Literary Analysis Essay on Phoniness and Authenticity in The Catcher in the Rye

Introduction

The catcher in the rye is a story narrated by a young man known as Holden. Though he is not specific about his location, Holden says that he is in a mental hospital where he is receiving treatment. The events surrounding his story take place a few days before Christmas and the end of the semester of his school. The narrator begins his story by giving how events unfold on a Saturday evening after school at Pencey prep in Pennsylvania. Pencey is Holden's fourth school after he failed in three other schools. His performance in his new school is also not impressive as he has failed four of his grade subjects and he is due to be expelled. The whole story revolves around phoniness and authenticity. The narrator dislikes fake people, and it angers him when he encounters them in every place that he goes and with those he interacts with. The paper will explore the theme of phoniness and authentic as depicted by different characters in the novel.

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Phoniness and authenticity is a theme that draws a line between honesty and deception. Firstly, Holden experiences phoniness right in Pencey where he interacts with friends who are not genuine. Stradlater who is his roommate lies to him concerning Holden's ex-girlfriend when he questioned him if they had sex during an outing he took her "Life is a game, boy. Life is a game that one plays according to the rules."Yes, sir. I know it is. I know it." he says (Salinger,p.7). Instead of Stradlater being honest about what happened he starts to tease Holden an issue the makes him be infuriated leading to a fight between the two. It is a case that depicts phoniness from Stradlater and which upsets Holden as he does not like phony peoples he tells them I put my red hunting hat on, and turned the peak around to the back, the way I liked it, and then I yelled at the top of my goddam voice, "Sleep tight, ya morons!"(Salinger,p.56). The issue shows a clear division between phoniness as represented by Stradlater and authenticity as demonstrated by Holden. Similarly, Holden depicts phoniness when he lies to a mother of one of the students whom he met on the bus as they were traveling. He flatters the boy by telling his mother about how shy her son is and the respect to which he is accorded at school. It shows phoniness because in his conscience Holden thinks that the boy is a bastard. On the contrary, the mother is authentic because she innocently believes what the narrator tells him about her son.

Phoniness is also depicted by the man in Edmonton hotel where Holden has gone to spend some time before going home. He dresses up in women clothing instead of putting on what a man should put on. It is a case that shows lack of originality but only phoniness. However, within the same vicinity couples portray their acts of affection in a lovely and genuine manner that it draws the attention of Holden although he is upset he becomes aroused by the act. It is a scene that shows two lovebirds enjoying their time, though it upsets the narrator it shows a genuine case of love and intimacy. Similarly, Holden encounters people who are phony, and he is not willing to interact with them despite his desire of wanting to have sex.For instance, the prostitute that he is brought seem not to attract the attention of the narrator and instead of having sex he releases her after paying five dollars it is a depiction of authenticity on the part of Holden because he could not take pleasure from what he disliked he says "...Every time they do something pretty, even if they're not much to look at, or even if they're sort of stupid..."( Salinger, p.47) . Holden also shows his phoniness when he associates with people he does not like. For instance, he calls Sally, but he ends up disappointing her even before they had some good time in a situation that angers her and she decides to leave. Holden knew that he never loved her but requested for a meeting only to create pain it is a depiction of phonies and authenticity on the part of sally "Holden saysThen, just to show you how crazy I am, when we were coming out of this big clinch, I told her I loved her and all. It was a lie, of course, but the thing is, I meant it when I said " ( Salinger,p.53). When Holden is bored he goes to the lavender room and asks for a drink, he pretends to be an adult and wants to do the things that adults do, but he is denied. Holden is phony because he says that he hates adulthood yet he wants to be an adult by doing things that these people do. When he flirts with three women from Seattle and dances with one he thinks the lad is a moron when he gets attracted to him too.

He is phony because it is human nature and just like he fell in love with the girl it is the same response that the girl would have. He is however offended when the blonde asks him about his age. In a different scenario, Holden depicts phoniness when he keeps on asking a similar question two times. He asks the first cab driver about where ducks go when the lagoon is dry a problem that annoys the driver, and in a second case he also asks another cab driver the same question which he knew was childish and had raised anger in the first case he asks "...By any chance, do you happen to know where they go, the ducks, when it gets all frozen over?"... (Salinger,p. 25). He is not being real but pretends not to see the reaction of his silly question. Authenticity, however, is shown by a waiter who refuses to serve Holden despite him being in a club he is still underage and they do not assume the case but ask him for an identity card. Similarly, authenticity is depicted by Holden when he shies away from the adult things as he still a minor, when a prostitute is brought to him he does not proceed but pays without having sex it is an act that shows originality as the narrator becomes sincere and does not indulge in acts of adults "... The narrator states the trouble was; I didn't want to do it. I felt more depressed than sexy if you want to know the truth. She was depressing.." (Salinger,p.53).

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is important to note that the catcher in the rye gives a distinction between phoniness and authenticity in different scenarios that the narrator himself is a great phone. Phoniness and authenticity is a theme that draws a line between honesty and deception. Despite him disliking phony people he plays a key role in representing this theme. Phoniness and authenticity have been used throughout the novel. The narrator dislikes fake people, and it angers him when he encounters them in every place that he goes and with those he interacts without realizing that he is also phony. The novel explores themes that draw attention to the reader, and they are well articulate that each character has a role to play in the major them of phoniness and authenticity. It is paramount to note that the division between genuine and phony is what gives the unique originality and a reason for the reader to analyze its characters and establish how their actions represent them in the novel.

Work Cited

Salinger, Jerome D. "The Catcher in the Rye [1951]." Boston, MA et al. (2001).