FREE ESSAY ON SOCIETY: THE CLASSROOM FOR BEHAVIOR

SOCIETY: THE CLASSROOM FOR BEHAVIOR

Society: The Classroom for Behavior
If a young boy were to open a gift of clothing from his Aunt John on his birthday more
than likely his reaction would not be that deemed acceptable by American society because
his response of "EWW, Clothes" would be considered churlish. The socially acceptable
response evoked from mommy would be, "Thank you for my present Aunt John." This is only
one of the many social mores that our society teaches children when they are at a young
age. Other mores most have learned or taught through out years have been which side of
the plate the fork goes on, opening doors for women and seniors and saying "Please and
Thank You". Unfortunately, most of these mores are taught to curb a child's innocence and
natural behavior. For instance, if a young boy were playing by himself, society would
applaud his creativity. However, if an adult or senior citizen were to do the same
society would think that they were eccentric or senile. One reason that The Catcher in
the Rye by J.D. Salinger is a classic is that no matter whether it's the society of the
1940's or that of present day, we continue to teach children that acts of innocence and
natural behavior are regarded as unacceptable as one grows older. Thus, we are left with
a society that is a classroom filled with adults who suppress a child's pastimes. 
If one saw an adult walking down the street singing a show tune or humming the latest top
40's hit, society would usually view that individual as weird or peculiar. The character,
Holden, sees a child following his parents on a busy Broadway street. The child
"…kept singing and humming…in a pretty little voice."(115) Holden comments on
how the child's parents paid no attention to him. If the child's parents had been keeping
close tabs on him then the reader is to think that the child would have been walking in
an orderly fashion closely behind his parents. Near the end of the paragraph, Holden
tells how seeing the child singing on the street made him feel better and not quite as
depressed. The fact that it made Holden feel happy is because this innocence and natural
behavior is accepted, often times praised, and many times enjoyed in little children. It
shows their creativity in the ability that they can make up games to play by themselves
or make up an imaginary friend, and Holden is the only character in the novel that
intuitively recognizes this.
Throughout every child's life most individuals have been on a merry-go-round and most
individuals have enjoyed their ride on it. Well near the end of the novel, Holden enjoys
Phoebe's ride on the merry-go-round as much as she does. "I felt so damn happy all of a
sudden, the way old Phoebe kept going around and around. I was damn near bawling, I felt
so damn happy, if you want to know the truth."(213) The reason for Holden's joyfulness
was the ability to watch his wise and beloved sister go from anger towards him to
content. He watched her innocence prevail and it caused him to cry. Holden commented,
"..she looked so damn nice, the way she kept going around and around, in her blue coat
and all. God, I wish you could've been there."(213) Again Holden is one of the few people
in the novel to distinguish this innocence and natural behavior. The fact that people are
forced to curb their natural behaviors in today's society is a reason that The Catcher in
the Rye is still a classic and always will be.
Allie and Phoebe are two perfect examples for Salinger's commentary on how natural
innocence and behavior are taught to be bad things. Phoebe, the child who is wise beyond
her years, is already at the stage where she has learned that social mores are taught to
kids to encourage the ideas of proper socialization. Holden, who is older than Phoebe,
goes to her and asks her for advice, therefore showing how Phoebe has already been
tainted by society in the fact that Holden goes to her for advice on things that he
should have learned throughout his years. Holden cynicism towards the world that he sees
as being phony surely plays apart in his lack of education for the social mores that kids
are taught at a young age. Phoebe's childish innocence is one of Holden's only consistent
sources of happiness throughout the novel. Whether it's her, merry-go-round rides, her
natural behaviors of signing her name incorrectly or her innocence when she was sleeping
peacefully in D.B.'s room.