catcher int he rye

In J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield’s innocence is taken away through a twisted chain of events. The novel opens up with Holden depresses after fluking out of Penecy, the suicide of a classmate, and the death of his brother, Allie. Because if these tragic events, Holden tries to preserve his innocence and the purity of the children around him. Holden wants to “catch” all of the naïve …

…do reach the ring without falling, Holden finally accepts that the majority of the children will fall off the carousel into the “phony” crowd. Holden finally believes that all children eventually lose their purity and virtue. Holden’s dreams of becoming the catcher in the rye disappear. Through situations with his sister Phoebe and the “fuck you” on the wall of the school Holden comes to the realization that he cannot stop children from maturing.