Going into this book, I didn’t expect to like Holden Caulfield. Having heard about the book from others, my impression of Holden was a dropout with a bad attitude. I quickly realized, though, that Holden is far more complex—and far more likeable—than that.
One of the things I like most about Holden is his aversion to “phonies.” He despises the fake nature of the world around him and wishes people could be genuine. I, too, value sincerity. I don’t like when people put on airs or pretend to be someone they’re not. I don’t like superficial conversations or cliché movies. Like Holden, I want meaning.
I also admire Holden’s caring side (although it’s often masked). When he meets two nuns in a café, he gives them ten dollars, talks with them, and later thinks of them when asked about “the one thing he likes a lot” (170). He deeply misses his brother Allie and reveres his ten-year-old sister Phoebe. He’s extremely protective of Jane and starts a fight with Stradlater, whom he knows is stronger than him, when he thinks Stradlater “gave her the time” in the back of Ed Banky’s car. He even cares about the ducks in Central Park.
Yet this gentle nature is often hidden by Holden’s standoffish exterior. He’s self-conscious about the fact that he’s “yellow” and “hates fistfights” (89-90). This actually reminded me of the documentary Tough Guise. Holden is a perfect example of the point made in that documentary—he’s forced to act tougher and more “manly” than he is because the world won’t accept him otherwise. This statement can be applied to all of Holden's personality: he doesn't fit in with others his age, but he's being forced to.
One of the things I like most about Holden is his aversion to “phonies.” He despises the fake nature of the world around him and wishes people could be genuine. I, too, value sincerity. I don’t like when people put on airs or pretend to be someone they’re not. I don’t like superficial conversations or cliché movies. Like Holden, I want meaning.
I also admire Holden’s caring side (although it’s often masked). When he meets two nuns in a café, he gives them ten dollars, talks with them, and later thinks of them when asked about “the one thing he likes a lot” (170). He deeply misses his brother Allie and reveres his ten-year-old sister Phoebe. He’s extremely protective of Jane and starts a fight with Stradlater, whom he knows is stronger than him, when he thinks Stradlater “gave her the time” in the back of Ed Banky’s car. He even cares about the ducks in Central Park.
Yet this gentle nature is often hidden by Holden’s standoffish exterior. He’s self-conscious about the fact that he’s “yellow” and “hates fistfights” (89-90). This actually reminded me of the documentary Tough Guise. Holden is a perfect example of the point made in that documentary—he’s forced to act tougher and more “manly” than he is because the world won’t accept him otherwise. This statement can be applied to all of Holden's personality: he doesn't fit in with others his age, but he's being forced to.
RSS Feed