NOTE: Free essay sample provided on this page should be used for references or sample purposes only. The sample essay is available to anyone, so any direct quoting without mentioning the source will be considered plagiarism by schools, colleges and universities that use plagiarism detection software. To get a completely brand-new, plagiarism-free essay, please use our essay writing service.
One click instant price quote
Character Analysis of Catcher In The Rye Holden Caulfield is a sixteen year old mentally unbalanced teenager who sees absolutely no joy in life. He has dropped out of many schools, and Peace was just one of them. Holden feels absolutely no motivation and flunks out of all the prestigious schools hes sent to. He recognizes everyone as a bastard, or a phony. No one is real to him, except Jane, Phoebe, D. B.
and his late brother Allie. Those are the only people he truly cares for in the world. In the beginning, Holden says he doesnt like Stradlater, but it seems like he admires him a some strange way. Holden doesnt like him because he thinks Stradlater might have had sex with the only girl he actually cared for in a girlfriend way. Even though Jane is just a purely platonic friend. He doesnt see it this way.
He sees it as if Stradlater was taking his soulmate. Holden's parents saw him as mentally unstable compared to the rest of their children, and sent him to an institute. This was after the incident where he smashed all the windows in the garage after Allie died. More evidence that he wasnt stable was when he was walking down a New York City street, running at every intersection, then arriving on the other end praying to his brother out loud.
It is also evident by him relating everyone as a phony. He thinks the world around him is breaking down socially, but it is he who is breaking down. Although his appearance was never directly described, a reader would assume he was a tall skinny white boy. He hardly ever slept, rarely ate, smoked, and drank alot. He also mentioned a little about segregation, or seeing a black boy. He seem to have said this in a vulgar way.
So this is a logical assumption. Holden thinks many thoughts but is too craven to apply them to life. He holds many crazy thoughts for the future in his mind, but wouldnt dare to do them. He is a coward, but in his own mind hes a brave person. He tends to run from the real world by getting drunk, smoking, and everything else that can keep his mind off of reality.
He acts this way throughout the story, until the end, where Phoebes influence is stronger than anyone could imagine. Just by watching Phoebe cry for him, Holden's heart softens and sees how much hes hurting his younger sister and tells her hell straighten out his life. Whether he does so is not known. Around the end of the book, Holden seems to have gotten some of his sanity back. He hadnt fully recovered, but he seems to have gotten to enjoy the company of others a bit more, meaning he doesnt call al that come near him a phony and bastard.
Free research essays on topics related to: phoebe, phony, stradlater, holden, hes
Research essay sample on Holden Doesnt Phony
