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Theme Of Maturity In Catcher In The Rye

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Theme Of Maturity In Catcher In The Rye
Salinger uses biblical parallels to depict Holden’s journey to maturity. The main concept behind Holden's maturation is saving children, not letting them fall. Initially, Holden tries to become "the catcher in the rye and all" (173). However, this attempt to protect the innocent went against what the bible argued--causing Holden to remain stuck in a cycle of immaturity. As the book progresses, Holden discloses that, “The guy [he likes] best in the Bible, next to Jesus, was that lunatic…” (99). Salinger includes this allusion to the Bible because the lunatic accurately depicts Holden’s persona--representing the immature aspect of Holden's character. Since Holden cannot live up to the idea of a christlike figure, he emulates the only other character
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