Catcher in the Rye
The Catcher in the Rye, the 1951 novel by J.D. Salinger, follows the 17-year old narrator Holden Caulfield through his experiences as a troubled adolescent. The Catcher in the Rye is the only published book by J.D Salinger and was previously forbidden from being taught at schools because of its rather mature content. Today, it is read in schools all across America and is considered a quintessential coming-of-age tale. Holden Caulfield is a confused teenage boy who's fear of change and disappearance completely takes over his life, but, throughout the book, learns that growing up is inevitable.
In the opening chapters, Holden's immaturity is shown through various interactions. Before getting kicked out of Pencey Prep in Agerstown, Pennsylvania, his roommate was Ward Stradlater and his neighbor was Robert Ackley. An example of his immaturity is when Ackley is in Holden's room and Holden says:
" I pulled the old peak of my hunting hat around to the front, then pulled it way down over my eyes. That way, I couldn't see a goddamn thing. 'I think I'm going blind,' I said in this very hoarse voice. 'Mother darling, everything's getting so dark in here'" (21).
When Holden does this, Ackley gets annoyed with him, and tells him to grow up. In Holden's mind, he isn't being immature. He says he is just "horsing around," but it's a way a child would behave. Another example of his immaturity is when Stradlater is shaving and Holden says he felt like horsing around and jumps on him and gets him in a half nelson. Holden's immaturity show through his actions because he doesn't realize they are childish acts, and it causes his friends to become annoyed with him. A major factor in Holden being the way he is, is the death of his younger brother Allie. His brother Allie's death caused him to think that people disappear and when they grow up they disappear, resulting in him being afraid of falling out of innocence. From that point on, Holden strived to protect his childhood.
In the opening chapters, Holden's immaturity is shown through various interactions. Before getting kicked out of Pencey Prep in Agerstown, Pennsylvania, his roommate was Ward Stradlater and his neighbor was Robert Ackley. An example of his immaturity is when Ackley is in Holden's room and Holden says:
" I pulled the old peak of my hunting hat around to the front, then pulled it way down over my eyes. That way, I couldn't see a goddamn thing. 'I think I'm going blind,' I said in this very hoarse voice. 'Mother darling, everything's getting so dark in here'" (21).
When Holden does this, Ackley gets annoyed with him, and tells him to grow up. In Holden's mind, he isn't being immature. He says he is just "horsing around," but it's a way a child would behave. Another example of his immaturity is when Stradlater is shaving and Holden says he felt like horsing around and jumps on him and gets him in a half nelson. Holden's immaturity show through his actions because he doesn't realize they are childish acts, and it causes his friends to become annoyed with him. A major factor in Holden being the way he is, is the death of his younger brother Allie. His brother Allie's death caused him to think that people disappear and when they grow up they disappear, resulting in him being afraid of falling out of innocence. From that point on, Holden strived to protect his childhood.