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Catcher In The Rye Adulthood Analysis

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Growing up and transitioning into adulthood is all about jumping over obstacles that fall in your way. You do not just grow up instantly or mature once you hit a certain age, it is gradual, and may not happen until you are emotionally mature. In the book,“The Catcher in The Rye,” written by J.D. Salinger there is a sixteen-year-old boy named Holden. His views on life are much more abstract than the usual sixteen-year old’s. Holden views the people around him as phony and corrupt, yet has a different belief for young children. He sees children as innocent and careless, and he envies their childlike wonder. In this coming of age novel, Holden’s idealist views about society seem to form a realistic view on life. At first glance, you see Holden as a self-absorbed kid who is struggling with the thought of adulthood. Holden begins his journey after failing his classes at Pencey and getting kicked out. From the first look of things, it seems that …show more content…

After telling his sister Phoebe that he was going to run away and live in a cabin, Phoebe arrived to meet him with a suitcase in her hands, “I’m going with you. Can I? Okay?(206). At that moment, Holden realizes that his sister can’t run away with him and that he shouldn’t run away from her. Since he did not run away from his problems and accepted that he has to get his life together shows increased maturity from the way he was towards the beginning of the book. Holden begins to get worried and scared, but once he watches Phoebe, happy as can be, take a ride on the Carousel. This is when Holden realizes that he needs to stop trying to grow up so fast and that he can still hold onto his innocence, even when he is an adult. In “The Catcher in The Rye,” Holden starts off as an immature boy who's scared to become an adult, towards the end of the book Holden matures and realizes that he needs to slow down and enjoy his childhood while it

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Holden view his sister as genuine and honest, not a “phony” like almost everyone else. When he arrives back in New York, one of his first thoughts is that he would like to call and speak with her. In the end of the novel, when Holden is getting ready to start his new life he decides he cannot leave without saying goodbye. Phoebe is the only character in the book who he actually cares about and sees no flaws in. He holds onto Phoebe so much because unlike everyone else surrounded by him, she still has her

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While reading the Catcher in the Rye, Holden exhibits depressive acts and focuses on the past. Salinger portrays Holden as a sixteen year old who has the inability to grow up, but is still interested in the adult life, with sexual venture and drinking. While also being focused on holding on to his innocence, and the innocence around

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These two struggles are what causes Holden to realise his purpose is being a catcher in the rye. His struggle to adulthood is quite evident. Holden states that the adult world is a nasty and horrible place, he thinks that the adult world is very phony, fake, and corrupt. These are words he uses quite often to describe the adult world, proving that he despises the thought of being an adult.

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