Holden Caulfield Lying

Some readers of The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger believe that Holden Caulfield does not need to lie to get through life they think he can just tell the truth.They argue that Holden lies out of pleasure, and uses it as a game. They believe that evidence of this can be seen when Holden is on the train to New York and is talking to a mother of one of the boys at his school, when he lies about his name, “‘Rudolf Schmidt,’ I told her. I didn’t feel like giving her my whole life story” (Salinger 54). Readers who think that Holden does not need to lie to get through life attempt to argue that, this evidence reveals that Holden has no need to lie here, he uses the name of the school janitor just because he does not feel like talking. They believe he could have easily …show more content…
Holden Caulfield needs to lie to get through life because society has certain standards, and if the standards are not met people are looked at like an outcast. Evidence of this can be seen when Holden lies to himself when he says to Ackley, “‘Listen. What’s the routine for joining a Monastery?’ I was sort of toying with the idea of joining one.” Holden then continues to say to Ackley, “Aah, go back to sleep. I’m not gonna join one anyway” (Salinger 50). This evidence reveals why he lies so much. Holden is different from most kids and knows he is an outcast, so rather than being an outcast in society, he wants to leave society. But, even then he lies. He lies to himself. By lying about leaving society Holden is actually giving in to society’s standards. Holden does not fit into the standards so he says he is going to leave, but by doing this Holden gives into the standards of society. Society would want him to leave. Another example of him lying to get through life is when he lies about leaving again. Holden is on a date with Sally and tells her this idea he has to run away with her to Massachusetts or Vermont, and