What Is Holden's Lack Of Respect For Lawful Behavior

This day in age the stage of adolescence is highly regarded as one of the most complicated phases of the human growth cycle. That being said, most, if not all negative attributes that coincide with any teenager’s behaviors are quickly blamed on hormonal imbalances, and are not to be second-guessed. Yet once in a while, one teen’s behavior may possibly exert irregular patterns that do not fall within the expectations of the regular mind. Scenarios such as these are when psychoanalyses must be completed to determine whether or not external intervention is to be provided. An exceptional example of the aforementioned statements can be observed in Holden Caulfield, the protagonist of J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye. Set in the mid-1950’s,
Much time after leaving Pencey Prep, and sometime after departing from the subway, Holden seeks hospitality in a local bar. Holden regards that all throughout the bar there are nothing but phonies. This crude observation leads to some mild aggravation, yet he continues towards a table to sit down. A waiter approaches him and asks if he wants anything to drink. Holden orders Scotch and a soda, and the waiter proceeds to ask for his identification. Baffled by this demand, Holden knows he is unable to lie of his age without any substantial evidence, and immediately retrogrades to a childish manner as he recalls, “I gave him this very cold stare, like he’d insulted the hell out of me, and asked him, ‘Do I look like I’m under twenty-one?’” (69). Holden’s attempt to illegally order an alcoholic beverage shows that he has little to no admiration for the law and its importance. Even after having his order rejected, he proceeds to negotiate with the waiter in an attempt to compromise for a small amount of rum instead. His disregard concerning legal behavior helps to form the verification for his Anti-Social Personality Disorder. Although his insolence clearly links to his condition, it is not enough to act as concrete evidence just
With only a few pages into the novel, Holden begins with a plethora of information about him and his family. He informs the reader that he must say his goodbyes with his history teacher, Mr. Spencer, for unknown reasons. In a moment of nostalgia he quickly remembers to mention that he has recently been expelled from Pencey Prep for flunking most of his courses. To the reader’s surprise Holden remains completely calm throughout his entire explanation of the expulsion, yet a hint of suspicion lingers after he states, “They kicked me out… I mean I’ve left schools and places I didn’t even know I was leaving them.” (4). With the information provided, the reader can infer that Holden has been expelled by not one, but multiple schools with academic prestige. His lack of awareness towards these expulsions shows that he has almost no concern for both his education and his family’s finances. That being said, Holden’s regular patterns of recklessness play yet another role of confirmation for his Anti-Social Personality Disorder. Despite the evidence already given, one last piece of support is needed to adequately backup the claims for his