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The way in which an author reveals characters, events and ideas in telling a story; the vantage point from which the story is told.
J.D. Salinger established a first-person point of view in which the main character, Holden, tells his story. This makes the story very limited of other character’s opinions of what really happened, creating a bias in which the reader perceives everything as Holden does. http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_bVj24KwlAdo/SqKGAz1TaMI/AAAAAAAAASk/WChtrA8sEn8/s400/camera_lens.jpg&imgrefurl=http://youngglobalpinoys.blogspot.com/2009/09/making-growth-work-for-poor-world-bank.html&usg=__ASQKphLWu7AXS4J3BxmHGDKyRYg=&h=351&w=360&sz=20&hl=en&start=24&zoom=1&tbnid=vjpBG0jW6PVeAM:&tbnh=145&tbnw=149&ei=sEHQTb7xIYS90AGWuZjgDQ&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dcamera%2Blens%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG%26biw%3D1276%26bih%3D937%26gbv%3D2%26tbm%3Disch0%2C721&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=127&vpy=197&dur=155&hovh=222&hovw=227&tx=110&ty=175&page=2&ndsp=30&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:24&biw=1276&bih=937
-EXAMPLE• “I’m not going to tell you my whole goddam
autobiography or anything. I’ll just tell you about this madman stuff…” (Salinger 1).
In this quote, Salinger is showing that Holden is choosing to withhold
information. He is only going to tell the story the way he
wants to tell it. Thus creating limited point of view
• “My hunting hat gave me a lot of protection in a way…” (Salinger 212-213).
In this quote, Salinger is showing Holden’s need for comfort. The hat brought him this type of protection in his times of need. Holden wore his hat when he felt uncomfortable,
awkward, or upset. For instance, he wore his hat after his fight with Stradlater and when he realized that things in life change.
• The use of a word of phrase to mean the exact opposite of its
literal or usual meaning.
In The Catcher in the Rye, Salinger uses more verbal irony than any other type. Holden Caulfield is a very
sarcastic character as well as hypocritical. His actions and
words contradict exactly what he speaks, implies, and feels.
• “You’re a very good conversationalist you know that?” (Salinger 72).
This quote takes place in the lavender room, at the Edmont Hotel. Holden is attempting to hold a conversation with a blonde woman he met at “the club”. He is extremely interested in her and tries talking to her the whole time they are dancing. However she is not listening
to him; she is more interested in looking for movie stars and celebrities. When he tells her that she is a good conversationalist,
he is really being sarcastic.
• The attitude of the author toward the
audience and characters.
Salinger uses a variety of tones to enhance the reader’s view of
Holden’s instability. One minute, Holden
is happy and horsing around, and in the next, he is solemn and