Examples Of Gerontophobia In Catcher In The Rye

HOLDEN’S TRANSITION TO ADULTHOOD IN THE CATCHER IN THE RYE no all caps in the [ don 't use the book title for your title. be creative and original. ] Is there any reason somebody would be scared to grow up? Or a reason for a person to feel as if they were going to be somebody else when they get older? Gerontophobia, is the fear of growing up, which is the biggest fear for Holden Caulfield, one of four children, from The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. He is somebody who lets the world get the best of him, and he is the one suffering for it. In the novel, you can invasion Holden being the ducks in the story that have to face the rest of the world, which is the ice they are surrounded by in the winter time. James Castle, Holden’s old school …show more content…
Horowitz says this to Holden because he wants him to realize that the fish naturally survive this way. Even though the ducks are surrounded with ice, they let Mother Nature take its course by waiting it out and knowing they are going to survive. Horowitz goes on to say, “If you was a fish, Mother Nature 's take care of you, wouldn’t she?” Then he says, “You don’t think them fish just die when it gets to be winter, do ya?” . This relates directly to Holden because he is afraid that he isn’t going to survive through these troubles in his life, but he does not realize that the ducks are going to survive because they are in their natural habitat, and so will he since he is in his natural habitat. Also, Horowitz talks about how it is tough for the fish to live because they are both stuck in a dangerous situation. Holden connects the living situation of the ducks and the fish to him because they do not know what to do in the ice but as well Holden does not know what to do in his near death situation. Horowitz is essentially saying that everything is part of nature, so they have to let everything take its course and then they will …show more content…
Holden respects James and how even though he had something absolutely nauseating done to him, Holden still appreciates what he did because it was an act that deserves recognition in his eyes. In Holden’s perspective, this is the most important example of how James Castle does not act like a phony. When Holden is remembering what had happened to James Castle, he thinks, “Finally, what he did, instead of taking back what he said, he jumped out the window” . Holden views this situation as one that is significant because he feels that since James Castle is not a phony and he died, the same will happen to him. He truly believes this because his mental image of somebody that is not a phony is someone who will do anything to stand up for what they believe in. In this case, James Castle died for what he believed in, which is Holden’s true image of an honest person. Also, Holden truthfully believes that he is going to die, primarily because all of the other honest people that he knows have died, such as James Castle. Holden is afraid to grow up is because he is scared that he will become a