Holden Caulfield, in The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger, values consistent people in his life. This is because once he forms a special connection with someone he does not want it to change and risk losing it. Especially because he does not have many connections. Another reason is because Holden has previously had horrible experiences that causes him to fear change. Throughout the novel Holden expresses the relationship he shares with Jane. She is someone that he trusts and feels comfortable with. They form a special relationship and she one of the only people that Holden lets his guard down with and shows her his baseball mitt. “She was the only one, outside of my family that I ever showed Allie’s baseball mitt to, with all the poems written
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Allie was someone that Holden deeply cared about and is now missing from his life. He was Holden’s best friend and support system. Losing Allie was the largest change that Holden had to endure in his life. Many can agree that Holden is behaving immature for not accepting that change happens to everyone. But because of his past awful experience of change, Holden fears it and is not willing to accept it. Holden is unable to move on from his deceased brother. Because of that, his life is being held back as he is unwilling to grow up. A large part of growing up is accepting change and learning how to move on. Because Holden can't do either, he is pushed farther away from the adult world and is stuck being the “Catcher in the Rye”. So instead of joining the other children into the jump to adulthood, Holden holds back because of his fear. Holden sees the transition as a fall instead of something that comes natural to everyone. This is because Holden has a demented view of adulthood. He thinks that once you transition into the adult world, you become phony and fake. Holden believes he will become so artificial that he won’t even recognize himself or the person he became. He will be so phony, that he doesn't even realize it. “‘How would you know you weren’t being a phony? The trouble is, you wouldn’t.’” (190). This messed up view is one reason why it’s so hard for Holden to grow up. He has come to the false conclusion that once people change and hit adulthood, they become phony and superficial. This is the reason that Holden is so afraid and disturbed by change. Holden values consistency because he is simply not able to handle
Allie was someone that Holden deeply cared about and is now missing from his life. He was Holden’s best friend and support system. Losing Allie was the largest change that Holden had to endure in his life. Many can agree that Holden is behaving immature for not accepting that change happens to everyone. But because of his past awful experience of change, Holden fears it and is not willing to accept it. Holden is unable to move on from his deceased brother. Because of that, his life is being held back as he is unwilling to grow up. A large part of growing up is accepting change and learning how to move on. Because Holden can't do either, he is pushed farther away from the adult world and is stuck being the “Catcher in the Rye”. So instead of joining the other children into the jump to adulthood, Holden holds back because of his fear. Holden sees the transition as a fall instead of something that comes natural to everyone. This is because Holden has a demented view of adulthood. He thinks that once you transition into the adult world, you become phony and fake. Holden believes he will become so artificial that he won’t even recognize himself or the person he became. He will be so phony, that he doesn't even realize it. “‘How would you know you weren’t being a phony? The trouble is, you wouldn’t.’” (190). This messed up view is one reason why it’s so hard for Holden to grow up. He has come to the false conclusion that once people change and hit adulthood, they become phony and superficial. This is the reason that Holden is so afraid and disturbed by change. Holden values consistency because he is simply not able to handle