Teenagers must establish a good relationship with someone to provide support. In J. D. Salinger’s “The Catcher in the Rye,” perseverance is essential to liaise well with others. Establishing new friendships requires the consideration of early life events, being comfortable with oneself and the fear of associating with phony individuals. Early life events should be taken into consideration while establishing new friendships. The protagonist struggles to connect with others because of the trauma he has experienced, which is the death of his younger brother. In the following quote, the main character talks to his brother, “What I did, I started talking, sort of out loud, to Allie. I do that sometimes when I get very depressed." (110) This quote illustrates Holden’s disconnection from others because he is constantly preoccupied with his brother. He does not think about making friends that could potentially help him when he feels depressed. He prefers talking with his dead brother which can seriously affect his ability to socialize with others. Other than early life events, being comfortable with oneself is another factor why Holden is not making friends. …show more content…
When Holden lacks a sense of comfort with himself, it becomes challenging for him to make connections. In the following quote, holden reveals his trick to associate with others without being himself, “But when I’m with somebody that’s corny, I always act corny too.” (68) Holden is pretending to be someone he's not in order to fit in. This is seen in his behaviour of adopting a false personality to blend in with those around him. By doing so, he gives up being true to himself in the hopes of gaining the acceptance of others. Other than being comfortable with oneself, associating with phonies may be another reason he can’t make