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What Is Holden's Downfall Of The Catcher In The Rye

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What Is Holden's Downfall Of The Catcher In The Rye
In The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, Holden gradually displays the downfall of his mental welfare by consistently worrying about protecting children’s innocence. At first glance, Holden appears to have a sumptuous life; he has his money, two parents, siblings, friends, love interests. As Holden continues to reveal his journey, his true emotions and experiences are exposed. Holden lives in depression after experiencing the death of his younger brother Allie. Because Holden never receives the help he needs mentally from his brother’s tragic death, he carries a huge burden throughout his life. Holden admits “I’m in bad shape. I’m in lousy shape.” Allie’s sickness shows Holden the devastating progression of Allie’s loss of childhood innocence. This triggers Holden’s craving to save childhood innocence. Throughout Holden’s reminiscence, he explains his penchant to become a catcher in the rye. A catcher in the rye attempts to prevent children from losing their childhood innocence. Holden believes “Certain …show more content…
Being the catcher in the rye, Holden stands in a field of rye by a cliff and protects children from falling off- losing their innocence. However, Holden cannot save every child making Holden a butter-fingered catcher in the rye. For example, Holden feels his greatest disappointment as the catcher in the rye happens when Allie loses his battle to cancer. Because Allie suffers from Leukemia, Holden witnesses the decline of Allie’s innocence. Allie’s sickness prevents him from experiencing all of the youthful adventures every child participates in. Another child Holden feels he disappoints is James Castle. Holden attends Elkton Hills School with James. After other boys in Elkton Hills School sexually assault James, he jumps out of the window, killing himself. Holden knows James lost his innocence by those boys raping him, and this situation bothers Holden because he feels he could have saved
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