2002. Morally ambiguous characters -- characters whose behavior discourages readers from identifying them as purely evil or purely good -- are at the heart of many works of literature. Choose a novel or play in which a morally ambiguous character plays a pivotal role. Then write an essay in which you explain how the character can be viewed as morally ambiguous and why his or her moral ambiguity is significant to the work as a whole. Avoid mere plot summary.
Oftentimes characters are composed of varying features that stray the reader from identifying their role to either be purely good or evil. Holden Caulfield from J.D. Salinger's novel, The Catcher in the Rye, takes on a role that consists of such contrasting characters which ultimately makes him a morally ambiguous character.
Although Holden's distinctive qualities may not be viewed to the extent of evil, his unstable beliefs and irritable mood makes him a highly unlikable person to many readers. His poor temperament comes into play after he is expelled from school for the fourth time and decides to say a final farewell to Spencer, his history professor. Spencer offers him crucial advice to success and self improvement but Holden becomes annoyed at his caring nature and ignores the advice. He returns to his dorm where he is enraged again at his room mate who he has deemed to have extremely poor hygiene. Due to this fact, Holden makes his dislike for his room mate very clear which reveals his extremely judgmental nature as another one of his poor qualities. Holden abuses his power of judgement to the extent of accusing almost anybody that he encounters as a "phony" just because they contain a certain characteristic that does not live up to his taste. Although he places himself up on his high pedestal, many of Holden's own qualities identify him as a hypocrite. He begins to tell a series of lies to those around him in order to cover up his identity and hide the fact that he has failed yet another school from his parents. Holden is ashamed of himself and his incapability to have success which makes him equally as much of a "phony" as all the rest of the people that he accuses.
On the contrary, the qualities that identify Holden as an unlikable character can be counteracted with the kind and generous person that he can be. Throughout the novel, Holden is overly generous to all of the people that he gets to know. While Holden is sitting in the Lavender Room at his hotel, he spots a table-ful of middle aged women and decides to join them for a drink. After he enjoys a dance with one of the ladies, Holden offers to cover all of their drinks and pays without hesitation. Holden also voluntarily gives a group of nuns that he met at a restaurant ten dollars just because they had a chat with him about Romeo and Juliet. This quality reflects Holden's appreciation to those who were willing to spend their time with him and his idea of the worth behind the money he has.
Holden's soft side was also revealed after he goes to visit his sister Phoebe. Out of all the people that Holden has ever encountered, Phoebe was the one that he treasured the most. After avoiding his return to home for several days, Holden secretly sneaks back into his house to have a long and heartfelt conversation with Phoebe. He then reveals to her that he has been expelled from school and Phoebe is the one that reawakens him to how lost he is within himself. Because of Phoebe, Holden rediscovers himself and it is seen in the end that Holden is put close to tears for the first time in the novel because he sees the happiness of someone other than himself. This shows that Holden is not as bad as he initially comes off as and that he has a deeper side to him.
Holden Caulfield's ambiguous morality shows that the main character of a novel does not necessarily have to be purely good or evil. Because he has such varying sides, readers are enabled to discover and decide for themselves whether or not Holden Caulfield is a character worthy to be loved.
Although Holden's distinctive qualities may not be viewed to the extent of evil, his unstable beliefs and irritable mood makes him a highly unlikable person to many readers. His poor temperament comes into play after he is expelled from school for the fourth time and decides to say a final farewell to Spencer, his history professor. Spencer offers him crucial advice to success and self improvement but Holden becomes annoyed at his caring nature and ignores the advice. He returns to his dorm where he is enraged again at his room mate who he has deemed to have extremely poor hygiene. Due to this fact, Holden makes his dislike for his room mate very clear which reveals his extremely judgmental nature as another one of his poor qualities. Holden abuses his power of judgement to the extent of accusing almost anybody that he encounters as a "phony" just because they contain a certain characteristic that does not live up to his taste. Although he places himself up on his high pedestal, many of Holden's own qualities identify him as a hypocrite. He begins to tell a series of lies to those around him in order to cover up his identity and hide the fact that he has failed yet another school from his parents. Holden is ashamed of himself and his incapability to have success which makes him equally as much of a "phony" as all the rest of the people that he accuses.
On the contrary, the qualities that identify Holden as an unlikable character can be counteracted with the kind and generous person that he can be. Throughout the novel, Holden is overly generous to all of the people that he gets to know. While Holden is sitting in the Lavender Room at his hotel, he spots a table-ful of middle aged women and decides to join them for a drink. After he enjoys a dance with one of the ladies, Holden offers to cover all of their drinks and pays without hesitation. Holden also voluntarily gives a group of nuns that he met at a restaurant ten dollars just because they had a chat with him about Romeo and Juliet. This quality reflects Holden's appreciation to those who were willing to spend their time with him and his idea of the worth behind the money he has.
Holden's soft side was also revealed after he goes to visit his sister Phoebe. Out of all the people that Holden has ever encountered, Phoebe was the one that he treasured the most. After avoiding his return to home for several days, Holden secretly sneaks back into his house to have a long and heartfelt conversation with Phoebe. He then reveals to her that he has been expelled from school and Phoebe is the one that reawakens him to how lost he is within himself. Because of Phoebe, Holden rediscovers himself and it is seen in the end that Holden is put close to tears for the first time in the novel because he sees the happiness of someone other than himself. This shows that Holden is not as bad as he initially comes off as and that he has a deeper side to him.
Holden Caulfield's ambiguous morality shows that the main character of a novel does not necessarily have to be purely good or evil. Because he has such varying sides, readers are enabled to discover and decide for themselves whether or not Holden Caulfield is a character worthy to be loved.
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