Catcher In The Rye: The True Character Of Holden Caulfield

When I the word authentic comes to my mind, I think of something that is legit or original such as a brand of clothing or shoes. However, when the words authentic teen character comes to mind, I think of someone who represents the stereotypical teen of that generation in which he/she lives in. In the book The Catcher In The Rye, Holden Caulfield, a teenage boy that gets kicked out of Pencey High School, is introduced to us. After he gets kicked out of the high school, Holden makes a journey back to return to his family, who lives in New York. From the last day in his dorm, to the day that he gets home, he exhibits characteristics that prove to us that he is indeed a real teen character. These characteristics don't have to be from a modern
generations of teens. Holden Caulfield is an authentic teenager because he reacts like a teen, relates to teens emotions, and uses a teen diction or slang.
When it comes to dealing with struggles, he reacts to them in a way that only real teenagers would. After leaving his house and then getting creeped out of Mr. Antolini's house, Holden feels tired of relocating so much. He decides to write a note to his sister Phoebe that says, “I decided i’d never go home again and I’d never go away to another school again” , as if he was a full grown adult with his own source of income (198). This contributes to his authenticity because many teens have contemplated about running away, especially after getting in an argument with their parents.
The most relatable characteristic of authentic teens is that they are really lazy.
He’s always thinking about doing something, but most of the times he just ends up doing nothing because he “didn't feel like it” (53). This is typical teen behavior especially when it comes to doing homework or some kind of chore. The only difference between real teens and Holden is that teens will tell themselves that they’re going to do a certain thing and end up forgetting or being too lazy to do it, while Holden will reject any ideas, that require effort and/ or does not interest him, right from the start.
It’s also safe to say that Holden is authentic because he can be quite antisocial, which is something a common thing among teens. As old Lillian invites him to join her and her boyfriend for a drink, Holden makes up a lie about having to meet an old friend. He was willing to leave the bar and miss out on the stage performance just because he didn't want “to sit down at a table with old Lillian Simmons and that Navy guy and be bore to death”(87). Like real teens, he tries to avoid any uncomfortable situations and wants some alone
time. Like most authentic teens, Holden too was innocent in some ways. As he was getting ready to have sexual intercourse with the prostitute, as he confesses to us, the readers, “I’m a virgin” , not to mention that he was also “a little nervous” (92). Most teens, including myself, can relate to being a virgin and will most likely relate to Holden’s anxiety when he was about to lose his virginity.

Holden is authentic because he goes through a relatable moment of abstract love. He narrates, “ I felt like I was in love with her and wanted to marry her” ,but then challenged that statement by saying it “it was a lie” (124, 125). It was only an impulsive mix of feelings that most real teens would experience and end up regretting it because that “love” is eventually going to die.

There is one thing that every genuine teen can relate to Holden, which is a moment of awkwardness, something that everyone will encounter sooner or later. Holden just so happened to experience the most embarrassing moment in the novel when Jane starts to break down in tears. When Holden tries to comfort her by kissing her all over her face, “She sort of wouldn't let [him] get to her mouth” (79) . This is an unverified rejection, but deep inside Holden’s heart, that must have made him feel tormented. This supports the idea of Holden being an authentic teen character because rejection is something that happens to teenagers on a regular basis, whether it’s getting rejected to go out on a date, for prom or even homecoming. Even though it’s not the modern diction of an authentic teenager, Holden does incorporate slang words, of his generation, in his vocabulary.
As he Holden is being asked to pay the other five dollars to the prostitute he becomes very indignant and says, “You’re trying to chisel me”(101). A “chisel” is literally a tool that is used to cut or shape some sort of hard material, but the slang version that Holden uses means to rob or steal money from. Another slang word that he uses often throughout the book is the word ‘helluva’. This word is an improper combination that includes ‘hell, of, and a’’. For example, when Holden is talking about the time when he took Phoebe Christmas shopping, he refers to his experience by saying, “We had helluva time”(197). The use of his slang words, whether they’re old or modern, makes him an authentic teen character because teens themselves tend to use words that are informal and aren't really used by
adults. Even though Holden Caulfield represents an old teen character, he is still considered an authentic teen character. When he is presented a situation, he reacts to it like the average teen would. He has experienced certain occasions of awkwardness, hatred, and failure that teens can relate to. Most importantly, he talks in a way that separates him from adults. In a generation that where technology and social media are the main influence for teens, books need to plots that contain characters that will attract readers. It is important to have authentic teens in books because it grabs the attentions of teenagers and therefore it will interest teenagers to keep on reading.