In J.D. Salinger's novel, Catcher in the Rye, the protagonist, Holden Caulfield, is chasing the ideal of youth. He longs to maintain innocence and refrains from maturing. He is essentially facing an identity crisis because he is still grieving his brother’s death. Holden’s deceased brother, Allie, was a sign of the beauty of youth for Holden. He describes Allie as “terrifically intelligent,” the “nicest” member of the family, and that he “never got mad at anybody” (7). To Holden, these key traits are found in youth, while the rest of the adult world is “phony.” He even goes as far to say he wants to be “the catcher in the rye," to “catch” children before they “start to go over the cliff” and save them from losing their innocence (173). This ideal of youth stuck with Holden since he never rightfully coped or recovered from Allie’s death. However, Holden’s ideas on youth and adulthood alter as he undergoes experiences that help him discover himself during his three days in New York City.
Holden is able to undergo change because he learns to accept that things cannot stay the way they were in the past. Holden’s younger sister, Phoebe, has a great influence on this crucial change. For Holden, Phoebe is the clearest, living manifestation of the youth Holden longs for, as she is young and does not display traits of the “phony” adult world. Holden praises Phoebe repeatedly, calling her “affectionate,” “pretty,” and “really smart” (161, 68). At the end of the novel, Holden is planning on running away to live by himself; he wants to escape the real world in order to avoid himself coming of age. However, when Phoebe requests to go with Holden, he sees the reality of his planned actions. He tells her that she would be missing things like the school play she’s in, and essentially throwing away her future. Thus, Holden realizes he would be doing the same himself, and that escaping the adult world and refusing to grow up is not the solution.
Holden's ideals were impossible to reach. He could not possibly hold on to his youth, or anyone else’s, because growing up is inevitable. However, he successfully grows as a person because he realizes and accepts that his ideal is unachievable. Holden negates his previous “catcher in the rye” theory by admitting that “if [kids] fall off, they fall off,” meaning that maturing and losing one’s innocence is unavoidable and a necessary part of life (173, 211). He steps back from his highly opinionated and stubborn stance to reflect and figure things out. Holden realizes that he is “missing everybody,” even those he previously thought were so phony, and decides that he will most likely “apply” himself at school the next fall. The true American Character is a person like Holden Caulfield – someone who discovers a way to learn from past experiences and takes a step towards changing positively as a result.
Oftentimes, this character takes what he or she has learned and passes it on to others; his or her "tragic flaw," obtained from growing and developing as a person, influences the American Character to defend his or her personal dignity and benefit others in return.
Holden is able to undergo change because he learns to accept that things cannot stay the way they were in the past. Holden’s younger sister, Phoebe, has a great influence on this crucial change. For Holden, Phoebe is the clearest, living manifestation of the youth Holden longs for, as she is young and does not display traits of the “phony” adult world. Holden praises Phoebe repeatedly, calling her “affectionate,” “pretty,” and “really smart” (161, 68). At the end of the novel, Holden is planning on running away to live by himself; he wants to escape the real world in order to avoid himself coming of age. However, when Phoebe requests to go with Holden, he sees the reality of his planned actions. He tells her that she would be missing things like the school play she’s in, and essentially throwing away her future. Thus, Holden realizes he would be doing the same himself, and that escaping the adult world and refusing to grow up is not the solution.
Holden's ideals were impossible to reach. He could not possibly hold on to his youth, or anyone else’s, because growing up is inevitable. However, he successfully grows as a person because he realizes and accepts that his ideal is unachievable. Holden negates his previous “catcher in the rye” theory by admitting that “if [kids] fall off, they fall off,” meaning that maturing and losing one’s innocence is unavoidable and a necessary part of life (173, 211). He steps back from his highly opinionated and stubborn stance to reflect and figure things out. Holden realizes that he is “missing everybody,” even those he previously thought were so phony, and decides that he will most likely “apply” himself at school the next fall. The true American Character is a person like Holden Caulfield – someone who discovers a way to learn from past experiences and takes a step towards changing positively as a result.
Oftentimes, this character takes what he or she has learned and passes it on to others; his or her "tragic flaw," obtained from growing and developing as a person, influences the American Character to defend his or her personal dignity and benefit others in return.