Essay On Holden Caulfield A Sympathetic Character

In J.D. Salinger’s novel, Catcher In the Rye, Holden is indeed a sympathetic character. Although at times Holden can be unlikeable, cold, obnoxious and just straight out annoying sometimes, he is still a good person and by getting to know him one can conclude that his intentions are good. Although at a first glance one would be bewildered that you sympathize with Holden, sometimes those we feel the worst for are those who are the most off track and lost; and Holden is indeed lost. Throughout him trying to: fit in, find a girl, stay in school, and connect with his sister when it comes to what he loves Holden is always one of the most caring characters I have met. Holden is one of the most caring characters but is definitely gone through a rough time. I am not sure exactly what illness he is suffering from, although it is very clear that Holden is different from us and definitely going through a …show more content…
When Phoebe--Holden’s sister-- asks him and keep asking him one thing he cares about, he states “I like Allie.” Phoebe then reminds Holden that Allie is dead. It is now obviously clear that Holden is still mourning the loss of his brother. We have also seen earlier in the novel, when Holden is asked to write a journal entry about something specific, he ignores the topic and goes on and writes about Allie. There are so many things that that Holden could have listed when Phoebe asks him what he cares about, yet he talks about Allie. Part of the reason Holden feels lost is because he is lost without his little brother. For all of these reasons, Holden is a sympathetic character because he is loving and caring for others. Those who are loving and caring mean well so Holden is definitely deep down very nice and loving. In conclusion, without a doubt Holden is a sympathetic character because of his love for his sister Phoebe, his dead brother, and even the ducks that he has never met, he still shows