The Catcher in the Rye

The Catcher in the Rye is a novel by J. D. Salinger.

Themes

Given that J.D. Salinger never commented on the work and its true meanings, interpretations are fractured and vary from reader to reader. However, there are certainly a few themes which are discussed in the book - it is what Salinger was meaning to say that is under contention.

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A major theme is what Holden calls "phoniness." He feels surrounded by dishonesty and false pretenses, and throughout the book is frequently picking out the "phonies" he sees around him. Many of the people that Holden sees as phony are seemingly happy or successful people, though this may or may not be significant. Some readers feel that Holden exhibits the same "phoniness" he denounces, and that he puts on pretenses, lies, and makes irrational and contradictory assumptions, which alienate him from society. However, others say that this is a misinterpretation of Holden's use of "phoniness", and that while he lies and exhibits other flaws, he doesn't fall into his own category.

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Another theme in the book is whether or not Holden's education is important. Holden has failed out of quite a few schools in his career, and exhibits no signs of remorse or promise to improve. In the final chapters of the book, his former teacher, Mr. Antolini, gives a short monologue to the effect that it is imperative to Holden's future that he apply himself at school. He tells Holden that he believes that education helps to organize the thoughts of brilliant and creative people - a group whom he presumably believes Holden to belong to. Whether this speech is intended to be considered to be true is convoluted by the ambiguous actions of Mr. Antolini shortly after Holden goes to sleep. At the end of the book, Holden states that he thinks he will apply himself in the next school he's going to, but that he isn't sure and that he won't be until he gets there.

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