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Holden Caulfield A Good Friend Analysis

800 Words4 Pages

I believe a good friend is someone who is honest, non-judgemental, and empathetic. So, would Holden Caulfield, the protagonist in The Catcher In The Rye by J.D. Salinger, qualify as a good friend? In some ways he would be a good friend, in some ways he would not. Holden Caulfield is a rebellious teenager, who doesn’t live a stable life. He is judgemental, dishonest, and apathetic. Although at times he can be kind and caring. Overall, Holden Caulfield would not make a good friend. Firstly, Caulfield is judgemental. When with his roommate Stradlater, Caulfield states, “He was at least a pretty friendly guy, Stradlater. It was partly a phony kind of friendly…” (26). Caulfield finds Stradlater as a nice guy but also phony. Caulfield always makes …show more content…

He often lies and makes up excuses to get out of situations. He states, “I’m the most terrific liar you ever saw in your life.” (16). Holden lies to escape reality and cover up his real self. It is easier for him to lie than tell the truth because then he can control the situation. An example of his lies is when he says “So when I told old Spencer I had to go to the gym to get my equipment and stuff, that was a sheer lie.” (16). Caulfield likes to make up excuses to get out of situations. This would not make him a good friend because honesty is very important in a friendship. Holden would be hard to trust because lies so …show more content…

Such as when talking about his sexual experiences, he says “The trouble with me is I stop. Most guys don’t.” (92). When a girl is telling him to stop, he listens and does so. This shows that he is understanding. Holden Caulfield is also very caring. He states “She’s very nervous. That’s another reason why I hated like hell for her to know I got the ax again.” (107). He cares for his mother and is mad himself for putting stress on her. It is obvious he cares for and loves his family. Someone who is understanding and caring makes a good friend. But Holden Caulfield’s bad qualities overpower the good

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