Critical Lens Essay On Catcher In The Rye

Critical Lens Essay

“Good people... are good because they’ve come to wisdom through failure”. This quote from William Saroyan means that wise people acquire their insight from experiences, especially unsuccessful ones. I agree with the quote and the idea of people being knowledgeable because of the hardships and journeys they had endured. The two novels Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston and The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger both support the idea of gaining wisdom through experience. In Their Eyes Were Watching God, Janie Crawford realized who she was through her failed marriages. Characterized as headstrong, affectionate and independent, Janie attempts to find love, God and purpose throughout the novel. After her
first marriage to farmer Logan Killicks, Janie runs off with Joe Starks. Joe’s aspirations to become mayor and his abusive control of Janie make her realize she desires a man who would treat her like a prize. Janie does not want to be thought of as simply a trophy wife; she wants to be a best friend and confidante to the man she marries next. Once she meets Vergible “Tea Cake” Woods, Janie knows her search for love is over. The two share a volatile and passionate relationship, albeit receiving criticism for their twelve-year age difference. By enduring failed relationships and abuse, Janie realized she wanted a man who loved her for who she was. She gained a better sense of self and became wiser as a woman through her unsuccessful marriages. The idea of gaining wisdom through experience is supported again in The Catcher in the Rye.
At the book’s beginning, Holden Caulfield is characterized as jaded from his awful childhood experiences and cynical, with a disdain for all adults and their “phoniness”. With a propensity for exasperating nearly everyone he comes into contact with, Holden is alienated from society. Yet, as the novel progresses, Holden is spiraling downward. He is depressed and all attempts at making a solid connection are repudiated. Contemplating suicide and searching for a way to protect children from reaching adulthood, Holden is quite disconnected from reality. When he takes his sister Phoebe to a carousel, Holden realizes that he cannot save children from maturing. He understands that falling and getting hurt is part of growing up. Sexuality, cursing and other darker aspects of adulthood will be seen by children, as they are part of developing. Poor childhood experiences and alienation hardened Holden’s views on aging. However, once he realizes that maturing is not always a pleasant experience, Holden sees that his efforts in protecting children from adulthood were futile and he becomes temporarily happy before having a mental breakdown. Through his negative experiences and epiphany on adulthood, Holden attains an understanding of maturity and is saved from self
destruction.
Wisdom is acquired through life experiences, especially unsuccessful ones. By being exposed to unpleasant situations, one gains better sense of him- or herself. Saroyan’s quote means people become knowledgeable through the journeys and hardships they had endured. J. D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye and Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston both support the idea of gaining wisdom through experience. The protagonists of both had major epiphanies regarding who they were and gained insight based on their ventures.