Holden Caulfield Character Analysis

Painted as the voice of a generation, Holden Caulfield is a young man that may be described in many different fashions. Prophetic, however, seems to be a description that has not translated to mankind’s latest generation. In the novel, The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, Holden Caulfield is built up and described as the spirit of adolescence. And for generations after the release of the book, the label held; however, the ideas and appeal of Holden seems to have lost its strong bonds with the feelings of current young adults. Holden is often not afraid to speak honestly on sensitive subjects throughout the novel. In previous generations, Holden’s feelings often gathered sympathetic followers. He was labelled a prophet for teenagers everywhere.

Many teenagers from previous generations may sympathize with the feelings Holden expresses many times throughout the book—feelings that often are too provocative to be spoken aloud in society. The sympathetic nature of Holden has not translated to the latest generation of teens. And many would argue, that it is simply because Holden Caulfield is not a very relatable character. Many would never be able to picture themselves in his shoes. When describing the situational problem that Holden experiences, a critic states, “This is surely the differential revolt of the lonesome rich kid, the conspicuous display of leisure-class emotions” (Geismar 198-199). Holden embodies a child who has problems that he feels only he experiences. He fills and brings to life a stereotypical rich kid, who has all sorts of opportunity given to him, but is too occupied with his own problems. Many teenagers could never imagine the prospect of having the wealth of Holden’s family, much less relate to any of the emotional problems that Holden may

Many of the statements that Holden makes are not viewpoints that are held by the common person, as many of the statements are undignified and disrespectful. People may be cautious around the other ideas of Holden Caulfield. Holden describes helping a veteran with venom in his voice, “What he did, he carved his goddam stupid sad old initials in one of the can doors about ninety years ago, and he wanted to see if they were still there. So my roommate and I walked him down to the bathroom and all, and we had to stand there while he looked for his initials in all the can doors” (Salinger 90). Readers that may have been engaged and agreeable to many of Holden’s statements must have disengaged upon reading that malicious portion of text. Instead of presenting his views on the world, Holden is disrespecting and acting invidiously towards a veteran. A line has been crossed and breached in which Holden is no longer speaking hypothetically, and is instead being rude and