"The Catcher In The Rye" by J. D. Salinger: Book Analysis
Abbey Stamm
The Catcher in the Rye
August 17,2007
Salinger, J.D. The Catcher in the Rye. New York. Little,Brown and
Company. January, 2001.
"What I was really hanging for, I was trying to feel some kind of a good-by. I mean I've left schools and places I didn't even know I was leaving them. I hate that. I don't care if it's a sad good-by or a bad good-by, but when I leave a place I like to know I'm leaving it. If you don't you feel even worse." (7)
Holden seems to be on a hunt to find meaning to his life. This passage explains that drastically. He is leaving Pencey Prep because of his failing grades while his progression to having responsibility as an adult has failed. Holden wants to feel his "good-by" so he can say it was not all for nothing. Also so he can comfort himself and say he had some sort of happy memories at Pencey. What Holden does not realize is that he has always had a reason to try in school, like making a better future for himself but he never wants that. Holden wants to be attached to something, yet does not know what it is. His hunt for emotion and meaning has only just begun.
To me, this passage expertly describes the feeling of being senseless. I connected quite well because I, just like Holden, catch myself leaving a place I spent time at, but cannot exactly recall anything that I will always remember from this place. Although Holden tries to think of a fun time he had, it really was not that great. He feels like he must remember something since he spent so much time at Pencey. We both can't look to the future and where we will end up being without knowing what we are leaving behind. Holden and I are so alike is so many ways. We want to always remember our past but also move one to what we will soon become.
"I live in New York, and I was thinking about the lagoon in Central Park, down near Central Park South. I was wondering if it would be frozen when I got home, and if it was, where did the ducks go. I was wondering
The Catcher in the Rye
August 17,2007
Salinger, J.D. The Catcher in the Rye. New York. Little,Brown and
Company. January, 2001.
"What I was really hanging for, I was trying to feel some kind of a good-by. I mean I've left schools and places I didn't even know I was leaving them. I hate that. I don't care if it's a sad good-by or a bad good-by, but when I leave a place I like to know I'm leaving it. If you don't you feel even worse." (7)
Holden seems to be on a hunt to find meaning to his life. This passage explains that drastically. He is leaving Pencey Prep because of his failing grades while his progression to having responsibility as an adult has failed. Holden wants to feel his "good-by" so he can say it was not all for nothing. Also so he can comfort himself and say he had some sort of happy memories at Pencey. What Holden does not realize is that he has always had a reason to try in school, like making a better future for himself but he never wants that. Holden wants to be attached to something, yet does not know what it is. His hunt for emotion and meaning has only just begun.
To me, this passage expertly describes the feeling of being senseless. I connected quite well because I, just like Holden, catch myself leaving a place I spent time at, but cannot exactly recall anything that I will always remember from this place. Although Holden tries to think of a fun time he had, it really was not that great. He feels like he must remember something since he spent so much time at Pencey. We both can't look to the future and where we will end up being without knowing what we are leaving behind. Holden and I are so alike is so many ways. We want to always remember our past but also move one to what we will soon become.
"I live in New York, and I was thinking about the lagoon in Central Park, down near Central Park South. I was wondering if it would be frozen when I got home, and if it was, where did the ducks go. I was wondering