Literary Analysis: The Catcher and the Rye

1. Briefly summarize the plot of the novel you read.
2. Succinctly describe the theme of the novel. Avoid cliches.
3. Describe the author's tone.  Include three excerpts that illustrate your point(s).
4. Describe five literary elements/techniques you observed that strengthened your understanding of the theme and/or your sense of the tone.  Include three excerpts that will help your reader understand each one.


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1. The plot of J.D. Salinger’s novel The Catcher and the Rye is a story about a wealthy boarding school boy named Holden Caulfield. Holden is going through the internal struggle of loneliness. He gets kicked out of his school and sent home for fighting, but on the way home decided to experience New York City alone for the weekend. He spends his entire time battling loneliness and trying to cope. He debates over calling a girl friend for some company, and even hires a prostitute just so she can help him verbalize his thoughts. Unfortunately, Holden does not find relief.

2. A theme in The Catcher and the Rye is the fear of growing up. Before getting expelled from school, Holden is criticized for immature. I even felt myself being annoyed with his character’s lack of maturity. While in New York, Holden visited places from his childhood, and thought of adulthood as a world filled with phonies and fakes. He also identified best with his little sister, Phoebe.

3. The authors tone, I believe, is similar to that of Holden Caulfield because of the strong message. He is a cynic. Examples from the novel would be his assumption of Catholics, that they always try to find out if you’re Catholic or not. Another example would be his quote, “People never believe you.” And then my favorite quotes, “If a girl looks swell when she meets you, who gives a damn if she’s late? Nobody.”

4. One. Protagonist; Holden Caulfield is the protagonist, and he helped me understand the author’s tone. I know that in many instances, the narrator and the author may have different views, but in this case, I feel like they were one in the same. Holden is very sarcastic and cynical, and wants to stay young forever because he believes that adults are “phonies”. Secondly, I believe that diction played a huge rule in developing and conveying the tone and theme because of the type of wording that J.D. Salinger used to convey his character’s thoughts, feelings, and emotions. Thirdly, syntax is very similar to that and is added for the same reasons. Fourthly, minor characters play a big role as well. For example, Phoebe, Holden’s little sister acted as a portal into Holden’s mind. He liked Phoebe better than his parents and older brother because he did not think of her as a phony or fake person. This shows that he likes people who you can accept at face value. Finally, the largest literature term used to convey the tone and theme would be the plot because it drives the story and is the purpose meant to straightly convey the theme. The plot of this story was about a boy searching to find himself and accept the inevitable of growing up and maturing.