Alienation in The Catcher in the Rye
... detach himself from his identity, as seen when he meets Mrs. Morrow. He takes on the persona of a dying boy with cancer, and by doing this, he disassociates himself with his first successful human interaction since the novel began, leaving him lonely and longing for companionship. It is Holden's inability to harmonize himself with the world around him that alienates him from others. Alienation is presented through the way Holden's experiences are portrayed. Holden is separated from those he loves most; his sister Phoebe lives at home, his brother D.B. drifted away in his career, and his little brother Allie died long ago. With his background already as depressing as it is, Holden ventures off into the world seeking the company of others, yet only succeeds in driving people away. Holden tells the reader that he likes "...riding on trains, especially at night, with the lights on and the window's so black..." (53). This says that Holden likes the solitude of an empty, quiet train, therefor he not only seeks the company of others, but he enjoys being alone at the same time. Also, Holden is often found alone at bar's, movies, parks, and hotels, further pushing forward the idea of alienation. With every failed attempt at finding human companionship, Holden inches closer and closer to absolute alienation from his world, and even his own mind. The images and symbolism presented in this novel contribute to the theme of alienation in an important way. When Holden first begins his story, he is alone on top of a high hill, far away from any human contact. This hill can be seen as Holden's struggle to make a connection with the world. What would usually be an effortless stroll downwards for most people, becomes an impossible-to- win battle for Holden. It would be easy for anyone to walk down this hill and find people to interact with, but because of Holde...