Catcher In The Rye Theme Essay :: essays research papers

Turning your back on the world is not good A major theme of J.D. Salinger’s novel, â€Å" The Catcher in the Rye,† is turning your back on the world is not good. The teenage boy Holden Caulfield demonstrates this theme in the story with the constant negativity he receives as result of his negative attitude. When someone turns their back on the world the consequences are bad. Holden shows this by slacking off leading to his expulsion from school. â€Å" They gave me frequent warning to start applying myself†¦but I didn’t do it. So I got the ax.† Holden proves this theme once more by vandalizing in a fit of rage over the death of his little brother Allie. â€Å"I was only thirteen†¦I broke all the windows in the garage.† Even when Holden does not express his negativity physically he expresses them mentally. â€Å"I’m always saying â€Å"Glad to’ve met you† to somebody I’m not at all glad I met.† â€Å"I felt more depressed much more depressed than sexy.† When a young man turns his back on sex there is definitely something wrong. Even chances for great friendships are ruined when Holden turns his back on a former roommate. â€Å"But I roomed with him for about two whole months, even though he bored me till I was half crazy, just because he was such a terrific whistler†¦.† A chance for romance is ruined also when Holden is annoyed by the supposed inane conversation of his date Sally. â€Å"You give me a royal pain in the ass†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The characters in the book are not oblivious to the fact of Holden’s back turning and negativity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Holden’s little sister Phoebe could see that he turned his back on school after Holden sneaked in her room early for holiday break. â€Å"You did get kicked out!† His old teacher and good friend Mr. Antolini saw that he had a tendency to turn his back on the world too. â€Å"†¦I can very clearly see you dying nobly, one way or another, for some highly unworthy cause.† Holden finally realizes too that turning his back on people isn’t good. â€Å"Don’t ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody.† All the examples of Holden’s back turning in the story show how negativity pushes people away.