Examples Of Conformity In Catcher In The Rye

Expectations. A simple set of norms that kids often lack, both academically and socially. In “The Catcher and the Rye”, by J.D. Salinger, the main character Holden Caulfield, is struggling to grow up. Holden doesn’t want to grow up, but rather stay a kid because he doesn’t want responsibility. For the sake that Holden struggles to following social and academic conformity, he experiences a difficult crossroad between his childhood and adulthood. Throughout the struggles of Holden, J.D. Salinger is arguing, that if Holden were to obtain a balance of being educated and meeting social expectations, than he would have a more fluent transition from childhood to adulthood. Why do kids follow social conformity? Is it to fit in? Often times you see kids doing unethical things in groups, and that’s because one wants to fit in.

Holden is talking about the final football game at Pencey Prep, and how it was expected that he would go to the game like everyone else. Holden believed that he could do whatever he wanted and be happy. Since he doesn’t go to the game, it’s clear that he doesn’t have many, or any friends. Thus, breaking the social expectation of going to the game. When you follow the social expectation often times you will run into people that you can call friends, but since Holden was so against doing what everyone else did he simply distanced himself and didn’t make any friends. When Holden does try to fit in with society and do what is right he is frequently doing the wrong things. When making these decisions he realizes how much he likes being a kid. When Holden runs away from Pencey Prep he goes to a hotel where he orders a prostitute to his room for his pleasure. Holden thinks that he will get “practice” on this girl so he can do it on someone that he truly loves. But once the girl arrives to his room, he stops wanting to do anything. When talking to the