On The Failure Of Education On Holden In The Catcher In The Rye

The Catcher in the Rye is a controversial novel written by J.D. Salinger. Since its first publication in 1951, the book has remained on the list of the best-selling novels for a long while. Although it was originally published for adults, it has since become popular with adolescent readers for its themes of teenage angst and alienation. The reason why the book gains the great popularity among adolescent readers is that the story reflects the common puzzlement of growth. The protagonist, Holden is regarded as an icon of the American teenagers after World War Ⅱ.Although Holden Caulfield is born in a rich upper-middle class family and enjoys the best school education, still he has vulgar language and behavior pattern. Though he has transferred from four schools, still he can’t adjust himself quite well in the school. He is expelled from his last school, Pencey Prep, for he has flunked too many subjects. Then he starts his four-day journey in the New York City, and tries a lot of things forbidden in his age, such as drinking, smoking, lying and promiscuity. In the common eyes, the education towards him is a failure.Holden is a clever and considerate boy indeed. Besides, the education resources Holden enjoys are abundant and elite, but the result is not so satisfying. It is worth meaning to analyze this matter. I will try to analyze it from three aspects:School Education, Social Influence and Family Education and find some common problems of the growth among American teenagers in 1950s.The thesis will be divided into five parts:In the first part, there is an introduction about the book and the author. Then the meaning and purpose this thesis will be presented. Moreover, there is an explanation and definition about character education, which will be used in the paper below.Chapter One analyzes the school education Holden received, and the faculty and students around Holden. Through these, we can know the system of education inl 950s, and try to conclude the defect of the education in that time.Chapter Two mainly focuses on the social education Holden received. Through the different story scenes, such as hotel, bars, cinemas and museum, the influences of social values will be presented, as all of these places are the carrier of mass culture. The sex education, monetary education, time education Holden received will be discussed.Chapter Three makes an analysis of Holden’s family education. The influences and education will be discussed mainly through two parts:Holden’s aloof family relationship and the conflicts among the siblings.The last part is a natural conclusion about the failure of education Holden received.