Comparing The Catcher In The Rye, By J. D. Salinger

Words: 1004
Pages: 5
Open Document
“Come with me where you’ll never have to worry about grown up things again.” This quote from Peter Pan demonstrates the popular conception of never growing up. In Peter Pan, Neverland is where lost kids go, to stay children forever. This concept can be applied to many coming of age books, where the protagonist struggles with the transition to adulthood. The bridge between childhood and adulthood is a difficult bridge to cross, along the way the bridge could break causing you to fall and lose your way. Every adolescent must cross this bridge, but some fall off on their way to the other side, causing them to lose themselves for some time. In J.D. Salinger’s novel, The Catcher in The Rye, Holden battles with growing up because of his tough childhood, instead of progressing into adulthood, he is …show more content…
Phoebe is yet another child Holden is trying to “catch”, but he later realizes that she is already growing up and he can’t save her innocence. When Holden tells Phoebe, she can’t come with him, he says “I almost hated her. I think I hated her because she wouldn’t be in that play anymore if it wasn’t for me” (207). Holden was upset with Phoebe because she wasn’t letting him catch her and he realizes that rather than keeping her innocent and childlike he caused her to make a very adult decision. Later, while Holden is chasing Phoebe, he says “Every time I came to the end of a block and stepped off the goddam curb, I had this feeling that I’d never get to the other side of the street.” (197). In this moment, Holden comes to the realization that he can’t cross the bridge into adulthood if he keeps trying to save the innocence of children. He learns that he can’t keep Phoebe or any other kid from growing up. Holden finally understands that being the “catcher” is preventing him from reaching adulthood. Instead of Holden catching Phoebe, Phoebe caught Holden from
Show More

Related Documents: Comparing The Catcher In The Rye, By J. D. Salinger

Holden Caulfield Research Papers

4th time Holden is on the brink of no return. Throughout the novel Holden shows us what to expect form a teenage boy that has lost connection with his family, and has resorted to drinking and smoking to keep himself in check. In J. D. Salinger’s book, The Catcher in the Rye Holden Caulfield shows what it is like to be completely lost. The book almost sets and example of what not to be like or act like as you are trying to become an adult. By using the 40 Developmental Assets quiz you can…

Words 558 - Pages 3