How does Salinger create a protagonist that we can empathize with?
In The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield is portrayed as the protagonist. There are many reasons as to why we are able to emphathize with Holden. The first one being in chapter 1, where we find out that Holden is manager of the fencing team, which was a very big deal, and we find out that he left all the foils and equipment on the subway, He then explains how on the train journey back the whole team completely stopped talking to him(ostracized). Holden mentions how he found this funny. This suggests that Holden is used to this type of segregation from others therefore his only reaction is to humour it, even if he has been rejected by his team, due to one mistake. This also gives us the idea that Holden's team mates do not think much of him in order for them to completely cut him off over something so little, leading us to feel sympathetic towards Holden. Holden then mentions another reason why he wasn't down at the big game was because he wanted to say good-by to 'Old Spencer', his history teacher as he wouldnt be seeing him again until Christmas vacation started and because Spencer had written him a note saying how we wanted to see Holden. This helps the reader to empathize with Holden as it shows a compassionate, sensitive side to Holden. It shows that he is not capable of leaving someone (who it looks like he is pretty close with) without saying goodbye, which is sweet. We then find out the reason Holden is saying goodbye to his history teacher is because he is leaving Pencey Prep, as he has been kicked out due to flunking four subjects and not applying himself "and all". This is another reason why we can empathaize with Holden, as the reader may question Holden's future as he's been kicked out of school and feel sympathy towards him. Various times in the book Holden ends his sentence with "and all", this portrays Holden as a very nervous character, as do the short blunt sentences. Holden's thoughts within the book seem very short, negative and straight to the point. This could help the reader to empathize with his character aswell, as we can see that Holden has not been very fortunate or particularly had very good luck(his fencing team ostracizing him, and being kicked out of school), therefore his negativity can be easily understood by the reader. Holden then says "I don't care if it's a sad good-by or a bad good-by, but when I leave a place I like to know I'm leaving it", this suggests that Holden has left many places before, and that he's used to it therefore leaving somewhere does not affect him like how it would usually affect others. Another reason why the reader may be able to empathize with Holden and his negativity and bluntness. However it is chapter 5, where the audience can empathize with Holden the most. This is when we find out about Holden's younger brother Allie who died of Leukemia when they were little, we find this out when Holden is writing a composition for Stradlater, and decides upon writing it about Allie's baseball mit. We then find out how Holden reacted to Allies death, sleeping in the garage on the night he died, and breaking all the "goddam" windows with his fist. The reader can emphasise with why Holden isn't a very happy person, and it seems that he becomes emotional and angry even thinking about the death of his brother(reffering to the windows as 'the "goddam" windows'). Holden has been through some hard times, therefore this is why he is a protagonist that the reader can easily empathize with as his negative attitude towards life has an explanation through the struggle he's been through.
In The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield is portrayed as the protagonist. There are many reasons as to why we are able to emphathize with Holden. The first one being in chapter 1, where we find out that Holden is manager of the fencing team, which was a very big deal, and we find out that he left all the foils and equipment on the subway, He then explains how on the train journey back the whole team completely stopped talking to him(ostracized). Holden mentions how he found this funny. This suggests that Holden is used to this type of segregation from others therefore his only reaction is to humour it, even if he has been rejected by his team, due to one mistake. This also gives us the idea that Holden's team mates do not think much of him in order for them to completely cut him off over something so little, leading us to feel sympathetic towards Holden. Holden then mentions another reason why he wasn't down at the big game was because he wanted to say good-by to 'Old Spencer', his history teacher as he wouldnt be seeing him again until Christmas vacation started and because Spencer had written him a note saying how we wanted to see Holden. This helps the reader to empathize with Holden as it shows a compassionate, sensitive side to Holden. It shows that he is not capable of leaving someone (who it looks like he is pretty close with) without saying goodbye, which is sweet. We then find out the reason Holden is saying goodbye to his history teacher is because he is leaving Pencey Prep, as he has been kicked out due to flunking four subjects and not applying himself "and all". This is another reason why we can empathaize with Holden, as the reader may question Holden's future as he's been kicked out of school and feel sympathy towards him. Various times in the book Holden ends his sentence with "and all", this portrays Holden as a very nervous character, as do the short blunt sentences. Holden's thoughts within the book seem very short, negative and straight to the point. This could help the reader to empathize with his character aswell, as we can see that Holden has not been very fortunate or particularly had very good luck(his fencing team ostracizing him, and being kicked out of school), therefore his negativity can be easily understood by the reader. Holden then says "I don't care if it's a sad good-by or a bad good-by, but when I leave a place I like to know I'm leaving it", this suggests that Holden has left many places before, and that he's used to it therefore leaving somewhere does not affect him like how it would usually affect others. Another reason why the reader may be able to empathize with Holden and his negativity and bluntness. However it is chapter 5, where the audience can empathize with Holden the most. This is when we find out about Holden's younger brother Allie who died of Leukemia when they were little, we find this out when Holden is writing a composition for Stradlater, and decides upon writing it about Allie's baseball mit. We then find out how Holden reacted to Allies death, sleeping in the garage on the night he died, and breaking all the "goddam" windows with his fist. The reader can emphasise with why Holden isn't a very happy person, and it seems that he becomes emotional and angry even thinking about the death of his brother(reffering to the windows as 'the "goddam" windows'). Holden has been through some hard times, therefore this is why he is a protagonist that the reader can easily empathize with as his negative attitude towards life has an explanation through the struggle he's been through.