Holden Caulfield: Born in the Wrong Generation
You know that saying where people are like, “I think I was born in the wrong generation…” and then they say that they want to live in the 80s because of the music or clothes or whatever. Well, I think I may have found the most genuine example of somebody who has the right to share that statement, and it is in fact Holden Caulfield.
Very often Holden Caulfield will say something, and proceed to share that he feels isolated in his beliefs because no one else around him seems to think like he does. A clear example of this is when Holden is discussing how he typically doesn’t get very far when “getting sexy” with a girl: “The trouble with me is, I stop. Most guys don't. I can't help it.” (Salinger 120). In a modern mindset, you see this and think, ‘what the hell, Holden, obviously you stop.’ But of course, Holden knows nothing of mottos like ‘No means no!’ or ‘consent is sexy!’ or ‘FRIES.’ In his reference, coming exclusively from horny discussion with schoolmates or Carl Luce, the idea of actually valuing a woman’s opinion in this endeavor is entirely foreign. The concept of thinking of women as more than a toy, makes him feel isolated and different from the people around him. Unfortunately for Holden, people don’t really start respecting women until way later in history, and even then it's an uphill climb. This is not even the only example of Holden respecting women, I mean, he got beat up by Stradlater on a platform that rather ambiguously centered the treatment of Jane Gallagher. This is why I believe Holden's beliefs here would be most relatable to a modern climate. I mean respecting women? Sheesh. That's a modern dream boy.
Similarly, I find Holden’s rant in Chapter 17 to echo a lot of debate in the current world, while in the time period he said it, it would have seemed entirely arbitrary and pessimistic. He talks about cars, the American obsession with cars, and he says: “if they get a brand new-car, already they start thinking about trading it in for one that’s even newer.” (Salinger 170) I can imagine a complaint like this at the time feeling alien, as at the time, consumerism was a new American obsession, and nobody really cared to criticize it yet. Nowadays, there is a common consensus that to consume outrageously more than you need, is inherently bad. Holden would not have to feel alone in his thoughts there. Also, I would like to say, if Holden were around today, this anger towards car buying proves to me that he would be a big hater of cybertrucks.
In this same rant, Holden goes on to criticize clique behavior, “The guys that are on the basketball team stick together, the Catholics stick together, the goddam intellectuals stick together, the guys that play bridge stick together. Even the guys that belong to the goddam Book-of-the-Month Club stick together”(Salinger 170). He discusses that as well as frustration surrounding the monotony on why people learn at school, “all you do is study so that you can learn enough to be smart enough to be able to buy a goddam Cadillac some day” (Salinger 170). Both of these qualms prove to me that Holden carries issues with this idea of conformity in American society. To him, nobody expands outside of their group, nobody veers off from growing up to live in cookie-cutter America. Above all, he’s mad because everyone seems to like it. Everyone seems to be happy being the mass-produced Pencey boy, and he can’t relate to it. However, if Holden were to see today’s society, in which individuality is praised, diversity is ingrained, and people aren’t simply tunnel-visioning to the American dream, I think he’d much prefer that society.
Anyways, my point here is, Holden says these thoughts as if they are offensive or blasphemous, as if he suspects nobody would ever be able to understand or relate. But as readers, as products of the modern world, we hear them and are like ‘yeah, duh.’ So, truly, I think Holden would feel a lot less alone, and be a lot happier in a modern world that echoed a lot of what his thoughts are. And if not, if his whole thing is that no matter what he feels different from the world, well, he could dress emo and head bang to MCR, and find comfort in that, probably.
Hi Miranda,
ReplyDeleteAs someone who respects women and is a "Gen-Z-er", I agree that Holden would fit very well into modern male society. I think another aspect of Holden's personality that fits into the Gen-Z mindset is his kind of ironic pessimism. I think he would enjoy postmodern ironic video essay critiques on modern society made by washed-up commentary Youtubers.
Miranda, I definitely agree that Holden is most deserving to claim that he was "born into the wrong generation." I find the image of Holden learning about the existence of Cybertrucks absolutely hilarious. I also just think he needed to talk to more people (women?!) or read more books because while there certainly wasn't respect for women (the horror!) in the culture, surely there were books that could have had such ideas in them, and, by extension, people with those ideas. Antolini was on to something with that monologue about learning/history/poetry. So are you. Adrian's comment made me think about Youtubers which made me wonder...do you think Holden could have been Drew Gooden, had he been born in the 2000s?
ReplyDeleteInteresting concept, I like this idea of comparing Holden in his environment to the modern world. However, I disagree. Progressive movements always existed, or else we wouldn't be where we are today, we'd be stagnant. Yes, the society was systemically much more restrictive, but I doubt he would have felt at home here. I think the fundamental issue for Holden is that he's depressed. If he weren't, he'd feel less alone. Unfortunately, the modern era does not fix depression, even if the general consensus of society aligns with you. The problem is, as Mr. Antolini explained, Holden is not looking to be happy. Do agree about MCR though, he would've been a fun emo. #RIP
ReplyDeleteHi Miranda! You bring up such an interesting idea that maybe Holden's "outrageous" ideas aren't so outrageous to us. This is especially intriguing because he does always say that we (the reader) would "get it" and maybe we do simply because of our generation. While I do think that some of Holden's mindsets can be attributed to his personality, I especially like your point about women and consent. As I read him explaining how needing consent was his "problem," I found myself confused as he was speaking to the norms of modern day society as you concisely pointed out. Good work!
ReplyDeleteHey Miranda. YES. I agree! Holden would totally fit in so much more with people in this day and age.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest though, I hadn't even considered the fact that people wouldn't have be enraged by cliques. I read that line on page 170 and just nodded right along with him. Cliques are icky, and exclusion is gross, and Holden gets that. It seems like the society he's in just doesn't realize it as much as ours today...
I fully agree with you! Holden's takes are definitely much more reminiscent of modern day opinions on consumerism, education, and relationships. Every time Holden writes something like "That's the problem with me, I stop", I can't help but feel sad for him, as he has ideas that are widely accepted in the modern day, but he's surrounded by rhetoric that tells him that yes, that is in fact what's wrong with him. Of course that's not to say Holden is perfect, like when he wants to speedrun a relationship with Sally, but he's certainly progressive, especially for his time.
ReplyDeleteI'll just start by saying I love your blog post background!! But getting into your post, I really enjoy reading through this take! Holden would likely thrive more in today's society, which allows for freer/progressive views to be heard. I also think he could get better help in terms of his depression, and realize that his notions that he is the only one in the world to feel how he does can be broken more easily. I would love to see how similar Holden would be when born in modern times as compared to a century ago.
ReplyDeleteHi Miranda! You touch upon an element of this book (and every book) that I think is very important to keep in mind while reading it, and one of the ones I tend to find most interesting when reading and consuming media (in particular older stuff) in general. The historical context in which a story was made shapes a lot of aspects of it, and it's important to keep that in mind. Holden lives in a time when there was no sexual education and no discussions of consent, so he is somewhat unique in the story because he does respect consent. Though this seems like the bare minimum to a modern reader, it says a lot about Holden as a character because he is not in a world where it's normal to do so. He's exceptional in this aspect. Him respecting women makes him a bit of a loser in his time period, but it also shows a deep level of empathy.
ReplyDeleteI really like this take, and we are encountering a kind of chicken-or-egg phenomenon, given what a vast influence this novel has had on American youth culture: would Holden objectively have found more fellow feeling with his peers a few decades in the future, OR was that culture a few decades in the future a little more accommodating of views like Holden's in part BECAUSE OF this novel's influence? We can never tell for sure, but I have had the thought before that Holden is living RIGHT at the brink of rock-n-roll, and everything that followed from that (which, eventually, wends its way into the 2000s and bands like MCR). The culture WAS about to have more of a visible place for the rebel or the malcontent, and who knows what Holden would have made of punk rock or its descendants (including "emo" of various types).
ReplyDeleteBut in terms of identifying the character MOST "ahead of their time," let's see what you think of Esther Greenwood--arguably she is even more directly in tune with the culture a decade or so ahead of her, and she too feels like the only one who has ever thought these things. Imagine if Holden and Esther could meet: they might really click! (Or they might absolutely hate each other . . .)
Hey Miranda! I think that the point you bring up is a very important one, and honestly makes me feel immense pity for the Holden Caulfield of the book that is in a constant search to find someone who shares his feelings and critiques about the world and society. Part of the magic of this book to so many people is his relatability and his ability to often speak what is on many of our minds (though sometimes it may be a bit much). However, I think one of the biggest reasons he struggles so often with mental health problems is because in his time period and setting, there are no groups to agree with him on his worldview. Awesome post!
ReplyDeleteI really like your analysis of Holden, and I definitely agree that in many ways he is more modern or quite progressive for his time. Considering Holden already holds criticism of "the system" and consumerism, he's is not that far off from someone who opposes the patriarchy as a whole. Its kinda interesting to see how this angsty and douche-y kid has so much potential to be a progressive anticapitalist feminist. In your post, it totally makes sense to observe Holden as "woke" before that became a widespread term, and how he pushes back against his progressive ideals because he cannot find others that feel similarly. Overall, this connection is well supported in your blog, and the concept of a more proudly progressive Holden listening to MCR does give me pause
ReplyDeleteMir, this post was undeniably a very fun read. I especially like the somewhat condescending tone you have when "talking" to Holden; that kind of delivery is something Holden wields when giving his inner monologue about others and it's so satisfying to see it turned back around on him. And overall, I agree with your point: Holden is so jaded to the conformity inherent in his time period of accepting society as it is, in treating women, in being a consumer in the economy, and generally just sticking to a status quo. I liked your end there about how he would love an alternative community--- he so would, just to feel like a rebel. I mean, emo bangs and a weird red hat are basically the same, right?
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