How Does Holden Change Throughout The Catcher In The Rye

In JD Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye, the protagonist Holden Caulfield learns that running away from his problems won't fix them. Through his interactions with other characters and a moment of clarity, Holden sees the importance of finding a purpose, protecting, and caring for the people he loves. Holden deals with the difficulties of being a teenager and growing up in a world that can be hard to understand and handle. Holden’s brother Allie’s death, being expelled from Pency Prep, and the encounter with Mr Antolini are all events in the book that shape Holden. Salinger's book talks about feeling alone, figuring out who you are, and trying to find where you belong in the world. Throughout the novel, Holden is depressed and alone, but his

Now, he can look forward to a better future for himself.
Allie's death is a traumatic event that deeply affects Holden. He finds it hard to accept that his brother is gone and feels upset and confused about why someone so young and good had to die. Holden feels very sad about Allie's death and because of that, he feels like he doesn't belong and is disconnected from the world around him. As Holden says, "I was only thirteen, and they were going to have me psychoanalyzed and all, because I broke all the windows in the garage. I don't blame them. I really don't. I slept in the garage the night he died, and I broke all the goddam windows with my fist, just for the hell of it" (Salinger 38). Holden is so upset that he breaks all the windows in his family's garage with his fists. This shows how he is struggling to cope with his emotions and how he is feeling lost and angry. The quote shows how Holden is struggling on the inside and is trying to cope with his sadness by behaving in

Holden getting kicked out of Pencey Prep is a big moment in the story and it makes him become different in many ways. He starts feeling disappointed and loses faith in the people and organizations he encounters. He thinks they are fake and insincere. Getting kicked out of Pency leads Holden to embark on a journey to better his life and find his place in the world. When Holden gets kicked out of Pencey Prep, it changes the story a lot. It's the end of his school career and he has to face the fact that he isn't meeting his parent’s expectations. Holden's expulsion also makes him feel alone and disconnected from his classmates. He doesn't know what to do next. As Holden says, "I got the ax. They give guys the ax quite frequently at Pencey. It has a very good academic rating, Pence[y. It really does. It isn't too strict, but it's strict enough so that nobody gets expelled unless they deserve it" (Salinger 4). Sure, I can try to simplify it. The quote is about a teenage boy named Holden who has just been kicked out of his school. He says that it's common for guys to get expelled, which shows how he feels like he's been treated unfairly. The quote also reveals his sense of isolation and how he feels