The Melancholy of Holden Caulfield

by B3FROMME

The Melancholy of Holden Caulfield is a realistic extension of the novel, The Catcher in the Rye. It follows the life of Holden, exploring how Holden's view of the 'adult world' have developed after the events in the novel. I originally wrote this for school in year 11. My teacher loved it, so I hope you enjoy it too. I have published this story on Wattpad too, by the way. w

3. Rationale

Rationale

If you'd like to understand the story a little better, here's my rationale:

The Catcher in the Rye is a coming of age novel written by J.D Salinger. It's narrated through the lens of Holden Caulfield, a 16-year-old boy with a cynical view of the world who is struggling in his transition from childhood to adulthood. Throughout the novel, Holden's coming of age is quite literal as he develops himself through various life-changing experiences in New York City. Holden contests against his transition into adulthood and instead convinces himself that the world of adulthood is dull and dishonest.

This emotional immaturity holds him back from his transition to adulthood which he continually attempts to explore through engaging in 'adult activities,' such as smoking, drinking and even sex with a prostitute. He is, however, held back by this immaturity. Eventually, Holden realises that change is inevitable. Following this, he seems to be applying himself by seeking assistance from adults. Despite this, there is still uncertainty in his future after he's asked if he will be using himself in school: "I mean, how do you know what you're going to do till you do it?" (Salinger, pg. 192)

The Melancholy of Holden Caulfield is a natural extension of J.D Salinger's writing on what's to become of this uncertainty concerning the concept of coming of age for Holden. This is accomplished through symbolism and reflection of various elements from the book to explore and deepen the progression of Holden in the 'adult world.'

One central symbol of Holden from the book is his red hunting hat. It's an outlandish hat that symbolises Holden's desire to be different and unique from those around him. At the same time, he's very self-conscious about wearing it to the point of taking it off when meeting acquaintances due to fear of judgment: "I'd already taken off my hunting hat, so as not to look suspicious or anything." (Salinger, pg. 142). In the epilogue, Holden freely wears the hat without taking it off during his daily life. This signifies the new confidence and comfort he has developed as an adult through his willingness to express himself with those close to him, not just when he is alone.

Another element of change in Holden's nature is his emotional maturity. In the novel, he is curious about where the ducks go during the winter. He finds himself unsettled by the idea that the ducks have to alter their lives to survive; he is afraid of change. This view of his differs in the epilogue when it's implied that he has lost interest in the ducks: "I never did find out where the ducks went during the winter." Later this is more directly affirmed when he says, "Who gives a damn about some stupid ducks." This symbolises that he is no longer afraid of change, where he has accepted that change is just a fundamental part of life. This train of thought is further hinted at when he disrupts the beautiful scenery by throwing a rock into a lake. Previously in the novel, he wouldn't even throw a snowball at a car for fear of ruining its "pristine look" (Salinger, pg. 32).

The Melancholy of Holden Caulfield adds substance to the original novel by exploring how the novel's events have affected his transition and growth as an adult, his coming of age. This is emphasised through symbolism and reflection by Holden in contrast to various elements of the book, which examines and deepens the progression of Holden through the 'adult world.'