Catcher in the Rye Essay: The Importance of Language -- Catcher Rye Es

The Importance of Language in The backstop in the Rye J.D. Salingers The backstop in the Rye has captured the spirit of adolescence, dramatizing Holden Caulfields crude(a) language and melodramatic reactions. Written as the autobiographical account of a fictional teenage prep school student named Holden Caulfield, The catcher in the Rye deals with material that is soci bothy scandalous for the time (Gwynn, 1958). As an perceptional, intelligent, and subtile young man, Holden puts his inner world to the test through the sexual mores of his peers and elders, the teachings of his education, and his own emerging sense of self. Throughout the years, the language of the story has startled readers. Salingers visualize of Holdens easy, conversational manner makes the introduction of these larger themes appear natural and believable. (Bloom, 1990). At the time of the novel, and even today, Holdens obstetrical delivery rings true to the colloquial speech of teenagers. Holden, accor ding to many reviews in the Chicago Tribune, the New Yorker, and the New York Times, accurately captures the informal speech of an average intelligent, educated, northeastern American adolescent (Costello, 1990). such(prenominal) speech includes both simple description and blatant cursing. For example, Holden says, Theyre nice and all, as well as Im not going to tell you my undivided goddam autobiography or anything. In the first instance, he uses the experimental condition nice which oversimplifies his parents character. This wording of his phrase implies that he does not wish to neglect them, yet at the same time he does not correspond to praise them. At best he deems them as nice and all. Holden elevate cuts short his description, but in a more curt manner, when he stat... ...nage angst is apparent, Salinger carefully crafted Holdens vocabulary to create a character who would be believable. As Holdens vocabulary and outlook on life demonstrate his character as a fictional p ersona, the realistic flavor of his vocabulary mixed with emotion unfailingly ties him to the harsh realities of adolescence and the youth of his time. Works Cited Bloom, HB. Major Literary Characters Holden Caulfield. Chelsea support Publishers. New York, 1990. Costello, DP. The Language of the Catcher in the Rye. Holden Caulfield. Cambridge, New York Cambridge University Press, 1990. Gwynn, F. The Fiction of JD Salinger. University of Pittsburg Press. 1958 Salinger, JD. The Catcher in the Rye, Little, Brown and Co. Boston, 1951. Salzman, J. The American Novel New Essays on the Catcher in the Rye. Cambridge University Press, 1991.