It is often hard for a person to comprehend another persons point of view. Too often a bias prevents this person from really listening and understanding the argument another person is trying to make. The novel, The Catcher in the Rye, by J. D. Salinger, is a classic and infamous novel. This novels infamy is due, in large part, to its protagonists use of slang and profanity throughout the book. The slang and the profanity are not without reason though. To better understand Holden, as a person, the reader to know him in a more personal way.
Holden must use the slang and the rather foul language that he does for the ovel to succeed as a powerful and truthful testimonial to all of the phoniness in the world. The only true personal glimpse that the reader has of Holden is when he uses slang and cursing. Readers sense that he is laid back with his casual, sarcastic very big deal (3), and passionate about his emotions I wouldnt visit that sunuvabitch Morrow for all the dough in the world, even if I was desperate (58).
The readers, although they may object to Holdens use of slang, such as corny, phony, and dopey, tend to relate better when they have a narrator and a rotaginst that can speak to everyone as though he is a real person, and not just a character in a book. Holden has such strong emotions that it would not be appropriate for him to try and shove them all into simple phrases. Holden needs to yell his ideas out with the feeling that he has, so that he can show all the readers know how he feels inside.
To Holden, goddamn is not just profanity; it represents all of the frustration and anger that he is feeling for the world today. Guys that talk about how many miles to the gallon they get in their goddamn cars, the same guys hat get sore and childish as hell if you beat them at golf (122). Swell, to Holden, is the pinaccle of his compliments; as when he says, The kid was swell, he was walking in the street, instead of the sidewalk, but right next to the curb (115). This little boy is a rebel, just like Holden, and Holden admires him.
The whole novel is based on what Holden thinks about the world. His damns, goddamns, and craps allow readers to be brought into a world of different thoughts. This time the opinion will be carefully thought about and not dismissed. As a novel, The Catcher in the Rye is supposed to stir up people and make hem think. It would hardly be right to leave the reader not shaken up and wondering a bit about his position as a phony. I can just see the big phony bastard telling us what a swell guy he was, what a hot shot he was and all (17).
Holden Caulfield is here to tell everyone that he can be himself, and it is not necessary for anyone to conform to the phony world today. I didnt care, I felt so damn happy all of a sudden, I was damn near bawling, no one else was that happy (213). He does not care that no other guy in the world would show such emotion, he is happy, and there is no way he is going to hide it. And f he needs to become a bit inappropriate, although for the novel, it is very appropriate, then so be it.
The boy has a point and every reader should hear it. Writing is supposed to evoke the deepest, most hidden emotions from its readers. Without the sense of Holdens real struggles and real, not phony, antidote on life, the novel would fail miserably. Holden grabs the readers attention with his way of talking and his attitude of life. The reader becomes so engrossed with Holden and his comments on people, and the world in general, that it is hard for one not to see exactly what Holden is trying to say.
