The Catcher in the Rye and the Philosophy of Innocence

Day 1

• Facilitator: Pose the question: What is innocence?
  • Students can journal, free write, think-pair-share, have a standing conversation, or small group conversation to brainstorm and write their own definitions. 
  • The facilitator may need to ask follow-up questions to cajole thinking depending on the answers students offer. For instance:
    •  “Is innocence just a lack of knowledge? Is it a lack of knowledge of a certain thing like evil or cruelty? Or is it the belief in something like the belief in goodness, or Santa…”
    • Should innocence be protected? Why or why not? For how long? 

• Facilitator: Give a brief lecture on Rousseau’s belief that humans are born naturally good, but society corrupts them. You may use this presentation. After discussing Rousseau briefly, assign students specific passages from The Catcher in the Rye where Holden discusses innocence, childhood, or adulthood (e.g., the museum scene, his view on “phonies,” the carousel scene) or you may simply use the quotes in the slideshow presentation to discuss.
  • Students will participate in a small group discussion, each with a different passage or quotation to discuss:
    • In these scenes (or in these quotes), how does Holden define innocence? Why is he committed to protecting it?
  • Students will participate in a whole class reflection:
    • Each group can synthesize the small group discussion for the whole class. 
    • The whole class can discussion some or all of the questions in the slideshow and that appear below. 
      • Are children truly more innocent than adults?
      • Does growing up inevitably lead to corruption?
      • What experiences shape Holden’s worldview?
      • How do nature and nurture interact in shaping individuals?
      • Can society have both positive and negative influences?
      • What role does personal choice play in moral development?
      • Do you agree more with Rousseau or Holden?
      • How has your own experience of growing up shaped your views?
      • Is it possible to maintain innocence while maturing?
      • How can we create a society that nurtures rather than corrupts?
  • The whole class can discuss whether Holden’s perspective is realistic or misguided.

Day 2 (optional)

• Facilitator: Pose the question: Think of a time when you felt you lost innocence–was it necessary? Did the loss allow you to gain anything in return?
  • Students can journal, free write, think-pair-share, have a standing conversation, or small group conversation to brainstorm and write their own definitions. 

• Facilitator: Lead a brief discussion on the students’ personal experiences with innocence. Again, facilitator may need to ask follow up questions. NOTE: students should not be asked to describe the experiences that led them to feel they lost innocence, just what that feeling was like, what they were like before the experience vs. after. 

• Facilitator: Choose as many supplemental texts as you like. Present them to the class and lead discussions comparing the speakers in the texts to Holden and themselves. How do all of these perspectives help us to understand what innocence is and to take a position on the extent to which it is valuable and worthy of being preserved?
  • William Blake, “The Tyger” and “The Lamb” 
  • The Breakfast Club scene start scene at 2:20 *This clip contains adult language unless you start it after the 2:20 mark. 
  • Philip Larkin, “The Be the Verse” *This poem contains adult language and should be used with caution or with the expletive replaced with a euphemism. 
  • S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders 
  • Robert Frost, “Nothing Gold Can Stay”
  • Ursula K LeGuin, “The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas”
  • James Joyce, “Araby”

• Extension/Closure Activity (optional)
  • Should we mourn the loss of innocence, or is it a necessary transformation?
  • If Holden read Rousseau, Blake, Hinton, Frost, Larkin, or watched The Breakfast Club, etc., how might he respond? (might be a fun activity to write a review of any of the pieces above as Holden Caulfield).
  • What does The Catcher in the Rye ultimately say about growing up?