Salinger relates the changing world to the changing young man, driving home his purpose. J.D. Salinger perfectly uses Holden to express and achieve his purpose of demonstrating the relationship between personal change and the everyday change in the world. Through Holdens tone that matures as the story progresses, as well as situational irony that allows Holden to realize the necessity for change and symbolism to relate this change to the world around him, Salinger achieves his purpose.