Catcher In The Rye

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[Category]:

Book Reports

[Paper Title]:

Catcher in the Rye

[Text]:

J.D. Salinger’s novel, The Catcher in the Rye, should long be remembered as

an American classic. Although some may not consider it one of the most

eloquently written stories of its time, it certainly captures the reader’s

attention. Salinger is able to incorporate philosophical views throughout the

story in terms of Holden’s ethical code; at the same time, he keeps the
reader

entranced with radical turns of events and Holden’s character.

As far as ethics is concerned, Holden has his fair share of bad moral

judgments. He demonstrates a very negative principle when he decides, “...

I’d get the hell out of Pency-right that same night and all. I mean not
wait till

Wednesday or anything. I just didn’t want to hang around any more” (51).

In this simple action, Holden gives himself away as a man of little
reasoning.

He shows that he has no desire to have his life run by authority, so he packs

up his belongings and leaves at will. A second show of disagreeable morals

is presented in the form of Holden’s drinking habit, “I ordered a Scotch
and

soda, which is my favorite drink, next to frozen Daiquiris” (85). Drinking
in

itself does not constitute moral corruption, yet drinking at Holden’s young

age, does. Holden turns to liquor as a scapegoat, and has failed to see the

error in his ways. Although the prior two offenses are large, perhaps the
most

obvious flaw in character for Holden was his intention to entertain a

prostitute, “I kept hoping she’d be good-looking. I didn’t care too
much,

though. I sort of wanted to get it over with” (93). Whereas drinking is

considered deviant only because of Holden’s young age, the purchase of a

prostitute at any age cannot be condoned. For whatever reason, Holden did

not use sound judgment in deciding to engage in the company of a harlot.

Obviously, Holden needs some ethical guidance, but perhaps not all is lost

with him.

Throughout the novel, Holden finds a way to redeem his own

understanding of right and wrong. Though his intentions might have leaned

toward corruption, his final decisio

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