Holden Caulfield Reliable Narrator

In the novella The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger, the protagonist, Holden Caulfield, is a highly reliable narrator or the storyline. Holden communicates his emotions truly and leaves them embedded in the text uncensored throughout the text. For example, upon meeting two nuns in a restaurant in New York City, he genuinely states that he “enjoyed talking to them a lot… [he] meant it, too” (Salinger 112). This quote represents how Holden strongly reveals any true emotions he feels to the reader. Holden also does not cease to inform readers of certain events in the plot even if it affects the reader’s comfort depending on what is being discussed. For instance, when he recalls an interaction with Jane Gallagher after an encounter with her step-father, Holden persisted to include the various places he began to kiss Jane and even stated “it was the closest [they] ever got to necking” (Salinger 79). This blatant honesty and inclusion of details makes him a trustworthy and reliable narrator.

Also, despite some beliefs that Holden is unreliable because he states he is “the most terrific liar you ever saw in your life” (Salinger 16), he always reveals to the reader when he is lying and makes it clear in the text. This is evident when he tells Sally Hayes that he loves her: “I told her I loved her and all. It was a lie, of course,” (Salinger 125). In conclusion, since The Catcher in the Rye is the story of Holden’s experiences shortly after being kicked out of yet another high school that includes his various thoughts and opinions, there is no more reliable narrator than Holden himself.