Catcher in the Rye- Question 2

This causes, gains, and losses of the conflict are normally one of the cleanest and simplest things to write about for an essay. The answers are straightforward and definite. The problem with this book is that there is essentially no plot, and no conflict. It drove me mad the entire time I had to take reading the book. If I had to name a conflict in the book, I would say that it was looking for the best way for Holden to waste time until his parents were notified about his expulsion from another school.

I think the cause of the conflict is that Holden got kicked out of school. Because he does not want to tell his parents about it himself and face their wrath, he checks into a hotel and plans on waiting to go home until he is sure they have received the letter informing them of his expulsion. You would think that because he thinks so lowly of his self, he would go tell them himself because he thinks he deserves their anger. Anyway, he goes and hides his shameful self until he feels that most of their anger will have blown over.

The biggest loss in the book is really only all of the money Holden tries to spend entertaining his self. For some reason he cannot stand to be alone, and is always trying to get someone’s company and to entertain them. Maybe it is because he dislikes his self so much he just does not want to be alone with it. Anyway, he spends a good deal of money trying to get people to spend time with him.

I have absolutely no idea what was gained, if anything really was. It is pretty depressing that throughout the entire book nothing at all was gained and nothing important was lost. That really is not much of a story at all because typically in a story, something happens at some point.

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown and, 1991. Print.