Holden Caulfield Phony

The Catcher in the Rye written by J.D. Salinger is a reflection of his own life being shown through a teenage boy, Holden Caulfield. Like Salinger in the novel Holden jumps from prep school to prep school not finishing each time, however excels in English classes. Holden’s life in the novel shook the nation with controversy and curiosity. Illustrated in the text it conveys extreme depression, sexual tension, love, and lewd language. Holden attempts to see the “phony” world through a new light, however fails due to the type of person he is, his troubled background, sexual confusion, family issues, and fallacious world we all live in.
**Holden Caulfield is a normal seventeen year old with a few hiccups, while he is narrating The Catcher in the
Rye he is sitting in a mental sanitarium being cared for. Holden aims to be happy in school and the world full of artificial people.
Holden was never quite a social butterfly and didn’t feel a part of any “dirty little goddam cliques” at any school he attended (131). He would start a conversation with just about anyone but didn’t have good or effective social skills. Although Holden is judgmental and perfunctory while at all his prep schools, he met very little people he enjoyed, one person he did enjoy was Mr. Spencer. Before leaving anyplace Holden “tries to feel some kind of good-bye. . . [he doesn’t] care if it’s a sad good-bye or a bad good-bye, but when [he] leave[s] a place [he] like[s] to know [he’s] leaving” (68). Holden went to say a proper goodbye to the only professor he truly liked, Mr. Spencer previous to leaving the school. Afterwards, on the way out of the city Holden takes a cab and sparks up a conversation with a cab driver, known as Horwitz. Holden has always been puzzled where ducks on the pond go in the winter, therefore he asks. The driver responds ill-mannered, supposing the fact that everyone is rude and fake
around Pencey. The cab drive suggests that the fish have it worst, rejecting the childish question and inferring that Holden himself cant adapt to his own surroundings. Subsequently Holden runs into two nuns and begins to chat about literature and religion; throughout the conversation the two women prove to Holden that he actually quite intelligent. In the end of the discussion Holden realizes how religion and wealth can create a barrier between people, like him and others. Holden Caulfield is the type of teen that looks into various things in depth and vivid detail, just like the conversation with Mr. Spencer, Horwitz, and the two nuns.
*Life at Pencey for Holden Caulfield wasn’t all that he imagined, it included failing classes, not relating on others, and meeting “phonies”. Holden has attended multiple other prep schools, however never seem to graduate. Holden describes the boys at Pencey as wealthy jocks that are obsessed with their looks. Holden claims, "Pencey advertised in about a thousand magazines, always showing some hot shot guy on a horse jumping over a fence. Like as if all you ever did at Pencey was play polo all the time. I never even once saw a horse anywhere near the place (24). To Holden, the school and students there seem fake just like the ads the school illustrates to get students to attend. In reality it wasn’t like that at all, a student commit suicide in result of bullying from classmates. Although Holden claims that students at Pencey are “phonies” he can be considered one too. He calls students and staff “morons” but he is the one failing four of five classes. Holden puts in no effort, this negative attitude towards life has left Holden with the conclusion that his education is pointless, just as everything else in his life.
*Holden is just like every male teen figure, he wants to show power, control, and passion over a woman dominating her.
Holden’s *friends are familiar and experienced with the topic of sex while Holden stays puzzled and curious. Holden comes on strongly with just about every woman he meets for example Sally Hayes, Sunny, and Jane Gallagher. Sally Hayes is a longtime friend of Holden’s and grew up together. Holden is extremely attracted to Sally and even dreams of running off to a cabin with her having children and living happily ever after. Holden says that he “felt like marrying her the minute I saw her” (138). Sunny is a prostitute that Holden paid just to talk to even after she started removing her clothes. When he met her pimp he knew what he was paying for, however never went through with it. Jane Gallagher is an old friend that Holden used to spend summers with and she is very important to him. He comes on strong to women at the bar and close friends but never actually does it. Holden is confused about sexuality, especially when it is homosexual. Holden strongly dislikes when a guy “flirts” a lot and is simply puzzled by the whole topic of sex. Sex is simply a confusing idea for any young teen, but for Holden it is a little harder. In the novel it implies that as a child he was sexual abused by his neighbors dad and was neglected by his own parents. He is also timid when it comes to being imamate with a women after his brother, Allie, lost his life to cancer. Phoebe is
Holden’s ten year old sister that he cares for dearly. He is crazed over protecting and keeping her innocent in the novel because no one did that for him.
**The Caulfield family was presented with multiple difficult accident and challenges that include losing a member of their family, abuse, lack of happiness, and perturbed parents. Holden had a rough life starting at a young age. It all started when his brother, Allie, lost a battle to cancer. Holden and Allie had a tight bond, therefore after his death Holden fell into a deep depression and started to act out. He broke all the windows in the house, became detached, and started to fail out of school. The death of Allie didn’t only affect Holden but also his parents. His mom became constantly nervous after losing her son and his father didn’t really seem to be fazed at all by the situation. His parents only did what was good and convenient for them and didn’t really factor in the kid’s needs. Allie’s death wasn’t the only thing that affected Holden; he went through years of sexual abuse by a past neighbor. His parents were never really around or cared which only pushed Holden further away from his family. Holden is always moving place to place because his past causes him to not want to stay in a place for too long, in fear of becoming too close to people. He calls everyone a “phony” because he hasn’t been able to trust or depend on anyone, not even his own parents. Holden says “People are always ruining things for you.” which means that nothing he has in his life is happy or worth trying for (36). Holden is looked at as the troubled child, his older brother, D.B., is a writer in Hollywood and Holden just can’t live up to him and his success. Phoebe is Holden’s younger sister that is quick-witted and just like every ten year old girl. She is starting to follow in Holden’s footsteps by offering to run away with him and not liking or trying in school anymore. Even if Holden is surrounded by people he always “felt so lonesome, all of a sudden. [he] almost wished [he] was dead.”, he would rather die than feel alone and unwanted (72). Holden needs a role model and someone to depend on, however he thinks everyone is against him. In some scenes in the book Holden contemplates suicide, which just strengthens the notion that Holden needs real help. He lost a brother, his parents aren’t present, and he doesn’t put forth effort, resulting in him becoming a troubled child through and through.
**Holden has a wide range personality that includes the fear of the unknown, love, depression, and being lonesome. He believes that every element in the world affects a person. For example the vulgar words wrote on Phoebe’s schools walls, the writing read “fuck you”. The quote engraved on the wall filled Holden with outrage. The writing left Holden enraged because the museum and school are places that remind him of happiness and comfort in his childhood. Holden begins to notice how corrupted the world is in fact “You can't ever find a place that's nice and peaceful, because there isn't any . . . when you're not looking, somebody'll sneak up and write "Fuck you" right under your nose.”(209). As Holden walks along the street he witnesses a younger poor boy singing "If a body catch a body coming through the rye."(171). Holden imagines standing on the edge of a cliff being the Catcher while saving all the children from falling when he hears the lyrics. He envisions himself having a purpose in the world full of dull opportunities. Holden takes Phoebe to the park to ride the carousel while riding Holden begins to shed tears. He reflects on his transition from childhood to adulthood.