Throughout the book, Holden has both expressed and showed his fascination of little children. I think both Holden's loneliness and sense of innocence within the children that draws him in. In previous chapters his mood changes after being in the presence of children younger than himself. For example, When holden was watching that little boy walk the curb between the road and the side walk, He becomes happier and can relate to the child. Although it is out in the open that holden is afraid of growing up, I think there is a small part of him that feels like he either missed out on being a child or wants to save the children from falling of the cliff into adult hood.
Why do you think Holden leans toward younger children in his periods of sorrow? Is this a healthy way to deal with loneliness? Why the fascination with kids?
I think that this is a good analysis of the chapter, Morgan. I think Holden leans toward younger children in his periods of sorrow because they do not exhibit the phoniness that adults do. Many times, his sorrows come from a 'phony' experience. You are right in that Holden wants to save the children from falling off the cliff into adulthood. In the next chapter, Holden tells Phoebe,
ReplyDelete"I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in
this big field of rye and all. Thousands of little kids, and
nobody's around-nobody big, I mean-except me. And I'm
standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do,
I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff-I
mean if they're running and they don't look where they're
going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them.
That's all I'd do all day. I'd just be the catcher in the rye and
all. I know it's crazy, but that's the only thing I'd really like
to be." (p. 173)
The cliff he speaks about is the cliff into adulthood. Saving children from becoming adults is the only thing that he would really like to do. He is fascinated by their innocence and sincerity. I'm not sure that this is a healthy way to deal with loneliness, but I'm not sure that Holden uses children to deal with his loneliness. He simply admires them. He does not want them to have to deal with the sadness and loneliness that he feels. This was a good post Morgan.
Morgan,
ReplyDeleteI think that Holden turns to children in difficult times because he believes that children are the only non-phonies in our world. I also think he envies there innocence in a way and hopes to regain some of his own by talking to them. I don't think this is the most effective way of dealing with his greif because while a child's innocence may comfort him momentarily, in the end they arn't going to be able to really help him work out any of his issues. He needs an adult to care enough to make him talk about whats going on with him so they can help him, a child can't do that. Holden needs a mentor which is by definition, older.