How does a literary text (or texts) represent the theological concerns evoked by the notion of the Fall?
The Knowledge of Good and Evil: The Relationship Between Genesis and J. D
Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye
Abstract: J.D Salinger’s multifaceted Catcher in the Rye is often labeled both in
academic scholarship and, in general cultural conversations, as a novel about ‘the
loss of innocence’. Holden Caulfield’s deceptively colloquial voice obscures key
features of the novel that undermine its casual façade—but some scholarship has
managed to identify that it is a mixture of the knowledge of sex and mortality that
triggers Holden Caulfield’s psychological downward spiral. This paper seeks firstly
to re-evaluate the existing evidence with close analysis to the text to determine the
most accurate theories and, secondly, to add to the existing pool of research by
paying closer attention to the novel’s structure and symbolism. Thirdly, this paper
seeks to push the novel’s meaning further by comparing Catcher to another highly
influential tale that has also been interpreted as a paradigm to the “loss of
innocence”—the Biblical fall from Genesis. This paper ultimately argues that
Catcher and Genesis share the same concerns of sexuality and mortality—but that
their current status as texts about ‘the loss of innocence’ is inaccurate. As opposed to
the loss of innocence, both texts represent the individual’s loss of ignorance—and
this difference is crucial to understanding how both the Biblical fall and Holden’s
psychological descent reflect how the events that occur in both texts are not only
necessary but positive experiences for the human condition as a whole.
Key Words: Salinger; Genesis; Identity; Intertextuality; Innocence
At its core, the biblical fall is a tale of humankind’s encounter with the
dialectic between loss and gain. When interpreting the biblical fall literally, the
conflict seems simple: as a result of gaining the ‘knowledge of good and evil’, Adam
and Eve lose Eden and immortality. But the literal lens does little to illuminate why
and how the enduring tale beats so poignantly with the pulse of the human condition.
As Wright asserts, a deeper understanding of a text involves moving beyond literalism
and towards intertextuality — especially when examining the relationship between
theological and literary texts to enhance their meaning. 1 Literary texts inspired by
Genesis often perceive the fall as a paradigm to an individual’s progression through
life. More specifically, the fall is often viewed as a metaphor for the moment when
one is made aware – frequently through adolescence – of their sexuality and
mortality. A literary text that reflects this concept is Salinger’s bildungsroman,
Catcher in the Rye. This essay will examine how Catcher reflects the same concerns
of sexuality and mortality that are present in the ‘knowledge of good and evil’ Adam
and Eve obtain and, as a consequence, ‘fall’. This essay will then conclude by
distinguishing between innocence and ignorance to ascertain whether the fall can be
perceived as a necessary — or ‘good’ — rite of passage in both texts.
A pivotal point to begin exploring the biblical fall as a paradigm to an
individual’s progression through life, is the crucial line in Genesis 3 after the fruit is
eaten: ‘And the eyes of both of them [Adam and Eve] were opened’ (KJV, Gen. 3.7).
A literal interpretation would conclude that Adam and Eve were physically blind
before this moment – but we know that is false as Eve identifies the fruit as “pleasant
to the eyes” (Gen. 3.6). This opening of the eyes, therefore, indicates the text
engaging with metaphor. Eyes typically represent the window to one’s soul, and the
shame Adam and Eve exude after disobedience suggests that the ‘eyes’ that have been
opened as a result of the ‘knowledge of good and evil’ are not the eyes of the physical
body, but of the mind and soul.
1
See Knight’s “Introduction”.
How does a literary text (or texts) represent the theological concerns evoked by the notion of the Fall?
The knowledge that has ‘opened’ their eyes is an awareness of sexual
differentiation between their bodies. Though Skinner denies a sexual component to
this discovery, his explanation is contradictory in itself – it is precisely the knowledge
of sex that is one of the defining traits between child and adult. 2 In contrast, Trible
explores the original Hebrew text to find that God creates man and woman from one
flesh of communion that is termed in Hebrew as ha’adam – a word meaning
‘human’.3 The first individual created is neither ‘Adam’ nor ‘Eve’: it is only when
God divides the flesh of ha’adam, where the existence of two individuals — of the
same flesh — begins, at the same time. (Gen. 1.24). These details are obscured
through translation, but the Hebrew original reveals that the creation of male and
female is not sequential, but synchronised: they are equal. After the ‘opening’ of their
eyes, however, Adam and Eve become psychologically aware of the physical
differentiations between them. This is corroborated by the location they choose to
conceal on their bodies – they ironically reveal, through concealing, what it is that
their eyes have been ‘opened’ to. The previous, unabashed impression of ‘wholeness’
God gave to them is shattered. A hierarchical order is introduced; Adam is instructed
to be ‘ruler’ (Gen. 3.17) over Eve. After God’s punishment, ha’adam no longer refers
to the unified whole we saw in Genesis 1, but specifically to the male, Adam, while
Eve is given her name for the first time at the close of Genesis 3. 4 Bal’s paper
concentrates on this naming process, and argues that the naming of Eve not only
highlights her acquisition of sexual knowledge, but also solidifies an identity, in the
same way adolescents frequently refer to ‘finding’ themselves.5 The ‘knowledge of
good and evil’, Bal argues, includes sexual knowledge that simultaneously introduces
the dialectic between life and death, as sexual knowledge ‘opens your eyes’ and
makes you both ‘die and not die’.6 Thus, we find that the knowledge of good and evil
is composed of life, death, and sexuality.
This dialectic between life and death, introduced through an awareness of
sexuality, also occurs in Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye. Catcher has suffered
substantial misunderstanding and censorship due to its unflinching approach towards
profanity and sex. Juxtaposing the didactic Genesis with this modern novel seems
inappropriate — however, Holden’s journey shares and reflects several anxieties
regarding the human condition that are also found in Genesis. A significant theme that
Catcher shares with Genesis is the focus on sexuality. If we keep in mind what was
established above – that sexual knowledge is what distinguishes child from adult in
Genesis – Zapf’s structuralist approach towards Catcher reflects Holden caught
between the two words of childhood and adulthood. 7 Inspired by Todorov’s
homological model, Zapf identifies the general sequence of events in Catcher as the
following:
1) An overemphasis on childhood.
2) An overemphasis on adulthood.
3) Rejection of the world of adults.
2
See Skinner, 76.
See Trible, 103-104.
4
See Trible, 134.
5
See Bal, 107 – 130.
6
See Bal, 122.
7
For more on structuralism, see Todorov, p. 2099.
3
How does a literary text (or texts) represent the theological concerns evoked by the notion of the Fall?
4) Rejection by the world of adults.
Zapf’s identification—however generalized it may be—confirms that Holden
is thrown between two opposing worlds of childhood and adulthood as Catcher
progresses. This suspension between the worlds of child and adult is expressed
through Holden’s struggle with sex: his curiosity when he observes other hotel
occupants engaging in cross-dressing (65) and sexual foreplay (66) is mingled with
disgust towards the brash sexual attitudes of the adult world. The displeasure Holden
experiences while watching a man “giving somebody a feel and telling them about a
guy committing suicide at the same time” (90) festers into revulsion during his
encounter with the prostitute, Sunny, whom he eventually finds “depressing” (101).
Holden’s concern with the lack of intimacy in the sexual activity surrounding him is
emphasised by the semantic difficulties of the text that Costello explores, 8 and
Holden’s inability to communicate through the telephone.9 All of the sexual scenarios
in Catcher are also paired with Holden physically falling, repeatedly: he falls over his
suitcase before meeting the prostitute (98), he almost falls off his seat kissing Sally in
the back of a cab (131), and he falls over himself in the dark when he leaves Mr.
Antolini’s house (199). These physical falls reflects Holden’s unsettled psyche as he
is exposed to human sexuality’s kaleidoscopic nature.
Having established that Holden acquires, to some degree, the sexual
knowledge that is part of the ‘knowledge of good and evil’, we can now analyze how
this knowledge has also sparked—as it does in Genesis—an awareness of mortality.
As God banishes Adam and Eve from Eden, they realise their days are numbered.
Holden experiences a similar revelation in Catcher. As Bryan notes, time’s
encroachment can be gleaned right from Catcher’s opening scene. Holden, atop
Thomsen hill, gazes over a field where a football game is occurring with the entire
school in attendance. Amidst his anticipation of leaving Pencey Prep, Holden
reminisces over a time in October – the month of the fall season:
“I suddenly remembered this time, in around October, that I and
Robert Tichner and Paul Campbell were chucking a football
around…it kept getting darker and darker…but we didn’t want to stop
doing what we were doing. Finally we had to. This teacher that taught
Biology, Mr. Zambesi, stuck his head out of his window in the
academic building and told us to go back to the dorm and get ready for
dinner.” (8)
Everything in this ‘idyllic’ scene, Bryan argues, points to the idea of passing
time, from the season, the growing darkness, to the significance of a biology teacher
ending the boys’ fun. Bryan identifies that Holden is caught between two worlds—
corroborating Zapf’s findings—and argues this scene ultimately foreshadows
Holden’s fear of mortality. 10 While Seng asserts that Holden is ‘intolerant’ of old
Costello notes that Holden’s phrases like “that killed me” are used for multiple meanings: in one
context, ‘that killed me’, implies that an event is so depressing that it “kills” Holden – but in another
context, it implies that an event is so touching that it “kills” him. This confusion between sign and
signified represents Holden’s communicative difficulties.
9
The précis of Kegal’s argument: “Holden’s inability to communicate with others represents itself
symbolically in the uncompleted telephone calls and undelivered messages” (19).
10
See Bryan, 1065.
8
How does a literary text (or texts) represent the theological concerns evoked by the notion of the Fall?
age, 11 this essay is inclined to disagree. Though Holden may exhibit discomfort
around the elderly, to say that Holden is ‘intolerant’ towards old age is a
misidentification of his fear of growing old, and mortality. As Costello noted,
Holden’s language use is unreliable in the sense that he does not always literally mean
what he says. 12 Holden’s fear of time is also apparent through his obsession with
permanence that Seng’s argument overlooks. Trowbridge notes that Holden is focused
on static images of permanence, from Jane Gallagher as the girl who keeps her kings
in the back row, to his interest in mummification (16, 120), to the images of the dead
James Castle and younger brother Allie.13 This theme of permanence in Catcher is
epitomized by Holden’s love for the Museum of Natural History, where “everything
always stayed right where it was” (127). Holden’s preoccupation with permanence
indicates his own awareness of the rhythms of change surrounding him: the museum
is unchanging, but “the only thing that would be different would be you.” (127).
Holden’s psychological fear of passing time and his mortality reflects the
psychological change that Adam and Eve encounter during their fall. Adam and Eve’s
eyes are ‘opened’ to their nakedness but, like the museum in Catcher, nothing has
actually changed — they have always been naked. What has changed is their own
psychological perception: firstly, they are aware of the sexual difference between
each other and, secondly, with the loss of Eden, they are aware of death. Through this
psychological fall, Adam, Eve, and Holden are made aware of mortality.
Awareness of mortality inspires Holden’s ‘catcher in the rye’ metaphor.
Immersed in deep conversation with his sister Phoebe, Holden is forced to consider
what he’d “like to be” (178) in the future.14 Here is where the “life is a game” (13)
motif in Catcher is fully developed: Holden imagines “little kids playing some game
in a big field of rye” (179) while he stands on the “edge of some crazy cliff…to catch
everybody if they start to go over the cliff” (180). Like Catcher’s first scene where
Holden stands atop Thomsen Hill separate from his peers who are playing a game, on
the edge of this metaphorical cliff he is, again, separate from the crowd, watching
children play the game of life where the ending is — unbeknownst to them — death.
The catcher in the rye is what he’d like to be. That the ‘catcher’ metaphor is
introduced after Holden has recalled the two significant deaths in his life with Phoebe
– James Castle (176-177) and Allie (178), and his underlying obsession with
permanence, confirms that the fall Holden seeks to prevent has much to do with the
realisation of mortality.
Faced with these daunting realities, Holden has the privilege of turning to
Antolini. Antolini is the only adult in Catcher that does not—as Zapf’s structuralist
model forgets to account for—reject Holden. The events between them, however,
have been subject to wild speculation in scholarship. The Antolinis are “never in the
same room at the same time (189); Antolini has been drinking; Mrs. Antolini is
depicted as old while Mr. Antolini is young; Antolini addresses Holden as
11
See Seng, 205.
Seng’s paper is based on a literal reading; it fails account for the semantic complications Costello
identifies.
13
See Trowbridge, 690.
14
Bryan’s analysis of Catcher collapses here as he persists with a psychoanalytical reading focused on
incest (1072).
12
How does a literary text (or texts) represent the theological concerns evoked by the notion of the Fall?
“handsome” (198); Antolini has dark and “unconscious designs on a child”;15 Antolini
must therefore be a gold digger, alcoholic, homosexual, pervert, and pedophile, all at
once.
Undeniably, a man sitting in the dark petting Holden’s sleeping head (199) is
somewhat out of the ordinary, and rightly prompts Holden’s panicky departure. But
let this essay perceive this scene from a different lens. The scrutiny of Antolini’s
words in scholarship has so far been overlooked or appallingly misinterpreted:
“Like everybody else in the book, Antolini fails to see that what ails
Holden is the death of his brother, Allie, plus parental
neglect…Antolini makes a few passes at the “heart of the matter” but
never really hits it…his fuzzy quotation from Stekel…must have been
chosen by Salinger to puzzle Holden…Whether the fall will ever take
place is an open question …”
(Fowler, 83)
What ‘never really hits it’ is, unfortunately, Fowler’s argument. Holden is
certainly preoccupied with death, but it is not for the reasons Fowler presents. Allie’s
death ails Holden, but it is hardly the sole incident on his mind. Parental neglect is
ungrounded when it is Holden who chose to evade his parents—in fact, Antolini
reveals that Holden’s father has been concerned for Holden’s well being (193).
Furthermore, Fowler’s personal inability to comprehend the ‘fuzzy’ Stekel quotation
is not indicative that Salinger deliberately chose the quotation to ‘puzzle’ Holden and
the reader. In any case, if we are to follow Barthesian discourse, Salinger’s personal
intentions are estranged from the meaning that the text exudes independently.
Holden’s psychological ‘fall’ is also not an ‘open’ question by this point:
chronologically, the climax of Holden’s ‘fall’ occurs after this episode, where Holden
feels as though he is falling whenever he steps off of a sidewalk (204), but this climax
is reached through a culmination of unresolved emotions. Holden has already fallen
literally and metaphorically in several different instances. Lastly, Fowler overlooks
the strength of Antolini’s influence in this novel. Trowbridge’s treatment of Antolini
is sounder:
“What Antolini tells him, in essence, is that his present depressed state
is perfectly natural…if only he will not give up his quest for truth, he
will find a way of incorporating his idealism about man and the world
into some constructive way of life...It is not an adjustment to the world
but adjustment to one’s self that Antolini is advocating...”
(Trowbridge, 688).
Trowbridge is one of the few scholars to evaluate Antolini’s words – but
further emphasis is still required to tease out the imperative points. When Holden
expresses his inability to understand why a classmate of his was punished for
digressing from his topic during a presentation (190), Antolini attempts to stress to
Holden the importance of order:
Bryan insists here that Antolini’s head patting “mirrors [Holden’s] own unconscious designs on a
child” (1073).
15
How does a literary text (or texts) represent the theological concerns evoked by the notion of the Fall?
“Holden…Don’t you think that if someone starts out to tell you about
his father’s farm, he should stick to his guns, then get around to telling
you about his uncle’s brace?”
(191)
Antolini’s concern to reveal to Holden an awareness of order is linked to what
Antolini says later about the ability of educated men to record and “follow their
thoughts through to the end” (196). Understanding mortality does not only involve the
realisation of death, but also understanding from where one came—a clear
comprehension of an origin and an endpoint. God’s words to Adam and Eve at the
close of Genesis 3 are a loose paradigm to Antolini’s advice in that it also stresses
upon the order of things. Returning to Genesis, we remember that all of Genesis 1 is
also concerned with hierarchical order:
“In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the earth.
[…]
Then God said, ‘Let there be light’…
[…]
Then God said, ‘Let the earth bring forth grass...’
[…]
Then God said, ‘Let us make man in Our image according to Our
likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds
of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth…’ ”
(Genesis 1.1 – 29).
From the onset of existence, God establishes order. The anaphoric then
indicates the text outlining each stage of the world’s development, and humankind’s
position in it. If we return to Genesis 3, we remember that once Adam and Eve gain
the knowledge of good and evil, God disciplines them by assigning Adam as ‘ruler’ of
Eve, splitting their harmony asunder. God also divulges to Adam and Eve where they
came from—and where they are going to end up:
“till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust
thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”
(Gen. 3.19).
This sentence articulates the origin and destination of humankind. Awareness
of this ordered progression from dust to dust is essential: it is the reason for the entire
biological purpose of reproduction in which Adam and Eve engage, and for the
“beautiful reciprocal arrangement” (196) between life and literature which Antolini
purports. After emphasising the importance of order, Antolini advocates a formal
education because “scholarly men…tend to leave infinitely more valuable records
behind them…express themselves more clearly, and they usually have a passion for
following their thoughts through to the end” (196). Antolini’s emphasis on how an
education will enable Holden to record his thoughts is vital: for centuries, like
biological reproduction where one’s genes are passed on, the pen has also been used
as a tool to sidestep the totality of the scythe. Literature, like reproduction, is prized
by the human condition because both are methods by which one can leave behind a
semblance of individual voice or presence even when one’s own physical body has
perished. It is no coincidence that writing is where Holden’s talents flourish, as we
How does a literary text (or texts) represent the theological concerns evoked by the notion of the Fall?
saw when he writes Stradlater’s composition (41). English literature is the only
academic discipline that sustains Holden’s positive interest; Holden continually
makes literary allusions in Catcher – Of Human Bondage (22), Romeo and Juliet
(116), and The Great Gatsby (147), to name a few. Deceased Allie’s baseball
catcher’s mitt that has “poems written all over the fingers” (41) symbolises this point
perfectly: literature – leaving a record behind – is a way to ‘catch’ oneself. Antolini’s
emphasis on the endurance of literature is an overarching idea that is found in a
multitude of other texts, from the weaving metaphors in classical epics to
Shakespearean sonnets. Catcher’s tone shifts entirely when Antolini’s speaks – his
voice is articulate, penetrating, and unmistakably distinct; his voice emphasises the
gravitas of this informal ‘lesson’. The incessant debate over Antolini’s sexuality is
fruitless, because to the speculative list of plausible ‘immoral’ identities that Antolini
may have, scholarship has disregarded the most imperative and least ambiguous title:
teacher. Antolini’s greatest lesson is the assertion that educated men are able to
follow their thoughts and leave a semblance of themselves behind through to the
‘end’— referring not only to the end of the thought, but to the very end, when one is
returned to the dust.
It is possible now consider how both texts interpret the ‘fall’ as positive and
necessary to life. If we track – as Keil and Delitzsch do – all the instances that the
‘knowledge of good and evil’ are mentioned in the Bible, we find only positive
connotations:
“The knowledge of good and evil was no mere experience of good and
ill, but a moral element in that spiritual development…which had
already been planned in the likeness of God. For not to know what
good and evil are, is a sign of either the immaturity of infancy
(Deuteronomy 1:39), or the imbecility of age (2 Samuel 19:35);
whereas the power to distinguish good and evil is commended as the
gift of a king (1 Kings 3:9) and the wisdom of angels (2 Samuel
14:17)…” 16
(Keil and Delitzch, n.p)
The biblical text supports the notion that Adam and Eve – and a host of other
characters in the Bible – are made to be better individuals through having the
knowledge. Thus, perhaps it would be more accurate to describe the fall as a loss of
ignorance as opposed to innocence.
To clarify between one who is innocent and one who is ignorant, and why this
difference is important, we can first turn to the dictionary. “Innocent” is defined as a
person who does “no evil…free from moral wrong…and produces no morally bad
result or ill effect” (“Innocent”); “Ignorant” is defined as one who is “destitute of
knowledge” (“Ignorant”). We can roughly conclude that ‘innocence’ is concerned
with the moral intentions of a person, while ignorance is concerned with the presence
Deuteronomy 1:39: “Moreover…your children which in that day had no knowledge between good
and evil, they shall go in thither.” God is condemning the faithless, exempting only Joshua and the
children. Children are exempted from punishment because they cannot yet distinguish between ‘good
and evil’.
1 Kings 3:9: “Give therefore thy servent an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern
between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?”
16
How does a literary text (or texts) represent the theological concerns evoked by the notion of the Fall?
(or lack thereof) of knowledge. Turning to philosophy to flesh out these definitions,
Wolgast’s paper examines the history of innocence. 17 Socrates’ philosophy, which
encouraged the individual’s pursuit towards virtue (arête), notes that virtue involves
an understanding of the knowledge of right and wrong. Such an understanding,
Socrates and Wolgast assert, can only be acquired through experience, a familiarity
with mistakes, and a loss of innocence. Wolgast continues this vein of thought to
conclude the following:
“…being an innocent disqualifies one for moral understanding…the
biblical story captures this point…denying [Adam and Eve] such
knowledge was denying them a great deal…Later, when they ate the
fruit…the lack was rectified.”
(Wolgast 305).
There is a problematic contradiction between the two frameworks: the
dictionary specifically denotes that it is an ignorant individual who lacks knowledge,
while Wolgast’s and Socrates’ philosophical framework asserts that it is an innocent
individual who lacks knowledge. More research is required to clarify this
contradiction — but in essence, both frameworks confirm that the acquisition of
knowledge is involved between the matter of innocence and ignorance. In Genesis’
case, it is still possible to accept Wolgast’s argument that ‘pre-fall’ Adam and Eve
were ‘innocent’. In Catcher’s case, however, this essay leans with the OED
definitions: Socrates’ definition of innocence is conceived from the broader classical
concept of arête, while the dictionary’s definitions are more contextually appropriate
to the modern novel.
If we accept the definitions provided, then we see that Catcher actually depicts
Holden’s loss of ignorance, as opposed to innocence. If innocence is defined as free
from moral wrong and ill effect, then the loss of innocence is the souring of those
previously ‘good’ intentions. Yet, Catcher does not indicate, at any point, any
indecent intentions on Holden’s part. If anything, Holden clings to good intentions.
An example of this is his restraint to “stop” (97) himself during sexual encounters
when his partners ask him to — even when “most guys don’t” (97). This restraint —
his innocence — is what saves Holden during his ‘fall’ of ignorance in Catcher’s
close.
With this differentiation made between innocence and ignorance, we can now
analyse how Catcher — like Genesis — interprets the fall as necessary and positive to
the human experience. Returning to Antolini’s words, he explicitly juxtaposes two
types of men Holden could become. The first type is made of those who, after their
loss of ignorance and exposure to the shades of human nature, end up “giving up
before they ever really even got started” (194). The second type is made of those who,
even during their loss of ignorance and exposure to the shades of human nature, still
retain a sense of innocence and moral duty, and choose to contribute meaningfully to
the world. With the absence of a deity, Catcher exudes a more nuanced interpretation
to the knowledge of good and evil by giving it a broader dimension of individual
choice. This is expressed in Catcher’s closing scene: the carousel.
17
See Wolgast, 301-305.
How does a literary text (or texts) represent the theological concerns evoked by the notion of the Fall?
When Holden gazes at Phoebe riding on the symbolic carousel, Holden notes
that the children are “trying to grab for the gold ring, and so was old Phoebe, and I
was sort of afraid she’d fall off the goddamn horse, but I didn’t say or do anything.”
(218). The detail of the gold ring symbolises the Golden Age, the first – and most
harmonious – age of the five classical Ages of Man. In reaching for the gold,
however, Phoebe looks as though she is going to fall – yet, the self-proclaimed
catcher in the rye, Holden Caulfield, chooses to refrain from ‘catching’ her. His
rationale is “if [the kids] want to grab for the gold ring, you have to let them do it, and
not say anything. If they fall off, they fall off, but it’s bad if you say anything to
them” (218). Holden’s restraint — his decision not to act — even when he knows that
the fall is coming for Phoebe, indicates that he is coming to terms with the
inevitability of the fall. Both Genesis and Catcher ultimately perceive the fall as a
painful but necessary and positive loss of ignorance that enriches life’s experience.
The intertextuality Genesis and Catcher share illuminate how the ‘fall’ is not
only necessary but also positive to the human condition. Let us return to the dialectic
of loss and gain in Genesis. When the fruit is taken, knowledge – whether it is that of
sexuality or mortality – is gained, and as a result, ignorance of death is lost. Though
Adam, Eve, and Holden lose their ignorance, however, in return their eyes have been
opened to an appreciation for the whole experience of life through knowledge of its
transience. As a result, the impulse to create – whether through biological
reproduction or through writing – is sparked, driven by the urge to create something
that will last beyond the physical body.18 The rain at Catcher’s close is symbolically
purifying: Holden, gazing at the carousel, grasps how everything — like dust
returning to dust — goes “round and round.” (219).
18
Catcher is a frame narrative. Current scholarship speculates where Holden is writing from, but
misses the central point: the frame narrative indicates Holden has begun to ‘record his thoughts’.
How does a literary text (or texts) represent the theological concerns evoked by the notion of the Fall?
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