I think the idea
of how hard it is to let go of childhood influenced J.D. Salinger while writing
his novel The Catcher in the Rye. I
can decipher this from reading The
Catcher in the Rye because the author made this struggle to let go of
childhood and growing into adulthood the theme and the conflict that Holden
struggles with the most. Many times throughout the novel, the reader can see
Holden trying not to become an adult and change. I believe that this is the
reason that Holden acts out so many times in the novel. He does reckless things
like ordering alcohol and getting drunk just because he has nothing better to
do (Salinger 194). He also gets kicked out of his boarding school because he
failed four out of five classes (Salinger 6). Holden expresses his fear of
change when he goes to the Museum of Natural History. While walking to the
museum, Holden thinks back to his own idealistic childhood days spent at the
museum (Salinger 156). He thinks about how all of the exhibits were always the
same no matter how much he changed (Salinger 157). He thinks about the man ice
fishing behind one of the glass cases of the museum and is comforted by the
knowledge that the mannequin will always be there ice fishing (Salinger 157).
Thinking about the museum soon makes Holden sorrowful as he thinks about his
sister going there (Salinger 158). He is saddened by the thought that Phoebe is
different every time she goes there. (Salinger 158) Holden remarks, “Certain things they should
stay the way they are. You ought to be able to stick them in one of those big
glass cases and just leave them alone. I know that’s impossible, but it’s too
bad anyway.”(Salinger 158). Holden wants to just put life on hold for a while,
but he cannot. He has to continue on with the rest of the world, and grow up and
evolve to remain a part of the world around him.
Bibliography:Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown and, 1991. Print.
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