Jason Nienhaus

Jr. Theology/Faith

August 22, 2007

Faith Through Retrospection

 

Although Holden Caulfield from the novel Catcher in the Rye is viewed as a highly cynical and controversial character because of his lack of love for his fellow human beings and his refusal to conform to the “successful” life of the average middle class person, Holden demonstrates a profound sense of faith through his ability to evaluate his actions and those of the people around him. It is because of this ability that he forms his views of the world around him, can see those living a “phony” life around him, and live a life of hope for the future even when he feels discarded and lonely.

One night when Holden is feeling especially miserable and alone, he calls a prostitute to his hotel room. While he waits, he thinks about what his actions and how it reminds him of his former roommate, Stradlater, who used women for one purpose, his own sexual desires. He thinks of all the temptations of the past and how he had persevered through them to remain relatively unmarred. When the prostitute, Sunny, comes up to his room, Holden is so distraught by his thoughts that he cannot bring himself to have sex with her and instead desires to just speak with her and learn about her life. Although he eventually gets mugged and his money stolen by the man distributing the women, Holden still clings on to the sense of dignity that many others around him have lost. When he sees things such as this, it reminds him of his younger sister Phoebe and how she will eventually witness the travesties of human nature and ruin her innocence.

Near the end of the book, we learn of Holden’s desire to safeguard the innocence of children, including his sister, through his dreams of the field of rye on a cliff. The rye field represents their innocent lives and the rocky cliffs below represent the fall that will occur when they lose that innocence and proceed to mature into adults. In the dream he sees himself as their protector, catching them when they stray too far too the edge and guiding them back into the field.

Although Holden eventually realizes that his dream can never become a reality due to seemingly endless human corruption, his life is still an inspiration to us. He is thrown into various difficult situations, yet still remains on to hope of a better life. He strives to protect the innocent and to help those that he finds have already succumbed to a phony life. And even though his actions remain largely unsuccessful, it are his efforts that strike me as a man deeply driven by his faith.