Holden Caulfield Character Examination Essay Example for Free

H hoaryen Caulfield Character Examination set aboutCharacter Examination Holden Caulfield is a figment of author J.D Salingers imagination, Holden is the exception to all rules, and the rule to all exceptions. He is in an unclassifiable category, and his physical traits give no clue on how to enravel this enigmatic young man. Holden is care but cold, timid yet bold, passive but aggressive these are three of perhaps hundreds of antonyms describing his psyche. Holden is the champion in J.D Salingers only acclaimed novel The Catcher in the Rye. The myth centers around the adolescence of this rebel with and without a causes life. It is narrated from the depute of view of a cynic, with most secondary characters being valueless, trite yuppies with little integrity or worth. Holdens congenital voyage is triggered by his expulsion from Pencey, a boarding school in upstate New York.Holden Caulfield is a tall, solidly built teenager. Holden has short dirty blond hair which he wears in a caboodle cut. He has a pale complexion and has a tendency of acheting red in the face. Salinger does not concentrate on the physical traits of his protagonist but rather he thoroughly describes all facets of his psyche. What stricken me as odd about Salingers style is that with many secondary and supporting characters in the novel, he paints a very detailed physical analysis from head to toe. Perhaps Salinger do this decision in smart set to show the reader the complexity of Holden as a human, and that while supporting characters can be brought into the story by external traits, Holdens complex character transcends mere physical description.Holden Caulfield is a cynic by constitution and is a self proclaimed judge of others. Holden has no respect for other peoples positive traits, and he adamantly believes that people put on a faade, play a part and have no self worth or moral barometer.It can be said that Holden is a bipolar character, for example Holden is nave yet cyn ical simultaneously. One might say that it is impossible to be nave and cynical at the same time but with Holden it is evident on a regular basis. Holden is definitely cynical, Holden commences impetuous accusations and intoxicating generalizations of people and often he is mistaken inhis judgment because he shows no form of bankers acceptance to the positive value of the human spirit. Holden is also nave, not in the pure sense of the enounce but Holden is nave of himself and his thoughts. Holden has strong deep-rooted beliefs of the world being against him and the world being out to get him, but he is mistaken. Holden Caulfield radical belief of his own beliefs makes him nave and gullible. The sad part of Holdens terrible perspective towards life, is that to some extent he himself is a fraud, by becoming an arrogant disbeliever of human worth, he is, in his mind justifying his own mistakes and moral flaws.Holden has feelings of insecurity and a fear of loneliness and alienatio n, his fear plays a large role in his actions during his time in Manhattan. From the moment of his departure from Pencey, Holden was trying to call his old girlfriends at first he called his old friend Jane Gallagher. After striking out, he was lonely and his personal manner of dealing with his rejection was hopping from bar to bar and from nightclub to nightclub. After Holden recovered from his misadventure with Jane, he called another familiarity named Sally. Sally and Holden ended up meeting up for a matinee, but Holden, spotted a lunt (phony) and it made him wreck the date.Holden is fickle and impatient, this is exemplified by his hopping from hangout to hangout at night in New York. Holden would make potentially monstrous decisions on impulse. He was not methodical or prudent at all, his impulsiveness could be labeled as recklessness. An example of the dangers of his impetuousness is when after a tough night, he hired a prostitute from the elevator man, Maurice. Holden didnt even think about the consequences of his actions and in the end Holden was in a dangerous situation with Maurice. Holden Caulfields secondary characteristics are what make the plot of the novel so interesting to the reader.Holden Caulfield is a real fascinating character. In writing this essay, the complexity and the inconsistency of his character traits became more and more evident to me. Holden is a great example of many minus qualities often associated with teenagers such as, impulsiveness, recklessness and various other negative traits not affiliated with teenagers such as cynicism, and a lack of faith. Holden is the most intriguing character Ihave encountered in my literary experience. In two years from now when rereading Salingers novel The Catcher In The Rye, I wonder how my thoughts and opinions of Holden Caulfield will change. With further insight to Holdens complex character, I may well cherish him more and more.