Holden In J. D. Salinger's The Catcher In The Rye

In the novel, “The Catcher in the Rye” written by J.D.Salinger, it can be agreed that the main character Holden is not the least bit normal. The perception of Holden is easily identified, he is a lonesome and complicated character. So much so, that he constantly refers to himself as a “madman”. Yet, despite his desire to detach himself from society, he still takes the effort to communicate with others, especially females. Jane Gallagher and Sally Hayes are the most prominent female characters presented in the novel. They are also possible to love interests; as they do have a fairly large impact on Holden and his behavior. They both reflect different time periods of his life. Although, the book does end rather abruptly with no future envisionment; One of these characters, whether it Jane, whether it Sally, is the better contender for the abstruse and isolated person that is Holden Caulfield. This can be inferred through how Holden refers to each female, his interactions with both of them and which person would best help Holden in his current situation. In the novel, Holden is a rather judgemental person. Not in a terrible
Salinger) Jane Gallagher and Sally Hayes are both major female influences on Holden. Both now and then. However, Holden has a dark near future ahead and he must be accompanied by someone who will best meet his needs. Jane is perfect for this as she not only is a “non-phony” but she makes Holden happy and he can rely on her for things. Along with this they also have an emotional bond with each other and that is something that cannot just be created. On the other hand, there is Sally and despite her good looks. Her personality clashes with Holden’s. Holden gets rather ticked off when around her and constantly refers to Sally as a “pain in the ass”. How would a future with her be any more pleasant than how his life is going already. The best future for Holden would be that of accompanied by Jane