Literary Analysis of "The Catcher in the Rye": Themes, Characters, and Devices
Explore the coming-of-age theme, first-person point of view, diction, motifs, hyperbole, and symbols in J.D. Salinger's novel "The Catcher in the Rye." Delve into the societal and literary implications of Holden Caulfield's journey from innocence to experience, analyzing the characters, themes, and literary devices used by the author.
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See full size image http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:MqAzgZm9Omqj9M:http://chuckpalahniuk.net/files/images/news/jd-salinger.jpg Notes for The Catcher in the Rye Literary Devices Characters Themes
Coming-of-age story From: A Dictionary of Literary and Thematic Terms, Second Edition. A sociological term for the movement of an individual from childhood or adolescence to adulthood. In primitive societies, coming of age is marked by a prescribed ritual in which the young person, after undergoing a test or submitting to a painful procedure, becomes a member of the tribe. In literature, this tradition is reflected in stories that mark a child's passage from innocence to experience or knowledge, in which the child usually pays the price of pain or disillusionment. Notable examples in 20th-century literature include those short stories of Ernest Hemingway that focus on the character of Nick Adams, J. D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye (1951), and Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird (1960). The theme also constitutes an important chapter in any novel characterized as a bildungsroman, a German term for a type of novel that includes coming of age.
Point of View From: A Dictionary of Literary and Thematic Terms, Second Edition. The perspective from which the action in a story is viewed. The Catcher in the Rye uses FIRST PERSON. Holden Caulfield, the "I" of the story is a participant and observer of the action. Can first person narrators be trusted? Is Holden a reliable narrator? How does the reader know?
Diction From: A Dictionary of Literary and Thematic Terms, Second Edition. The choice of words in a work of literature. The general categories of diction are formal, colloquial, and slang. How would you characterize Holden s language? Examples??
Motif Motif (m t f ), in literature, term that denotes the recurrent presence of certain character types, objects, settings, or situations in diverse genres and periods of folklore and literature. Examples of motifs include swords, money, food, jewels, forests, oceans, castles, dungeons, tests of skill or wisdom, journeys, separations and reunions, chaos brought to order. Loneliness, lying, problems with relationships, phoniness Others?
Hyperbole An exaggerated expression not meant to be taken literally. My parents would have about two hemorrhages apiece (1) They advertise in about a thousand magazines. (2) The one side of my head is full of millions of gray hairs. (9)
Symbol From: A Dictionary of Literary and Thematic Terms, Second Edition. A widely used term in many disciplines, referring to the process by which a person, place, object, or event comes to stand for some abstract idea or condition. The ducks in Central Park Allie s catcher s mitt Holden s red hunting hat Other symbols ?
Conflict From: A Dictionary of Literary and Thematic Terms, Second Edition. The struggle either within or between characters that is often the basis of the plot of a play or story. Internal --(Holden vs. struggles with his feeling of loneliness) External -- (Holden vs. his parents, Holden vs. the adult world) Other conflicts?
Childhood vs. Adulthood In what ways is Holden like a child? Pencey Prep scenes In what ways does he act like an adult? With Mrs. Morrow/at the hotel
Characters Keep a list of characters as you read about them. How does Holden feel about His family Parents Allie D.B. Phoebe What do we know about them? Where does he fit in?
Characters Stradlater Ackley Jane Gallagher Mrs. Morrow/Ernest Morrow Sally Hayes Faith Cavendish Carl Luce
A research paper review How might a critic analyze this novel? Autobiographical elements (Salinger s life) Style (1stperson, flashback) Historical/Political Background (post-WWII) Symbolism (red hunting hat, ducks, glove ) Theme (the difficulty of crossing the bridge from childhood to adulthood) Characterization (how is Holden portrayed)
