The Catcher in the Rye - 7

7) What techniques does the author use to engage the audience and make the story effective?  Give examples to support your analysis (mystery, humor, symbolism, suspense, etc.).


The author of The Catcher in the Rye uses many different techniques to make the story able to catch the reader's attention.  A few techniques used are symbolism, satire, and stream of consciousness.  Although there are many other techniques used, I find these three to be the most important.
First off, J.D. Salinger uses reoccurring symbolism throughout the entire novel.  There are a few major symbols, one of which being Holden's red hunting hat.  When Holden puts his hat on, he always goes off on his own.  This leads me to think that the red hunting hat represents the isolation of a character.  When Holden puts on his hunting hat, its a sure thing that he will isolate himself.  When he puts his hat on, he is also less mature, he is not only isolating himself from other people, but also from adulthood.  I realized this when the hat is traded off between Holden and Phoebe.  Phoebe has the hat because Holden had given it to her, but Phoebe gives it back to him when she gets angry.  Holden has the hat in his pocket when he is walking with Phoebe.  Phoebe takes his hat and puts it on his head after she forgives him.  His maturity level goes from responsible parent-figure, to a child sitting in the rain alone when he puts the hunting hat on (Salinger 207-213). 
Another literary technique used is satire.  Through the book, Caulfield uses satire to criticize all of the people around him, but only because he believes people are doing the same to him.  I thought satire from Caulfield was directed mainly towards professors, and especially toward women (Salinger 69).  Caulfield was very critical of his professor, Mr. Spencer, even though he thought fondly of him.  "What made it even more depressing, old Spencer had this very sad, ratty old bathrobe that he was probably born in or something.  I don't much like to see old guys in their pajamas and bathrobes anyway.  their bumpy old chests are always showing.  And their legs.  Old guys' legs at beaches and places, always look so white and unhairy." (Salinger 7). 
The way the book is written is called stream of consciousness.  The narrator records thoughts as fast as he thinks of them.  This story is a recollection of a long weekend in which Holden Caulfield leaves Pencey Prep and returns to New York.  The book is written as Holden is directly remembering a time, almost as if he is telling a story from memory without any kind of rehearsal.  "The cab I had was a real old one that smelled like someone'd just tossed his cookies in it.  I always get those vomity kind of cabs if I go anywhere late at night.  What made it worse, it was so quiet and lonesome out, even though it was Saturday night. I didn't see hardly anybody on the street." (Salinger 81).


Salinger, J.D. The Catcher in the Rye. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 1991