In Chapter 15 of
The Catcher in the Rye, Holden wonders how a nun could teach English when it involves book with "lovers and all". One book he mentions that he read was
The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy. Written in 1887, this book became a classic. He mentions a character named Eustacia Vye. Eustacia is a woman who wants to see the world, but is stuck in a small village. To reach her goal, she marries a man she believes to be worldly to sweep her away to Paris. Unfortunately, he lets her down when he settles down in the very village she means to escape. It is a web of love triangles, accidents, and betrayal that leads to a shocking conclusion. The Return of the Native became a
movie in 1994. From the themes stated above, does any of it seem relevant to Holden's situation? Or not at all? Do you think there is any particular reason he brought up this book or why it came to his mind?
In chapter 3 of the Catcher in the Rye Holden says he likes “that Eustacia Vye.” I think this is because he can relate to her struggles. Much like the how the man Eustacia fell in love with let her down by not leaving their village, Holden is constantly let down by people as he reaches out to them for help, only to be shut out. Spencer, Ackley, and Sonny the prostitute, all shun and criticize Holden rather than listening to him. Also similar to how Eustacia in unhappy with her home, Holden is wary of returning to family’s apartment and the wrath of his parents when they find out he has gotten kicked out of boarding school again. Holden talks this book several times throughout The Catcher in the Rye, and I think mentions a book that obviously means a lot to him while talking with the nuns because he feels comfortable around them.
ReplyDeleteI think that this book is relevant to Holden's situation because Holden seems to be stuck in a part of his life that he is desperately trying to escape from, similar to Eustacia Vye. Holden also mentions that he is fond of the character, Eustacia, and I think that this is because he can relate to her. By reading the book and following Eustacia's journey, Holden can discover more about his current situation without having to confront the fact that his life needs some adjustments. I think that Holden probably brought up the book because it simply came to his mind, but I think that J.D. Salinger brought up the book because he wanted to give a clue to the readers about Holden's true emotions. Throughout the book, I think that Holden has trouble speaking his true feelings, but because J.D. Salinger was such a clever author, there are plenty of hints that clue us in to what Holden is actually feeling.
ReplyDeleteI find this extremely interesting. I can totally see why Holden would point this book out. Holden wants to get away just like Eustacia Vye does, and he can relate to her. The one difference is that Holden wants to go to where Eustacia wants to escape from. Holden wants to go to a ranch or a small village or a field of rye while Eustacia wants to move to Paris. I think Holden can only relate to her wanting to get away from the place she is, but I think Holden wants to get away for a different reason. Holden wants to get away from the big city, because he wants to get as far away from the phony adult world. He just wants to get away from the pain of how life in the adult world reminds him of all the pain of his life, and I think that he just wants to get away from the memories. He feels like being in a small town or ranch would be the best way to deal with his problems, and I agree with him. But he needs his family with him, while Eustacia wants to get away from the village she grew up in where all her family and friends are. Holden needs his family and he needs the people who care about him around him. Holden and Eustacia want to get away from something, but Holden wants to get away from his problems while Eustacia wants to get freedom. She wants to grow up while Holden wants to run away format he responsibility of growing up and the problems he faces.
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