Catcher In The Rye Phoebe Analysis

“The Catcher in the Rye” is often celebrated as one of the most influential, yet controversial, books of all time. First published in 1951, Salinger’s depiction of Holden Caulfield reflected the reality faced by America’s youth in 1950s America, giving out-of-place misfits a character to identify with. Despite his following, Holden’s flaws are hard to deny. He freely expresses to the reader his judgements on those around him, often viewing the world with a cynical outlook. One of the only characters that Holden shows any genuine affection towards, is his “kid-sister” Phoebe. Her significance in the novel is unprecedented, serving as a symbol of innocence, as well as being the only character to recognise Holden’s emotional turmoil. Her influence …show more content…
Holden doesn’t want to accept his “kid-sister’s” growth, stating that “she’s just a child and all.” However, like many elements of Holden’s narrative, the truth is more complex than Holden depicts. Phoebe proves herself to not only be very intelligent, as shown through her knowledge of Robert Burns poetry, but to be able to infer that Holden was kicked out of Pencey from his dialogue. Even when Holden decides to go “way out West”, she follows him not for her own selfish motives, but to look after her brother. Phoebe toes the line between childhood and adulthood. She isn’t gullible; she can see through Holden’s lies and recognise his lack of ambition. Conversely, she can also act astoundingly immaturely, putting a pillow over her head when she is angry, and sulking when she doesn’t get her own way. This contrasting behavior confirms how easy it is to slip between childhood and adulthood, and is likely to have shaped Holden’s dream of being “the catcher in the rye”.
The intimacy of Holden and Phoebe’s relationship forces Holden to experience emotions rarely associated with his characters. This is never more