Alienation is very important in JD Salinger's “The Catcher in the Rye” to shape JD Salinger's characters. Alienation is a theme throughout the novel used to shape the characters and their personalities. Some characters alienate themselves as a form of protection such as Holden Caulfield. While others accidentally alienate another character like Holden's parents do to Holden and some, like Ackley, are oblivious to the fact that they are alienated from others and from doing certain things themselves. Each character's reasons for alienation help shape each character and make them have a reason for why they are in the novel. Holden Caulfield alienates himself in Catcher in the Rye to protect himself. He alienated himself from people to ensure he didn't have the chance to feel pain or rejection like he did when his brother Allie died. He also uses his protective instinct of alienation as a way to demonstrate that he is better than everyone else and therefore above associating and communicating with them. “I don't even know what I was running from, maybe I felt like it” (page 4). Holden was literally running towards his teacher's house but was metaphorically running away from feelings and human interaction. Alienation is important in shaping Holden as it paints him as strange and pessimistic, but it also highlights that deep down he is crying out for help because of the pain he feels after losing Allie and his destructive behavior of isolating himself. Holden's self-alienation is not only a protective mechanism but also a way for Holden to reassure himself that adults are fake and that he is not. “This is a hat to throw at people,” I said. “I shoot people with this hat”” (page 17-18). It is seeing... middle of paper... from external disturbances and distractions that is a reason to alienate. This causes Holden to know how to act responsibly and thoughtfully towards others while trying to protect children from adult speech, which he sees as "false". In JD Salinger's novel, Catcher in the Rye, alienation is used to portray and shape the characters in the novel. Each character plays a different role in showing the importance of alienation in understanding Holden's character. Alienation is the act of isolating oneself and is what shapes the characters in the novel. Holden's alienation is a coping mechanism and self-protection from being hurt and rejected by the death of the Allies, while Ackley's self-alienation is due to not following accepted norms such as being clean. The alienation in Catcher in the Rye is important in showing several themes in the novel.