Academic Review 2024

4 ST EDWARD’S, OXFORD

Defining the “loss of innocence” “Innocence” is defined as ‘the quality of having no experience or knowledge of the more complex or unpleasant aspects of life’ (Collins Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, 2018). From Holden’s perspective in the context of The Catcher in the Rye , the complex or unpleasant aspects of life would refer to the integration into adult society from adolescence and experience or knowledge regarded as adult behaviour and norms. More particularly within Holden’s narrative, his loss of innocence is revealed via his interactions with Sunny as he gains experience and knowledge of three major aspects: sex, his own emotional tendencies, and navigating the superficiality of society. Prior to Holden’s interactions with Sunny, Salinger emphasises that Holden already has an idea of how and when sex should occur, although he is a virgin. Holden’s meeting with Sunny results in the disintegration of such beliefs, bringing about the loss of his sexual naivety. Before Sunny’s arrival, Holden adjusts his appearance in the mirror, although he admits that he ‘didn’t have to get all dolled up for a prostitute or anything’ (p. 102). Salinger’s use of the informal idiom ‘dolled up’ is one that usually evokes the image of a feminine figure intricately adjusting her appearance to look beautiful. This contrast between femininity and Holden’s brash boyishness, accentuates the fact that Holden is nervous and is already emotionally entangled in the looming prospect of sex, as he is meticulously preparing as one would for a sexual encounter with a lover. Salinger then reveals Holden’s intentions for arranging a prostitute, wanting to ‘get in some practice on [Sunny], in case [he] ever [gets] married or anything’. By repeating ‘or anything’ at the end of Holden’s thoughts as he awaits Sunny’s arrival, Salinger creates a flimsy veneer of casualness and ease in Holden’s voice as Holden tries to mask his nerves and sexual inexperience. Holden’s anxiety further indicates how significantly he values sex – he views sex as a product of marriage, associating sex with love and romance. This is seen as Sunny starts to undress, and he feels that she ‘did it so sudden and all’ (p. 106). This curt sentence, monosyllabic with the exception of the italicised adjective ‘ sudden ’, reflects how robotic and Holden and Sunny: Where does sex fit in the equation of love?

contrived the interaction feels to Holden. Holden is clearly shocked by the lack of tenderness – sex should be a product of love and trust; it should happen naturally after a build-up of emotions and communication. Salinger stresses this as Holden asks Sunny, ‘Don’t you feel like talking for a while?’ in a desperate attempt to stall the physicality of sex. His hesitance, indicated by the words ‘Don’t you’ when asking Sunny to converse with him, implies that he feels Sunny should also desire to fabricate some sense of emotional context to sex – he is in a state of denial, finding it difficult to believe that sex could be so devoid of sentiment. By merely presenting Holden with what he had paid for, Sunny dispels Holden’s whole basis and foundation for what he thought would constitute sex – a tender, natural chronology of events. Holden ‘knows from observing the behaviour of his peers more than anyone that he ought to be a sexual being’ (Helenius, 2014, p. 31), yet with this encounter, Sunny provides him with the grounds to question everything he thought he knew about having sex. Not only do Sunny’s interactions with Holden cause him to question his sexual knowledge and identity, she induces Holden to consider what sex truly means to him in conjunction with growing up, which is something he had not considered until meeting her. Previous to meeting Sunny, Holden nervously states that he ‘didn’t care too much’ and ‘sort of just wanted to get it over with’ (p. 104). The flippant and nonchalant attitude toward sex “ ...his loss of innocence is revealed via his interactions with Sunny as he gains experience and knowledge... ”