Holden Caulfield Character Analysis

For many of us, entering adulthood can be a scary, confusing period of time, especially for those copping with depression or living in the spotlight. Speaking as an ordinary teenager, I understand that growing up in todays society comes with many challenges and trying to figure out our futures can get exhausting! Holden Caulfield, the main character in Cather in the Rye, depicts the struggle of entering adulthood and illustrates the common uncertainty faced during adolescence. The cliche “you are not alone”, is annoyingly true. In fact, while you might think you’re the only one who sees life as one big phony joke, Holden can tell you, he can relate! While it may seem great to grow up famous, it often has a greater, more damaging affect to a persons mental state. Esther Greenwood, from the Bell Jar, depicts the difficulty in trying to keep up with society’s expectations while figuring herself out at the same time.

is a common battle for many high schoolers and it is even tougher when you are faced with depression. The main character from Catcher in the Rye, Holden, who is a junior in high school, depicts various internal struggles including entering adult society, which is what ultimately scares him the most. His mental instability and depression make almost everything in his young life seem even more difficult. “Certain things, they should stay the way they are. You ought to be able to stick them in one of those big glass cases and just leave them alone.” Holden does not want to face adult responsibilities, instead he would rather things just stay as they are. While this might not be everyones biggest concern, I think that most of us can agree with Holden in the sense that things were much simpler as a kid and it would be nice to revisit those carefree, innocent