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Everyone knows and wants the all too true American dream, to be or wants to be something that is better than what you are or have already. In The Catcher in the Rye, by J. D. Salinger, Holden Caulfield is an idealist who always envisions his life as it should be, and not as it truly is. It is the story of an emotionally disturbed sixteen-year-old boy; told through a flashback.
In an attempt to deal with his problems and try to find himself, he leaves the school, which he was kicked out of to vacation alone in New York City. Holden's view of adults is not likely of a boy his age. While most teenagers Holden's age see adults as role models, Holden perceives adults as phonies which always depress him. Although Holden is shown as immature and inconsiderate; he is also a nurturer. He takes very good care of his sister Phoebe, and puts a lot of trust in her. He sees all children as beautiful and helpless.
As an idealist, he thinks he can go forever. Through out the novel the reader sees Holden as an idealist, always wanting what he can never have, and striving to always obtain what he wants out of his life. Holden's views of adults are very unlikely for a boy his age. Holden looks up to no one, and sees all adults as phonies and hopes to never become like that...
He feels sorry for all of the phony and depressing people in the world, especially his parents. The two people Holden should look up to the most in the world he clearly despises. His father is a lawyer and therefore he considers him phony because he views his fathers occupation as demoralizing. Holden says, Lawyers are all right, I guess, but it doesnt appeal to me.
All they do is make a lot of dough and play golf and play bridge and buy cars and drink Martinis and look like hotshots. How would you know you werent being phony? The trouble is you wouldnt. (172). Therefore doesnt like to talk to them, and thinks that they do not and will never understand him. Although he does not care for his parents, he still pities them. Holden feels sorry for almost every adult that he comes in contact with.
From the minute that Holden walks into Mr. Spencers room he is already sorry that he came. There were pills and medicine all over the place, and everything smelled like Vicks Nose drops. It was pretty depressing. (. 7). Just the sight of Mr.
Spencer made Holden ill and depressed. He tells Mr. Spencer that he had talked to Dr. Turner and he said, Life is a game, and one should play according to the rules. (8) This quote is ironic to Holden since he never believes that life is a game. He believes the exact opposite, that life is very serious and he doesnt accept the rules set before him by phony adults. He continues to tell Mr.
Spencer that his parents will be very irritated by the news that he had been kicked out yet again. Considering he had already been kicked out of about four different schools. Holden then states that he tends to act very young for his age, being sixteen then and saying he tends to act thirteen, even though he has gray hair. Holden even sees kids his own age as fake and depressing adolescence like himself. He cannot stand his roommate Stradtler and despises his sometimes companion at Spencer, Ackley. Holden hates and at the same time wishes to become Stradtler.
Stradtler is everything Holden says he hates and never wants to be, but in reality it is a cover-up. Meanwhile, Ackley, whom he should feel sympathy for, is an annoying pest that Holden cannot wait to get out of his room. His cruelty and frustration towards people his age leads him to feel even greater hatred to adults around him. In an Editorial Review from Amazon. com a writer stated Holden's constantly wry observations about what he encounters, from teachers to phonies (the two of course are not mutually exclusive) capture the essence of the eternal teenage experience of alienation. Holden does not only criticize his parents beliefs, but other parents as well.
He thought that the little kid running around in the streets of New York while following his parents was so incredibly dumb. He thought her parents were not paying any attention to her while she was in the street. Although he sees the child as completely helpless, he still does nothing to try and help her. Holden always refers to adults and himself as a lot older then actuality. He sees adults as old and incapable of doing anything right. Holden does not really care about anything, most of the time not even himself.
He thinks everyone is phony and that everyone that you hold in awe will inevitably disappoint you. As an idealist Holden thinks that he is an adult, although he never wants to grow up into a world he thinks so horrible and actually have to Holden feel that he is an adult, yet he still does many childish things. He sees his sister Phoebe as his only true companion in a world so fake and disillusioned. From the death of his younger brother Allie who he also held on a pedestal, it has left only his ten-year-old younger sister for Holden to look up to.
Holden refers to his older brother D. B. only as a writer off in Hollywood and Allie as when he was alive as a wizard. He talks of Phoebe as older than himself and sees her as so angelic and strong in an un-pleasant world. Holden states, You never saw a little kid so pretty and smart in your whole life. Shes really smart.
Shes only ten, shes quite skinny and you can take her anywhere with you. Holden is always thinking of Phoebe, and comparing things to her. He knows he can confide in her because she is to young to judge him and actually tell him that he is crazy. He is closest to Phoebe because of her young age and feels he can shelter her from the evil world that lies ahead of her. When Holden confides in Phoebe when he returns home for a visit, the reader sees that Phoebe is maturing when she yells at Holden and is shown to be an adult figure in his life. Phoebe realizes that Holden is loosing it, and she also sees what hatred he has for everyone and everything.
She sees right through his games, and is his only friend. She says to him, You dont like anything. You dont like any schools. You dont like a million things. You dont. Holden gets very disgruntled by her mature comment, and tries to come up with something when he says, That isnt nice what are you a child, for Gods sake?
I like Allie, and I like what Im doing right now. Sitting here with you and talking about stuff. Holden gets very carried away when he thinks of how he wants Phoebe to...
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Research essay sample on Life Is A Game Sister Phoebe
