Holden s Influence On Holden Caulfield s The Catcher...

Two things that share commonalities are happiness and society. They are forces that interact with one another greatly. For example, in The Catcher in the Rye, these two influences affect Holden Caulfield significantly. They have a large impact on how he views the world and other people. Whilst Holden â€Å"served the author’s purpose: to scrutinize the cruelties and banalities† of society, The Catcher in the Rye remains a work that may helps others understand the path to happiness (Coles). A concept Holden had observed from the start of the novel was the materialism and egotism of people around him. There are numerous situations where this is displayed and he detests these ideas. For instance, Holden exclaims that almost everyone he encounters†¦show more content†¦Sex is something he gains new understandings about and he learns that it is something natural, but complex and not all it appears to be. For example, Sunny is a prostitute who Holden calls up to his room out of desperation. He’s so lonely that he’s just looking for conversation, but he’s searching in the wrong place. Holden admits earlier on in the novel, â€Å"sex is something I really don’t understand too hot† (Salinger 82). Sunny is young and sees her as a person who needs protection, however he expected someone who is a prostitute to be older. From this situation Holden learns that he needs the moment to be right and an emotional connection to have sex, that fo r him it is not something that can be casual although for others it might be. Sex is a topic that was rarely discussed in Holden’s era. Meanwhile, he encounters nuns, people who are holy and good, yet they know about Romeo and Juliet. This amazes Holden since the nuns have more knowledge on sex than him. It seems that everyone is casual and comfortable about sex related topics except for Holden and that’s just how people are. An additional lesson from The Catcher in the Rye is the nature of things. This is the overarching theme of the novel that encompasses all of what Holden has learned. The fact that people will be materialistic and egotistical is just the true nature of things, but not every single person behaves like that. Accepting and realizing nature is one wayShow MoreRelatedAmerican Library Association Vs. Salinger s The Catcher s The Rye 1230 Words   |  5 Pages J.D. Salinger’s, The Catcher in the Rye, holds the honor of appearing on â€Å"Time† magazine’s 2010 list of the 100 best English-language novels written since 1923 (Lacayo). In contrast, the American Library Association (ALA) notes that the novel also holds the dubious honor of being the tenth most challenged book in the United States from 1990 to 1999. In 2001, 2005, and 2009 the book again made the ALA top ten most frequently challenged book list (Banned and Challenged Books). In the lightRead More s alinger Essay843 Words   |  4 Pagescontroversial in the Catcher in the Rye. 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