Catcher In The Rye Change Essay

The Catcher In The Rye by J.D Salinger is a novel told from the perspective of the protagonist Holden Caulfield. Holden is a young teenage boy who was recently hospitalized at a mental institution for illnesses he faced, and during his time there he narrates the events that led him up to this moment. Throughout the story, Holden attempts to make new relationships and in the process is exposed to many elements that resemble adulthood and his need to grow up. Ultimately, Holden struggles to grapple with the idea of change which leads him to a feeling of alienation and loneliness.
As the story progresses, readers learn that Holden deeply cherishes the past and is fearful of the future and what’s to come. One of the few things Holden loves is museums and his reasoning is as follows, “The best thing, though, in that museum was that everything always stayed right where it was. Nobody'd move.” (Salinger 121). Holden describes a museum like it is a time capsule, where nothing would ever change and everything would stay

Salinger continues to explore the theme of change and a major lesson he wishes to teach is the importance of being able to accept change. An example of the importance of changing can be explained by Mr. Antolini with the following quote, “ ‘The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of the mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one.’ ” (Salinger 188). This quote argues that people who fail to change for the better are living in a state of constant immaturity, and it is important to be adaptable to live a successful life. Sadly, Holden is portrayed as someone who isn’t adaptable and refuses to grow up and change, which leads to a lonesome lifestyle and a constant feeling of alienation and depression. With the use of this theme, Salinger is suggesting the importance of change and the failure to do so may lead to severe consequences such as isolation and being emotionally