Analysis Of Holden In Catcher In The Rye, By J. D. Salinger

In the novel Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, the main character Holden has this utter detest for the adult world and all that it stands for. Such disgust makes him practically cling to anything that remotely holds innocence or a familiarity of childhood. To remain in a state of innocence, Holden grabs onto the memory of three people from his childhood: Jane Gallagher, a best friend from his past; Allie, his dead little brother; and Phoebe, his little sister who despite Holden’s wishes, is growing up. Jane Gallagher is forever immortalized inside Holden’s mind as this beautiful and pure girl from his childhood. She represents the space between innocence and that of adulthood, or the unknown for Holden. Having fallen in love

Despite Phoebe being mature for her age, as mentioned by Holden on countless times, she still represents childhood innocence in Holden’s eyes. “It didn’t take me long, and I can read that kind of stuff, some kid’s notebook, Phoebe’s or anybody’s, all day and all night long. Kid’s notebooks kill me” (209). Still having the maturity of a child himself, Holden is able to understand and form connections with Phoebe much easier than he manages to do with kids his age or adults for that matter. He finds amusement in her writings and enjoys the fact that she is about as far from phony as you can get considering she writes whatever pops into her head. As mature as Phoebe is, however, she is also still only ten so she has the habit of moving between acting like an adult and then acting like a child, which relates to Holden as well. Considering he has the habit of doing the exact same thing. So it is no surprise that he wants nothing more than to shield and savor her innocence. Holden tends to get real giddy when Phoebe does anything that is childish or innocent, such as the carrousel ride. “I felt so damn happy all of a sudden, the way old Phoebe kept going around and around” (275). Much like a child would, Holden finds happiness in the most simplistic things, which happen to also involve Phoebe. The most prominent point in their relationship which focus’ around hanging onto innocent and childhood, was that of the fact that Holden doesn’t see Phoebe as a phony like he does the rest of the world. Unlike he does with anyone else, aside from Allie of course, he praises just about everything about her. “You never saw a little kid so pretty and smart in your whole life...I mean she's had all A's ever since she started school...You'd like her” (87-88). She is the embodiment of innocence in Holden’s eyes and he would go to great lengths to assure she stays her innocent self.