Examples Of Nihilism In Catcher In The Rye

What makes nihilistic Holden Caulfield happy? In the grand scheme of life, happiness can often be a rare occurrence. Holden Caulfield, the main character of the novel Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, knows this all too well. The sixteen-year-old teenager is selectively content. Despite his supposed affluence and attendance in distinguished schools, Holden never seems to radiate happiness. Instead, he broods in cynical thoughts, only recognizing the flaws in people. Judgmental and nihilistic, Holden believes that he is involved in a game between him and the world. When Holden finally meets Phoebe towards the end of the novel, she asks him what makes him happy. After deep contemplation, Holden cannot find a definite answer, except for his
For instance, as Holden walks on Broadway on Sunday afternoon, he notices a little boy strutting along the curb of the street with his parents by his side. Although his parents apparently paid no attention to him, the child was joyfully singing the line, “If a body catch a body coming through the rye”. This fairly unnoticeable, childlike action “made [Holden} feel better” and “not so depressed anymore” (115). Holden often tries to be very adult-like, trying very hard to obtain alcohol in the clubs he visits and engage in sexual activity with prostitutes. However, still in the process of growing and learning significant morals, he is immature, and he does in fact miss how pure and unperturbed childhood is. By bar-hopping and taking passes at older women, he tries too hard to be a mature man when, subconsciously, he values the naïve wonder of childhood. Furthermore, he even claims to be more like himself around children. When he dances with Phoebe in the middle of her dark room, he emphasizes how they lightheartedly “just horse around”, and that “dancing is different with her” than it is in a nightclub (175). As opposed to how he dances with the ditzy girls at Ernie’s club, the way Holden very naturally jives with Phoebe reflects how he himself is still juvenile at heart. Typically, being in situations where one feels most like themselves, he or she will emanate untainted
Although unknowingly, he is a true believer of transcendentalism, the movement that aligns with his “Holden against the world” mindset. From the ideas of Ralph Waldo Emerson, transcendentalism embodies self-reliance, exhibition of one’s inner light, and rejection of institution. Quite frequently, Holden calls a person a “phony” if he doesn’t like how they are being someone they’re intrinsically not. However, there are certain individuals in whom he sees admirable peculiarity. For example, the audacity of James Castle, a scrawny boy of a few words, to contest his numerous bullies stands out to Holden, and therefore he wholeheartedly respected him. Consequently, James’s suicide fills Holden with sympathy and remorse, indicating that he appreciated James’s introverted-ness that gives him individuality from superficial, devious “phonies”. Also, his encounter with the fairly unconventional nuns gives him joy, for they perceivably weren’t staunchly religious. He strikes up a conversation with them about “books with lovers and all in them”, which is atypical in the Christian practices of nuns (110). Moreover, what truly gives him happiness was how unpretentious the nuns were, how “they never went anywhere swanky for lunch” and lived simple, humble lives (114). Holden appreciates and is interested by their lack of conformity to both materialistic and pious lifestyles. A person’s