Catcher in the Rye Essay

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old friend Jane Gallagher, many years after the last time they talked, it is evident that he has a false interpretation of her and remembers her just as a girl. Jane is one of the only girls whom Holden finds attractive and cares about even though they no longer keep in touch. Holden talks about the time he spent with Jane summers ago and how they used to play checkers on her front porch. Holden quotes, “She wouldn’t move any of her kings… she just liked the way they looked when they were all in the back row” (pg 41). Holden specifically notices this immature act and doesn’t stop mentioning it, as if Jane hasn’t changed. Later in the book, as Holden ventures to the Museum of Natural History he talks about the fact that he likes going there because nothing ever changes. “The best thing, though, in that museum was that everything always stayed right where it was… The only thing that would be different would be you” (pg 157). When Holden references Jane, he wants her to be the same, even though years have past and she has grown up. But the reason he likes the Museum of Natural History so much is because years have gone by, and it is still all the same. I found this passage interesting because it really shows how different Holden thinks compared to other teenagers. It shows how he finally finds something comforting, amidst all the chaos going on in his mind. When comparing these two situations, it is apparent that Holden has only past views on the present, and is unable to visualize the idea of change.

Towards the beginning of this process, I tried to focus on Holden’s mental state and the journey that accompanies. Holden’s sporadic actions interested me, and I wanted to help him. But as I thought more about trying to describe this in my own life, I realised Holden doesn’t talk much about his past with a mental disorder. But, the idea of innocence even though Holden never specifically mentions it, is shown throughout from the beginning of the story in many ways. Not only do Holden’s action represent innocence, but the people be reconnects with see this trait in him as well. I think I was specifically drawn to this trait more because of the lack of that in today’s society. You don’t see the wanting to contain innocence in my generation. Because of textual and analytical support, it is evident in Catcher In The Rye that the desire to prevent development is portrayed through the main character, Holden.