The Catcher In the Rye Reaction

    In The Catcher In the Rye, we the readers are presented with a character who seems to constantly struggle internally. As the novel progresses, Holden Caulfield becomes more and more lost in life as he fails out of school yet again. To make the situation worse, Holden has a difficult time socializing with people around him because they are to “phony” and conform to society. Therefore, as Holden moves forward, his true conflict within him becomes revealed; the struggle of socialization without alienation.

      Throughout the novel, Holden seems to be excluded from and victimized by the world around him. As he says to Mr. Spencer, he feels trapped on the other side of life, and he continually attempts to find his way in a world in which he feels he doesn't belong. As a result, Holden alienates himself from everyone around him as a protective mechanism. One example is this red hunting cap that he always wears which stands for his uniqueness compared to everyone else.

      This sense of alienation also has its problems for Holden as can be seen when Holden tries to rid himself of loneliness. Holden’s alienation drives him to have company like when he goes out on a date with Sally Hayes. At the same time however, Holden’s alienation causes him to rebound back to his former self, leading him to insult Sally causing her to leave the date.

      By changing his attitude so often when around different people, it is not surprising to see how Holden wants to be unique but at the same time struggles to do so, “The best thing, though, in that museum was that everything always stayed right where it was. Nobody’d move. . . . Nobody’d be different. The only thing that would be different would be you”, (Salinger 121). As a result, Holden fights every day to be unique and different leading him to isolate himself.