Salinger And Holden Simmilarities
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The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, is home to the protagonist Holden Caulfield. There is no coincidence that he holds a striking resemblance to the author of the novel himself. Both Salinger and Holden have many aspects of their life in common.
Holdens story in The Catcher in the Rye begins with Holden at his school, Pencey Preparatory, which is a boarding school. He was sent there by his parents, who seemed to be withdrawn from his life. Similarly, Salingers parents sent him to Valley Forge Military School, where he had a neighbor who always seemed to be barging in, resembling Holdens relationship with Ackley. The reader also learns that Holden is the son of wealthy parents from New York. It turns out that J.D. Salinger was also born in New York to upper-class parents. It seems as though Holden Caulfields childhood is very comparable to that of J.D. Salingers.
One of the main aspects of Holden Caulfields personality is his feeling of being secluded from the rest of society. Holden refers to the people whom he feels are “different” as phonies. Holdens hatred of the outside world can also be tied back to J.D. Salingers view of society. J.D. Salinger was often secluded as a child because of his religion. Judaism was not entirely accepted back in the 1930s. At the time of Salingers early adult years, the Holocaust was taking place. Salinger must have felt unwanted during that time, very similar to how Holden felt. During Salingers adulthood, he turned into a recluse. He liked everything to be in a specific routine. For example, he eats the same Basket Robbins ice cream flavor every night and secludes himself to his home in New Hampshire. He rarely makes public appearances, which is unusual for a person with his status. Yet another, similarity between Holden and Salinger is their hatred for Ivy League schools. Throughout the novel Holden expresses his hatred for Ivy League schools, which he considers “phony.” Again Salinger shares the same feeling. Even though Salinger eventually ended up attending Columbia, an Ivy League school, he was rejected by many others. Salinger felt he was rejected for because he was Jewish. It was not unusual