Catcher In The Rye Adulthood Vs Adulthood Essay

Ashlyn Perez

Mrs. Chadwick

English 10H, Per. 3

17 April 2023

Man Vs. Adulthood: Not Everyone Finds Pleasure in Maturing One of the highest points in life, adulthood, some may think, may be considered one's prime time, however, an enemy to others. In the novel, The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, a teenager named Holden Caulfield, hides how he enjoys innocence and not existing as an adult. Not until he faces reality, he learns to accept his maturity and coming of age. Holden would hide his desire to stay young, by certain acts such as drinking and smoking. Through the use of characterization and symbolism, Salinger demonstrates growing up and how coming of age becomes a fear of Holden’s that hits him off the face of reality. This

Holden resides in New York after leaving Pencey Prep, the school he attends, after he developed a hatred of Pencey. Shortly after arriving in New York, Holden cannot stay with his family as they believe he still belongs in school, therefore he gets a cab to a hotel. Holden commonly questions the ducks that sit around Central park as they are there on the lake, but all of a sudden they seem to disappear somewhere. “You know those ducks in the lagoon right near central park south? That little lake? By any chance, do you know where they go, the ducks, when it gets all frozen over? (Salinger 67). As Holden experiences a very important stage of his life, he reaches a point where certain privileges start to disappear, one of which being his innocence. In a sense, Holden asks a very childish question, with a very mature meaning. The truth is honestly, he really questions where his innocence goes. This implies that although one would think your innocence stays forever, it eventually becomes

Holden goes to visit his favorite museum he grew up going to as a child. “The best thing though in the museum was everything stayed right where it was. Nobody would be different. The only thing that would be different was you” (Salinger 135). The museum was Holden's safe place and gave him a sense of peace. It takes him back to his childhood where everything stays the same. The most significant thing about growing up is how much one can change. The museum distracts Holden from the idea of him physically changing and becoming a man. At one point, Holden accepts change is ok. “All the kids kept trying to grab for the gold ring and so was old Phoebe, and I was sort of afraid she'd fall off the goddamn horse, but I didn't say anything or do anything” Salinger 232). Holden goes from liking sameness and wanting to catch the innocent kids, to wanting his own sister, Phoebe to grow up and mature. Throughout the book, Holden can be seen as selfish, only worried about his well-being and growing up. Phoebe led him to see the bigger picture that growing up is anything except something to be scared of, even if there are downfalls along the