As children, the prospect of death for many may seem foreign. A mere twenty years is more like a century to the youngsters in elementary school, and generally little attention is paid to the future because, at the moment, the present is too much fun. Kids worry about recess and tag, not cancer and death; therefore, it is not surprising that many children have unusual and perhaps strange reactions to the passing of family members. In J.D Salinger’s famed “ The Catcher in the Rye ”, the protagonist, Holden Caulfield, experiences the death of his favorite brother, Allie, when he is very young. However, it is not the fatality itself that is so remarkable in the story, but the way the loss affects Holden as he grows up. Throughout the novel, Holden focuses his energy, time, and concentration on resisting adulthood both for himself and those around him, due specifically to the death of his brother Allie. In a vain attempt to recover from his siblings tragic death, instead of moving forward, Holden decides he, and others, should remain rooted in the present. In doing so, he stunts his own recovery process, and furthermore is unable, for the majority of the novel, to overcome his loss. In some cases of loss, people use buffers or distractions to further themselves from the issues they may not want to face, and also as a type of personal coping mechanism. In “The Catcher in the Rye”, Holden uses a bright red hunting hat to distance himself from the very idea of maturity and also in an attempt to be perceived younger than he actually is. In the same way that Holden “tap-dance[s]…just for the hell of it,” (Salinger, 38) while his roommate Stradlater shaves, Holden often uses these childish antics to hide from the disturbing notion that he i… … middle of paper … …f his brother Allie, Holden decides he will reject the very idea of adulthood, and forever stay an innocent child by acting immature, avoiding mature situations, and using objects like his hunting hat to pretend he is still young. Furthermore, he projects his beliefs onto the rest of the children in the world, including his little sister Phoebe, and repeatedly tries, in vain, to shield kids from all aspects of adulthood. Regardless of whether he acts consciously or subconsciously, after Allie’s death Holden chooses to become a completely unnecessary protector, both for himself and for others. By electing to act this way and refusing to take the necessary steps to heal, Holden is effectively blocking his own path to recovery, and up until last page of the novel he refuses to acknowledge the fact that it was his coping mechanisms that were holding him back all along.
Order an Essay Now & Get These Features For Free:
Turnitin Report
Formatting
Title Page
Citation
Outline
