4) Who is the "hero" in this book and what are some of his/her traits? What does he/she accomplish, and how is he/she portrayed? Does the hero represent an abstract idea such as goodness, truth, courage or evil?
The hero in this book has to be Holden Caulfield, because the entire story is centered around him. Although, he is not only the hero because he is in control, he is also a hero to others in the story. He is a friend to many who need one, even people he did not particularly like, such as a character named Ackley (Salinger 36). He also makes an important impact on his younger sister Phoebe (Salinger 162).
While Caulfield is the hero, he is not the typical hero. He is impulsive, repetitive, judgmental, but at times compassionate, depending on his mood. He is portrayed this way to resemble certain traits that we all have, but are hidden behind years of education and social experience. I see Holden as a clear representation of basic human impulse. Without all of our experiences, we would all be acting similar to the way Holden acts in the story. While he has a number of charismatic qualities, he has an underlying thought process and motive with every conversation he has. An example of this would be when he is talking with the three women in the Lavender Room. All the while as he talks to them, he has other thoughts in mind (Salinger 68).
It is an interesting thought to wonder if Holden Caulfield represents an abstract idea. If he does represent an idea, it is pure human impulse. The things he thinks and his actions imply that he never gives a second thought to anything. He even talks about how he has to be "in the mood" to do certain things, such as "giving old Jane a buzz," (Salinger 62). He does not think though with logic, only impulse with pleasure in mind. He lacks all sense of ambition. This shows exactly how he is able to get by without goals and hardly any accomplishments at all.
Salinger, J.D. The Catcher in the Rye. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 1991
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