Terror In The Catcher in the Rye

April 7, 2022 by Essay Writer

Throughout the novel Holden goes through a series of changes which, in turn, shapes the novel. As the adolescent he is, he makes choices that lead him to experiences in both a wonderous and innocent sense, as well as a more turbulent and terroristic sense. At the start of the novel The Catcher in the Rye holden is expelled and begin seeking ideals through a more turbulent perspective, however, by the end of the story he is overcoming these logics and becoming a more sane and innocent adolescent.

Throughout the novel Holden experiences tribulation and terror from being expelled and his reasons for being expelled, as well as his actions once he reaches the city. By the latter part and end of the novel he experienced innocence and realized his wrong doings, causing him to believe in a more caring and wondrous perspective, now being ready to grow up.

Due to Holdenr’s depression at the beginning of the story, and his increasing depression throughout the story he faces many poor decisions on his behalf. After leaving Pencey Preparatory holden flees to New York where he encounters feelings of anger, depression, and arousal. During this time he calls a stripper in order to fulfill his needs, however, she tells him the next day would be fine and he declines, not her. This angered him leading him to make more poor choices. This ideology causes him to act on his not so innocent ways and face terror and tribulation. He ends up in a bar later on in the story, getting drunk, dwelling in his thoughts of anger and depression. This tribulation is very important in shaping the story because without his poor decision making the story would have fallen through, and he might not have reached a better state of mind by the end of the novel. After getting drunk Holden finds his way back to his hotel where he encounters a prostitute, which he does nothing with, and gets beat up for not paying for the encounter. This tribulation that occurs throughout this portion of the novel shapes Holdenr’s story and his life.

Leading toward the end of the novel, holden reflects on his previous decision and the tribulation and terror that resulted from those decisions. By this point Holden realizes that he does in fact need to grow up at some point. When he finally returns home Holden avoids telling his parents about his troubles and hsi encounters after leaving Pencey. He does not want his father to kill him, nor does he want them to confront him and judge him on his wrong doings. At this point in the novel Holdenr’s experiences and actions are becoming more innocent and wonderous. He now wants to change for the better, and explore growing up. The end of the novel is shaped by this. Holden changed his ways, for the better, and the novel turned around in his favor. Holden will not have tribulation or terror any longer, more so he will have a sense of curiosity, and innocence as he now begins to grow up.

Holden began the story experiencing tribulation, which occurred throughout most of the novel. However, by the end of the story he overcame his terror and bad choices, and became a better person. By this point he was ready to grow up. The story as a whole was shaped by Holdenr’s tribulation as an adolescent, as he experienced different things. The resolution of the story was shaped by his new found innocence, which lead him to be ready to become a grown up. Without this sense of change and new character, the sort would not have ended the way it did, and the starting tribulation would have occurred until the end of the novel, reflecting Holdenr’s poor decisions.

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