FREE ESSAY ON CATHER IN THER RYE -- SUCCESSFUL ENDINGS

CATHER IN THER RYE -- SUCCESSFUL ENDINGS

Successful conclusions offered throughout novels are results of spiritual reassessments or
moral reconciliation of specific characters. Considered as a more relaxed novel, Catcher
in the Rye catches the spirit of the reader with its moral reconciliation, defining the
book's meaning as a whole. 
Holden Caufield serves as the protagonist in the novel by J.D.Salinger, Catcher in the
Rye. Holden trudges through the book lonely, making assumptions of everyone's characters.
Every character in this novel according to Holden is a phony." However, this poses the
questions, what defines a phony in Caulfield's mind, and what exactly is Salinger trying
to get across to the reader?" Holden's representation of the complex teenage mind allows
an insight of how an average 15-17 year old thinks. Holden is troubled by the perplexed
ways society is working around him. Take for example, his obsession with the ducks in the
pond, and his constant worry for them, and constant want to protect them. Holden doesn't
like the way society works, and wants to be the catcher in the rye, protecting society's
children from it's evilness and corruption, keeping them safe. Holden has an epiphany
during the novel as he passes the elementary school halls and notices the obscenities
scribbled on the walls. His attempt to efface them is unsuccessful, and he realizes that
he cannot make them go away. This symbolizes Holden's need to protect, and realization
that he cannot be the savior of society's corruption. 
Although the scene in the elementary school hall hints to Holden that he cannot make the
imperfections of the world disappear; nothing provides the determining insight better
than his little sister, Phoebe. Upon his departure, Holden giving up, as he always does,
Phoebe makes him realize what it is he is really giving up. He is not giving up on
anything besides himself by running away and trying to disappear. Phoebe proposes to
Holden that he cannot change the world, and he has to stop giving up on himself whenever
he does not succeed at his impossible tasks. Phoebe is one of the only things in the
world that truly mean something to Holden, and when he sees that he has let her down, the
climax is hit in the novel; Holden decides to say home. 
Phoebe is Holden's crutch, and provides him with the realization that he cannot be "the
catcher in the rye" to society. This moral reconciliation, leading to a happy ending,
allows Salinger to receive a lasting response from his readers; and his readers a lasting
image from Holden.