The Character Of Holden Caulfield In “The Catcher In The Rye”

J.D Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye (American Literature 20th Century) is one the most praised works. The story is set between the 1940’s & 1950’s. Holden Caulfield plays the main character. He is known for his eccentric personality. He is a strange person with a complicated personality. His personality encourages the reader to consider who he really was and what shaped his personality. Many books and novels portray an epic hero. There is a lot to be proud of in an epic character. The main character of Holden Caulfield, the protagonist of the novel, is depicted as a normal teenager, with some moments of suffering and troubles he experiences in the development of the story. These moments are what make Holden who he is. They shape his character and personality. Holden uses the novel to talk a lot about suicide and death. These moments are a direct representation of how Holden’s life changes after the loss of his brother. Holden displays a certain characteristic that is very obvious. He lies to himself about many things. He will always answer “yes” when asked if everything is okay, even though things are terrible. He is not one to bond with anyone. This is due to his constant negative comments about others, but he rarely talks about himself. He comes across as a coward. He will think about everything, both negative and positive, and then hide it from them. Holden has strong feelings and tries hard to avoid them. He has roommates he does not like, he is being kicked out from school and is feeling very alone. He hides these feelings to avoid having to confront the reality. This essay will debate whether Holden Caulfield is an “Epic Hero” in the novel, or if he’s not. Epic heroes are characters that inspire or make the reader want to do what the hero has done. They also include heroes who inspire or make the reader dream of being or doing the same things. Holden Caulfield doesn’t embody the antiheroic characteristics we have previously discussed. He is a normal human being, who has been through some difficult times in his life. If I were in a situation similar to Holden Caulfield’s in the novel “Catcher in the Rye”, it would be much worse than the way the main character does. Holden must deal with extreme pressure and strong emotions. This includes loneliness, non acceptance, depression, and many other issues that can be very difficult to handle. The idea of being kicked out and having to lose friends is something that would really hit me in the “emotions” department. I would likely just cry the whole day and not deal with reality. This is very similar to Holden’s attempts to avoid these feelings.