Holden Caulfield Phony

The Catcher in the Rye written by J.D. Salinger is a reflection of his own life being shown through a teenage boy, Holden Caulfield. Like Salinger in the novel Holden jumps from prep school to prep school not finishing each time, however excels in English classes. Holden’s life in the novel shook the nation with controversy and curiosity. Illustrated in the text it conveys extreme depression, sexual tension, love, and lewd language. Holden attempts to see the “phony” world through a new light, however fails due to the type of person he is, his troubled background, sexual confusion, family issues, and fallacious world we all live in.
**Holden Caulfield is a normal seventeen year old with a few hiccups, while he is narrating The Catcher in the
Holden was never quite a social butterfly and didn’t feel a part of any “dirty little goddam cliques” at any school he attended (131). He would start a conversation with just about anyone but didn’t have good or effective social skills. Although Holden is judgmental and perfunctory while at all his prep schools, he met very little people he enjoyed, one person he did enjoy was Mr. Spencer. Before leaving anyplace Holden “tries to feel some kind of good-bye. . . [he doesn’t] care if it’s a sad good-bye or a bad good-bye, but when [he] leave[s] a place [he] like[s] to know [he’s] leaving” (68). Holden went to say a proper goodbye to the only professor he truly liked, Mr. Spencer previous to leaving the school. Afterwards, on the way out of the city Holden takes a cab and sparks up a conversation with a cab driver, known as Horwitz. Holden has always been puzzled where ducks on the pond go in the winter, therefore he asks. The driver responds ill-mannered, supposing the fact that everyone is rude and fake
Holden’s *friends are familiar and experienced with the topic of sex while Holden stays puzzled and curious. Holden comes on strongly with just about every woman he meets for example Sally Hayes, Sunny, and Jane Gallagher. Sally Hayes is a longtime friend of Holden’s and grew up together. Holden is extremely attracted to Sally and even dreams of running off to a cabin with her having children and living happily ever after. Holden says that he “felt like marrying her the minute I saw her” (138). Sunny is a prostitute that Holden paid just to talk to even after she started removing her clothes. When he met her pimp he knew what he was paying for, however never went through with it. Jane Gallagher is an old friend that Holden used to spend summers with and she is very important to him. He comes on strong to women at the bar and close friends but never actually does it. Holden is confused about sexuality, especially when it is homosexual. Holden strongly dislikes when a guy “flirts” a lot and is simply puzzled by the whole topic of sex. Sex is simply a confusing idea for any young teen, but for Holden it is a little harder. In the novel it implies that as a child he was sexual abused by his neighbors dad and was neglected by his own parents. He is also timid when it comes to being imamate with a women after his brother, Allie, lost his life to cancer. Phoebe is