Saturday 8 August 2015

In the book The Catcher in the Rye, does Holden annihilate others, or do they annihilate him?

Annihilation, meaning to completely destroy, in the case of The Catcher in the Rye is a bit strong as Holden is not annihilated by others nor does he annihilate anyone else.  But if the nature of this question has to do with destruction or harm, then others appear to do more harm to Holden than he does to others.  Holden's depression leaves him in a vulnerable state, so the words and actions of others leave...

Annihilation, meaning to completely destroy, in the case of The Catcher in the Rye is a bit strong as Holden is not annihilated by others nor does he annihilate anyone else.  But if the nature of this question has to do with destruction or harm, then others appear to do more harm to Holden than he does to others.  Holden's depression leaves him in a vulnerable state, so the words and actions of others leave a mark on him.  For example, early in the novel, Holden goes to see Mr. Spencer to say goodbye before he leaves Pencey.  While there, Mr. Spencer confronts him about his failure in school.  Mr. Spencer knows that Holden is a bright young man, but that for some reason he is not applying himself.  When Mr. Spencer confronts Holden, Holden pretends that he does not really care, but he is upset that he has disappointed Mr. Spencer.  Mr. Spencer is disappointed in Holden, but the exchange arguably does more harm to Holden.  After leaving Pencey, Holden is forced to confront his failure and figure out how to approach his family with the news.  So the words and actions of others have more of an effect on Holden than Holden's actions have on others.

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