Preview

Phony In J. D. Salinger's Catcher In The Rye

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
154 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Phony In J. D. Salinger's Catcher In The Rye
In J.D Salinger’s novel, Catcher in the Rye, It is not possible to grow up without becoming a phony. The protagonist in the novel, Holden, hates phonies. One of the first times that Holden mentions this is when he was talking to Spencer and he says “One of the biggest reasons I left Elkton Hills was because I was surrounded by phonies”, this proves that he dislikes phonies. Even though Holden frequently states that he dislikes phonies, he himself is one. Holden says “I hate the movies like a poison” (p. 29), yet he still goes to a movie. Holden also claims that he can’t stand Ackley but he invites him to the movie anyway. Phoniness is something that everyone will eventually get at some point in their lives. Even Holden, a person who hates phonies,
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Analysis Of The Catcher In The Rye By J. D. Salinger
    • 608 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Analysis Of The Catcher In The Rye By J. D. Salinger

    J.D. Salinger’s book, The Catcher in the Rye, constantly gets debated on whether high school English classes need to read it. Despite the crude language and R-rated stories, every high schooler needs to read this book. After the book gets dissected, the deeper meanings of the story come about and show the importance for reading the book.…

    • 608 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Holden Caulfield Analysis Essay Example
    • 622 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Holden Caulfield Analysis Essay Example

    In J.D. Salinger's "Catcher in the Rye", a hard drinking, chain smoking drop out details his interesting journey home after being kicked out of yet another expensive prep school. This boy, Holden Caulfield, has taken it upon himself to judge every single human being he shares the Earth with and often goes on to excess about the numerous dislikes he has for a person. Perhaps the most curious however, is the fact that almost everything Holden judges others for, he himself is equally if not more guilty of. This tendency for hypocrisy is pervasive throughout the book and characterizes Holden, revealing a lot about the workings of his mind. He often refers to people as "phonies", which ironically seems to refer to anyone who maintains conformity, discriminates towards others, or is a hypocrite. Despite his loathing for hypocrisy and conformity, Holden Caulfield takes both traits to an extreme.…

    • 622 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Character Analysis Of Catcher In The Rye By J. D. Salinger
    • 908 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Character Analysis Of Catcher In The Rye By J. D. Salinger

    In the novel The Catcher in the Rye, J. D. Salinger portrays the protagonist, Holden Caulfield, from two very different sides. On one hand, Holden is passionate about the protection of innocence, and he attempts to shelter all kids, especially his younger sister Phoebe, from any knowledge which might compromise their innocence. On the other hand, Holden is repeatedly revealed to be experienced and knowledgeable in society. He constantly swears, drinks, and smokes, sharply criticizes everyone he sees, and generally does not conform to society. Because Holden lost his own innocence so early in his life, he becomes fascinated with the idea of guarding it in others. Salinger shows Holden protecting the innocence of people many times throughout the novel. Some examples include Holden’s anxiety about Jane, Holden’s protection of Phoebe, and Holden’s general frustration…

    • 908 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Holden Caulfield - Catcher In The Rye
    • 1048 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Holden Caulfield - Catcher In The Rye

    Holden Caulfield is a typical anti-hero from the 20th century who features as the main character from the novel, Catcher In The Rye by J.D Salinger. The young teenage boy says that he wants to be the one who stands at the bottom of the cliff and catch the children that are playing in the Rye that may run off the edge accidently. This is a dream, not reality however it indicates that Holden is desperate to preserve childhood. Holden is an anti-hero because he lacks heroic qualities. In the novel, he often refers to himself as a yellow character. He wants to hit someone but he won’t because he is too much of a coward and he knows this. Holden talks negatively about most people, often referring to them as “phonies.” Phonies are people whose surface behavior distort or disguise their inner feelings. Holden can be a phony himself and believes if he puts society down, then he can’t be disappointed. He does however, cherish family, more so his siblings rather than his parents. He is very lonely and tends to push people away. Holden has been suspended from four schools. He underachieves, has a habit of being able to lie easily and has a fragile, mental state that ends up leading to a breakdown where he ends up in an asylum.…

    • 1048 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Holden Caulfield Misfit
    • 518 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Holden Caulfield Misfit

    The initial publisher of Catcher in the Rye thought Holden Caulfield was insane. In the story “Catcher in the Rye” by, J.D. Salinger, Holden was a 16 year old boy who kept being sent to different boarding schools. He had gotten kicked out of a few, before wanting to run away and not go back to the schools. His reason for being kicked out is because everyone in his schools were phony and he did not like it. Holden and society are a misfit, but Holden is the problem in this story. One example, Holden does not think before he does something. He blurts things out without thinking of the consequences of his actions. The second example is, he alienates himself from the rest of the world. He does not like a lot of people because he feels they are phony. Oddly enough, he himself has also been phony in the story. Lastly, he tries to drink his problems away. All of these signs add up to what makes Holden a misfit.…

    • 518 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    How Does Holden Mature In Catcher In The Rye
    • 1254 Words
    • 6 Pages

    How Does Holden Mature In Catcher In The Rye

    Growing up is generally not considered easy or desirable. In J.D Salinger’s novel, The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield is a sixteen year old boy on the precipice of adulthood. He is resisting growing up despite the allure of sex and alcohol, but he despises the thought of entering a phony world. For Holden, his life is stuck in a never ending cycle of misery, alcohol, and a desire to hold on to his childhood innocence. His own life up to this point has been very rough - his beloved younger brother Allie died of pneumonia, a classmate jumped out of a window, and he has gotten kicked out of yet another school. He yearns to be a protector of childhood innocence. It is only after beginning to accepting change, relinquish his protective instincts,…

    • 1254 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Essay On Holden Caulfield's Journey
    • 532 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Essay On Holden Caulfield's Journey

    Holden Caulfield is a teenager who is struggling to fit into adult society. This is evident from very early on in the book when Salinger immediately characterises Holden as a very judgmental and cynical person. Examples from the very first page include when Holden refers to his brother D.B as a prostitute because he writes scripts for movies. He then continues “I there’s one thing I hate, it’s the movies. Don't even mention them to me”. He doesn’t even give his brother the benefit of the doubt over his occupation, and it is through phrases like this where Salinger creates the characterisation of Holden as a judgmental and stubborn personality. This is further continued throughout the novel where Holden continually uses the phrase “phony”, to refer to other people. He perceives the world as superficial, whereas it is his views on society that are lacking depth. This immediate characterisation of Holden by Salinger…

    • 532 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Catcher In The Rye Nitpicning Quotes
    • 1077 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Catcher In The Rye Nitpicning Quotes

    All throughout the novel, Holden digresses about people he finds phony and the degree of hatred he has towards their phoniness. He talks about his older brother, DB, noting that he is a brilliant writer but hates that fact that he becomes a “prostitute” in Hollywood (2). Holden does not like that DB goes around looking like a big shot with his jaguar. He also does not like that DB wastes his talent in writing storylines for movies. This alludes to the next significant concept that Holden hates. Holden strongly dislikes movies in general and the people that love to see movies. He finds that movies are phony because it is just acting; the content of film is far from reality. Holden claims that people who enjoy movies are phony because they are just drawn to the superficial. Again, Holden demonstrates his hatred of phoniness through movies. The last aspect he hates about the phoniness of people is the arrogance and essence of superiority that is evoked. Holden explains that Pencey Prep “molds boys into splendid, clear-thinking young men who play polo” (2). However, he feels it is full of phoniness that Pencey is left with the idea that the school is full of polo players and hot shot students. In reality, no one plays polo and it is a standard school. Evidently, Holden demonstrates his hatred of phoniness through his numerous complaints and criticism of…

    • 1077 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Dr. Heidegger's Experiment DCQ
    • 374 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Dr. Heidegger's Experiment DCQ

    In The Catcher in the Rye,Holden Caulfield reveals the never changing tapestry that is a man’s personality. He begins as a contemptuous adolescent, critical of all those around him. Regarding everyone as a “phony”, Holden isolates himself from his surroundings. Continually dwelling in the past, Holden refuses to move forward. He is judgmental of those around him, beginning with his classmates and peers. As he progresses in the novel, his attitude toward life does not change. He regards his teachers as phony as well, claiming they only act like teachers. Holden reveals a highly superficial nature in his judgements toward others, for he disregards deeper judgments in favor of superficial ones. This is further highlighted in his social commentary, when he simply categorizes people. Holden sees himself as an adult, but he is merely an child in adult’s clothing, as throughout the novel, Holden does not realize his own superficiality, and this becomes one of his defining characteristics. Holden seeks out imperfections in others, rendering himself incapable of the slightest change. Holden ends his journey on the same note and with the same personality which he begins with: a quick to judge, superficial one.…

    • 374 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Holden Caulfield Phony Analysis
    • 753 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Holden Caulfield Phony Analysis

    The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield, has proven himself a hypocrite in front of many. Not only has he surpassed the limit but he has created a whole new meaning of phony. That is why The Catcher in Rye, will always be one of the phoniest jobs you will ever…

    • 753 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Holden's Phony In Catcher In The Rye
    • 692 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Holden's Phony In Catcher In The Rye

    The past of Holden’s life is holding him down to the point where he’s judgemental about anyone he meets. Even though he usually keeps all the negative comments to himself he sometimes gets to his climax where he lets everything out. He is 16 year old and he’s already very moody and has a bad perspective of the world. However, he becomes very vulnerable when it comes to his little sister Phoebe where he changes his attitude towards her and shows love and compassion. According to the novel The Catcher In The Rye by J.D. Salinger, it states that “I kept calling him a sonuvabitch and all” (Holden 50). This quote demonstrates how Holden is under a lot of stress where he has no control of what he’s saying or he doesn’t think what he’s saying is hurting others in any type of way. Basically, he only concerns for himself and of course for his little sister.…

    • 692 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Holden Caulfield Phony Analysis
    • 992 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Holden Caulfield Phony Analysis

    Holden Caulfield is a teenage boy living in a society in which he believes to be full of hypocrites and "phonies". Everything with any connection to his life he believes to be a phony. From teachers to his friends, to people he does not even know. Holden always found some kind of a reason to give off the impression that he is superior because they are just fake. He is in belief that he is capable of understanding everything about a person just by looking at them and judging their first impression. Holden seems to almost have an obsession with people being phony. He explains that children are innocent but once they reach a point in their lives where they can almost be taken seriously, he strives to find phoniness in somebody's personality…

    • 992 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Catcher In The Rye Coming Of Age Analysis
    • 1677 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Catcher In The Rye Coming Of Age Analysis

    Often, the transition to adulthood produces individuals who act more like “children” than they did in their youth. In J.D. Salinger’s novel, The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield, fights this transition vehemently, fearing it will change him in ways he does not like. The novel follows Holden in the days following his expulsion from Pencey Prep just before Christmas break. Holden, however, does not immediately go home, as he fears the reaction from his parents when they find he has been kicked out of yet another school. Instead, he spends his time roaming through the streets of New York, encountering a variety of characters and offering a view into his thoughts to the reader. One of his greatest vexations is the act of people being “phony”, or showing a facade of one’s true personality and character to the world in an attempt to appeal to societal norms. The overarching themes of the novel is how Holden fears…

    • 1677 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Examples Of The Limbo In Catcher In The Rye
    • 484 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Examples Of The Limbo In Catcher In The Rye

    In the novel The Catcher In the Rye by JD Salinger, Holden does a very good job of extending the limbo between childhood and adulthood for as long as he can. As a young man, he needs to start mentally preparing himself to become an adult. He is in high school and he needs to start making some decisions for himself. There is evidence of both childhood and adulthood actions taken by Holden. However, instead Holden embodies the limbo between childhood and adulthood by respecting and trying to protect the innocence of children, and valuing that innocence over the phoniness of adults…, while still acting phony himself and doing “bold things” that only an adult would do, such as cursing, drinking at bars and calling prostitutes.…

    • 484 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Phony In Catcher In The Rye
    • 498 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Phony In Catcher In The Rye

    In Salinger's Catcher in the Rye, Holden uses the word "phony" to define people who are insincere and to label people who grow up only to conform to society's standards, even though they’re capable of much more in their life. Besides the nuns at the sandwich bar and Holden’s little sister and brother, almost everyone in society embodies Holden’s depiction of phony, except for most children. Children are exempt from Holden’s definition of phony because children do not care about society’s standards. Children do not care that “[car brakes screech] all over the place” (128) while they are singing a song while walking on a curb “the way kids do” (128) or how they look while wearing a cowboy hat “practically over [their] ears” (230). On the other hand, Holden, a maturing young boy, faces criticism for his childish…

    • 498 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics