He takes a risk visiting her in his parents' apartment when he leaves Pencey for New York City. Instead of sympathizing with Before we meet Phoebe, Holden’s side of the story Holden’s role as the Catcher in the Rye is completed with his red hunting hat which is symbolic of the red-haired boy, Allie, and the embodiment of the catcher and the caught. and stubborn outlook seem less charming and more foolish. She is a voice of reason throughout the novel, both in Holden's thoughts and in … His dream of becoming a “catcher in the rye” shows that Holden has affection for childhood. The Essay on The Catcher in the Rye: An Innocence Lost The Catcher in the Rye is a book by J. D. Salinger and the story of a boy named Holden Caufield. He implies that he is the only noble character Although she never explicitly states After Holden and Phoebe go to the zoo and Phoebe gets on the carousel, he describes that "I felt so damn happy all of a sudden, the way old Phoebe … world of childhood innocence, where Holden wants to stay, and the Phoebe is also a fascinating character in her own right. rest of the world is really bitterness toward himself. In Catcher in the Rye, the protagonist, Holder Coalfield, is introduced to the readers as a troubled young who desperately wants to protect his youthful innocence. April 28, 2020 by Essay Writer. Start your 48-hour free trial to unlock this answer and thousands more. Theme Of Innocence In Catcher In The Rye 877 Words | 4 Pages. Who is Phoebe in The Catcher in the Rye and why is she called "old" Phoebe? The book gets its title from Holden's constant concern with the loss of innocence. For most of the book, Holden sees this as a primary virtue. cruel world of shallow adult hypocrisy, where he’s afraid to go. it, Phoebe seems to realize that Holden’s bitterness toward the One of the most important sections of the story that help explain the title is the scene when Holden takes Phoebe to go ride on the carousel. He was a very impatient-type guy. The Catcher in the Rye is a novel by J. D. Salinger, partially published in serial form in 1945–1946 and as a novel in 1951. Holden confessed, I was damn near bawling, I … in a world of superficial and phony adults, and we must take him reads holdens essay out loud. Educators go through a rigorous application process, and every answer they submit is reviewed by our in-house editorial team. Because Holder constantly faces harsh realities of adulthood and world, he is even more compelled to protect innocence. Already a member? Holden also simply gets a kick out of being with Phoebe: he likes her, and she understands him. The Catcher in the Rye. She was a very important person in Holden’s life, because the aura of … This is the person who stands at the edge of a cliff where children are playing and catches them before they can fall off the edge and get hurt. Phoebe, Holden's younger sister, plays an important role in The Catcher in the Rye. Holden refuses to grow up but his age and school is forcing it upon him. New York’s terrible when somebody laughs on the street very late at night. She also knows how to listen to what he says. Despite There seems to be a simple dichotomy between the sweet The worst worry for a child is losing a favorite toy or forgetting to bring lunch. There’s a reason this is the title of the book. that he needs her. Top subjects are Literature, History, and Social Sciences. Throughout the book, you see Holden’s perspective of innocence. that he is a deeply sad, insecure young man who needs love and support. Our allegiance to the narrator weakens slightly once Salinger, illustrates this theme through the character of Holden Caulfield. Phoebe, Phoebe plays an important role at the end of... (The entire section contains 4 answers and 1058 words.). He learns that he cannot save the world, so to speak, or cannot always be the catcher in the rye. It was originally intended for adults but is often read by adolescents for its themes of angst, alienation, and as a critique on superficiality in society. Log in here. It is also through her that we see Holden begin to mature at the end of the novel and not feel he has to save the world. Holden Caulfield felt happy as he watched his sister Phoebe Caulfield ride on the Central Park carousel. It suggests they are not completely mindful of the worldr’s inconveniences. Through her, we learn of Holden's desire to be the catcher in the rye, the person who saves little children from falling off the edge of a cliff. Holden’s younger sister, Phoebe, was a child who possessed both innocence and maturity. 2: Innocence Is Bliss (Holden’s Dream) “Catcher In The Rye”, is Holden’s dream. Phoebe Caulfield is the sister of the narrator and protagonist, Holden Caulfield. The main character is a fifteen-year-old boy Holden, he takes the reader through a story depicting the loss of innocence. Holden is an isolated, self-critical, sixteen year old … I mean if you tell old Phoebe something, she knows exactly what the hell you're talking about. The novel The Catcher in the Rye written by J.D. Phoebe is important because Holden will confide in her. ... why does Holden like Phoebe's notebook? “You don’t like anything that’s happening.” Phoebe issues this challenge to Holden in Chapter 22, confronting her brother with his bleak outlook on the world. ...April 23, 2009 How Holden’s Loss of Innocence is Revealed Throughout The Catcher in the Rye Every child experiences maturation, and struggles through their adolescence as they attempt to hold on to their innocence. Phoebe that he would like to be a catcher in the rye: he pictures a lot of children playing in a big field of rye around the edge of a cliff. What does Holden like about his sister Phoebe in The Catcher in the Rye? When he sees kids who are innocent and how real it is, it makes him very happy. The field of rye symbolizes the childhood world, a world that is full … Love for Childhood Innocence in the Catcher in the Rye. Catcher in the Rye - Loss of Innocence In JD Salingers' Catcher in the Rye, a troubled teenager named Holden Caufield struggles with the fact that everyone has to grow up. She sees idealized fantasy. The dominating theme in this novel is the preservation of innocence, especially of children. January 12, 2021 by Essay Writer. In this lesson, we will learn more about Phoebe from the J.D. Holden sees innocence in characters like Allie, Phoebe, and Jane, and he is drawn to it. growing up is a necessary process; she also understands that Holden’s At the end of the book, when she shows up at the museum and demands Though only 10 years old, she is considerably more mature than Holden, though Holden actually covets her because of her youthful innocence. List some of the people and actions Holden sees as phony, and then discuss how he is phony himself in. Enjoy eNotes ad-free and cancel anytime. As its title indicates, the dominating theme of The Catcher in the Rye is the protection of innocence, especially of children. during what time period does the story take place? They include: Allie’s baseball mitt, the ducks in the Central Park pond, and Holden’s red hunting cap. I'd just be the catcher in the rye and all. How would you describe Holden and Phoebe's relationship in The Catcher in the Rye? Phoebe is Holden 's younger sister. How does the red hunting hat protect Phoebe in The Catcher in the Rye?How does the red hunting hat protect Phoebe in The Catcher in the Rye? Who are the experts?Our certified Educators are real professors, teachers, and scholars who use their academic expertise to tackle your toughest questions. The main character Holden is telling his story from a mental facility about his life and how he got there. Holden wants to be the “catcher in the rye”—someone who saves children from falling off a cliff, which can be understood as a metaphor for entering adulthood. The Catcher in the Rye. This text is NOT unique. what does mr. spencer do that annoys holden? Holden imagines that he would catch them if they start to go over the cliff. Mental Health in the Mid-Twentieth Century. The Catcher in the Rye takes the loss of innocence as its primary concern. If you want to know the truth, I’m a virgin. There seems to be a simple dichotomy between the sweet world of childhood innocence, where Holden wants to stay, and the cruel world of shallow adult hypocrisy, where he’s … The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Holden has a great protection of a child's innocence. about himself. Phoebe makes Holden’s picture of childhood—of is all we’ve been given. We’ve discounted annual subscriptions by 50% for COVID-19 relief—Join Now! Next to Phoebe, Holden’s stunted emotional maturity Phoebe Caulfield— Similarly, Phoebe is not a major character in the novel (there are no real major characters in the novel other than Holden). Holden’s lousy childhood experience emphasizes his love for childhood innocence throughout the book. Because He is upset that he has pushed Phoebe to the point of telling him to shut up, a form of profanity. The ending of J.D. ... which one of the following symbols does NOT have to do with the loss of innocence? He later tells Phoebe that this is what he wishes to be in life, someone who "catches" the innocent if they slip and fall. Top subjects are Literature, History, and Law and Politics, Top subjects are Literature, Social Sciences, and Business, Latest answer posted July 31, 2011 at 10:17:43 AM, Latest answer posted November 12, 2017 at 2:10:18 PM, Latest answer posted July 16, 2012 at 4:28:10 PM, Latest answer posted May 06, 2014 at 7:37:02 AM, Latest answer posted July 01, 2010 at 8:56:51 PM. I know it's crazy, but that's the only thing I'd really like to be. Phoebe, Holden's sister, is the opposite she is quite the innocent, never really being exposed to the world outside her protective bubble. she knows her brother better than we do, we trust her judgments Due to Holden’s obsession in preserving innocence, Holden chooses to be “the catcher in the rye” (173). refusal to mature reveals less about the outside world than it does He has a good deal of survivor's guilt because of his younger brother Allie's leukemia death, even though he had nothing to do with it. Symbolism in The Catcher in the Rye. J. D. Salinger's novel The Catcher in the Rye is a well-known coming of age story. ©2021 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Last Updated by eNotes Editorial on May 12, 2020. vision of childlike innocence. to come with him, she seems not so much to need Holden as to understand the world: she is a child, but she does not fit into Holden’s romanticized This concept of lost innocence is represented in both the novel The Catcher in the Rye and the film Rebel Without a Cause. Chapter 25, Phoebe utters these defiant words to Holden as he refuses to let her leave town with him. Through their conversation, we learn an important fact about Holden: his desire is to be the catcher in the rye. This represents his love of children’s innocence. He did not want children to grow up because he felt that adults are corrupt. It is to see her that he returns home, and … Each day, someone loses his or her innocence due to a seminal moment that changes his or her life forever. Preserving Innocence in The Catcher in the Rye. One way that Salinger shows this is through the indirect device of Holden's examination of all the "stuff" on her desk. (Salinger 224) The children jumping off the cliff is the jump from childhood to adulthood and a loss of innocence … It is very closely related to his struggle against growing up. She may not quite grasp what he means by being the "catcher in the rye." being six years younger than her brother, Phoebe understands that Innocence is a motif throughout The Catcher in the Rye. I know it's crazy. What record did Holden get for Phoebe in The Catcher in the Rye and why. the museum. What are the themes of The Catcher in the Rye, and how does the main character, Holden Caulfield, react to the world around him? Phoebe—according to Holden—is not only the smartest kid ever, but also best dancer ever, and the most sympathetic listener ever, and the funniest little sister ever. The way he moves from a comment about Phoebe to a generalization about kids versus adults indicates that Phoebe functions for Holden as a stand-in for the innocence of all children. Salinger novel ''The Catcher in the Rye''. But Phoebe complicates his narrative. He wanted to catch the children, who are playing in a field of rye, from falling off the cliff. Holden embodies the catcher in the rye theme with his desire to resist the phonies in his world and preserve innocence. He stands in a field of rye, while catching children who are playing too close to a cliff. The Catcher in the Rye. What is their relationship? It has also caused controversy because of its sexual content and use of profanity. It has been translated widely. And … Holden loves and cares very deeply about Phoebe, his younger sister, and feels very protective towards her. In "The Catcher in the Rye", how does Holden describe his mother? He was alienated from the society. then, serves as a guide and surrogate for the audience. at his word. He is no longer innocent, but exposed to the world. Phoebe, Holden's younger sister, plays an important role in The Catcher in the Rye. Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. The song Holden hears contains the lyric "if a body meet a body, coming through the rye" that Holden mishears as "if a body catch a body." He tries to do this when he attempts to erase the curses on the walls that he encounters. Allie’s baseball mitt is a symbol of a child’s innocence, and then how it is lost. Loss of Innocence: the Catcher in the Rye and Rebel Without a Cause. We can see this throughout the novel, as Holden strives to preserve innocence in himself and others. The Catcher in the Rye represents childhood as innocence and adulthood as being phony. eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. Holden says to Phoebe late in the book, '"Anyway, I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all. about him. In her arithmetic book, Phoebe has written her name as "Phoebe Weatherfield Caulfield." In the novel The Catcher in the Rye, there are three specific examples that support the idea that maturation and the loss of innocence are inevitable. Holden wants to be the catcher in the rye so that he can help keep the children their innocence from adults. Phoebe’s character challenges Holden’s view of Salinger is a unique book. This makes Phoebe's well-being all the more important to him. Before we meet Phoebe, Holden’s side of the story is all we’ve been given. Check out the way we learn about her: You'd like her. Childhood is where every conscious child wants to be an adult and Adulthood is where every adult secretly wants to be a child again – Abhimanyu Singh. Children’s innocence should be protected, he believes, and he has failed to do this with Phoebe, which troubles him greatly. we hear her side of the story. Phoebe Caulfield. Holden’s refusal to grow up, she becomes angry with him. Through her, we learn of Holden's desire to be the catcher in the rye… Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. The Preservation of Innocence: The theme of the struggle for youth to keep their innocence is a very evident theme in the Novel. At the Zoo, Phoebe rides a carousel and the main goal is to reach for the golden rings with the risk of falling off the horse. It sounded like a real kid. Salinger, Holden dislikes the … In The Catcher in the Rye, there are several themes that can be found in the words and actions of the narrator, Holden Caulfield. children romping through a field of rye—seem oversimplified, an We find out through this story how deeply Holden cares about protecting the innocent and vulnerable. But she does play a significant role in Holden’s life in that she ultimately directs his ways. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye is convincing, following logically from the nature of the characters and from the preceding action. He implies that he is the only noble character in a world of superficial and phony adults, and we must take him at his word. A childr’s innocence is a fundamental piece of their adolescence. catcher in the rye. With the death of his younger brother Allie at a young age and his little sister Phoebe, it makes sense that Holden wants to keep children from adulthood. In the novel, Catcher in the Rye by J.D.