The significance of family bonds in J.D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye is highlighted throughout the book, with Holden constantly longing for his siblings and recognizing their importance in navigating his school and everyday life. The relationships with Allie, D.B., and Phoebe provide ample evidence of this theme. Particularly, Holden is preoccupied with his brother D.B., deeply caring about his personality and wishing for him to pursue writing short stories that truly bring him joy instead of being a Hollywood writer. Memories of D.B.'s bedtime stories also offer Holden comfort and a sense of home. Furthermore, D.B.'s connection to watching old movies with Phoebe has a lasting impact on Holden, even though he admits to not fully enjoying those experiences. "I simply don't understand why people find Sir Laurence Olivier so wonderful," remarked Holden (pg 117). Their movie outings invo
...lve criticizing and discussing what they would change about the films. Throughout the book, D.B.'s thoughts and memories serve as a guiding light for Holden during moments of confusion, bringing him comfort when he needs it most. Additionally, Allie's influence plays a significant role in shaping Holden's thoughts and actions despite being deceased; he remains at the forefront of Holden's mind offering guidance in solving his biggest problemsHolden frequently reflected on the strong presence of Allie, his brother, in his thoughts. He described Allie's left-handed fielder's mitt with poems written all over it as a cherished possession. Throughout the book, Holden expressed a deep longing for Allie and consistently pondered his memory. Despite Allie's death, his influence continued to impact Holden's actions. Holden often sought to align himself with what he believed Allie would have wanted
and made choices based on this sentiment. The remembrance of Allie evoked strong emotions within Holden, which he expressed through writing Stradlater's composition about the baseball mitt. This emotional attachment to Allie influenced Holden multiple times throughout the book, including when he wrote a remarkable poem for Stradlater inspired by thoughts of his younger brother.
Among all the characters in the book, it was Holden's sister Pheobe who exerted the most significant influence on his life. Making her happy brought him immense joy and demonstrated by his tireless search for a rare record called "Little Shirley Beans," which Pheobe liked.Despite his determination, Holden unintentionally broke the record in the park, leaving him devastated at the missed opportunity to bring happiness to someone. Another moment that showcased Pheobe's influence on Holden's life was when he momentarily lost sight of her while walking down the street. This caused him to feel fear and panic as his mind raced with thoughts. Ultimately, Pheobe also disrupted Holden's plan to spend his Christmas break working on a farm because he couldn't bear the idea of leaving without seeing her one last time. Throughout the book, Holden had intense feelings and thoughts about Pheobe. He believed that without her, he wouldn't have been able to survive alone in the city for such a long period of time. Family is an essential theme in life, particularly for Holden Caulfield. Whether it was writing a poem for Stradler inspired by Allie or staying in New York for Pheobe, his family always played a significant role in influencing his major decisions and actions. Without their presence, Holden would have been disoriented and unable to endure
as long in the city.
- 1984 essays
- A Farewell to Arms essays
- A Good Man Is Hard to Find essays
- A Hanging essays
- A Lesson Before Dying essays
- A Long Way Gone essays
- A Rose For Emily essays
- A Separate Peace essays
- A Tale Of Two Cities essays
- A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings essays
- Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn essays
- Alice in Wonderland essays
- All Quiet on The Western Front essays
- Allegory of the Cave essays
- An occurrence at owl creek bridge essays
- Animal Farm essays
- Anthem essays
- Antigone essays
- Arthur Conan Doyle essays
- As I Lay Dying essays
- Atticus Finch essays
- Barn Burning essays
- Battle Royal essays
- Beauty and The Beast essays
- Beloved essays
- Boo Radley essays
- Brave New World essays
- Candide essays
- Castle essays
- Characters In Hamlet essays
- Characters In Romeo And Juliet essays
- Christmas carol essays
- Chronicle of a Death Foretold essays
- Cinderella essays
- Crime and Punishment essays
- Daisy Miller essays
- Death of a Salesman American Dream essays
- Desdemona essays
- Diary Of A Wimpy Kid essays
- Dracula essays
- Dubliners essays
- Emma essays
- Ender'S Game essays
- Ethan Frome essays
- Eveline essays
- Fahrenheit 451 essays
- First-Person Narrative essays
- Fish Cheeks essays
- Frankenstein essays
- Genesis essays