Irresponsible Adult In Holden's The Catcher In The Rye

Holden the main character of Catcher in the Rye, is a seventeen-year-old who acts childish. The many actions he in an attempt to become is similar to an irresponsible adult’s attempts to become a more mature one. In his many experiences towards adulthood he smokes cigarettes, and although it’s unhealthy it’s one of the only ways he can seem like an adult. However, there is one drawback, and it’s that Holden wants to do childish things. His image of adults throughout the book is that they’re a bunch of phonies and liars, but he doesn't see the same with those who are cripple or sick. Then we learn that Holden’s brother died at a young age from leukemia, and his death shattered Holden emotions. I can relate to Holden in many ways beside the …show more content…
He is just lazy in school. Throughout the story, Holden chronicles his actions after leaving school. Holden actions after leaving school often are smoking a great deal and are always trying to drink alcohol. In the U.S today our dropout rate from high school there is at a low rate of 7%. College, however, changes for people due to many reasons. Ranging from being too hard, too expensive for their family, or trying to fit college into their time. In a similar way, some of my family members dropped out of college, and now they struggle to pay for something because they did not finish college. There are still good jobs out there for people that do not have a degree. However, those without a degree in college will be paid a large sum if they just finished college. Drugs and alcohol are the nightmares of parents. Children view advertisement every day and they do all these classes to stay away from drugs and alcohol. However, people will still do it. Alcohol can lead to their death by the destruction of their liver. Additionally, it can impair somebody judgment; like driving. Leaving a person, who can barely control himself or herself to drive a weapon that can go up to 100 Mph, and kill a family with the blink of an eye. Drugs, there are too many out there for me to list. It eats up person’s money and health. Their money can …show more content…
Throughout the story he is contradictory, showing that even though he can be immature, but he can also be independent. At one point he exhibits a parent-like affection for his sister Phoebe. However, his attempts to behave as an adult serves as a criticism of them, as he also adopts grown-up vices like smoking and cursing. The article “Where Have All The Grownups Gone? Why 'Adulthood' As We Know It Is Dead” reveals that more young adults are living with and depending on their parents well into their 30s. The only thing that they grow out of is clothes. They do not grow up to be independent chase their own careers and dreams, but remain home and are cared for as if they are a child. Nevertheless, they may become corrupt and unrefined as some adults do, by taking up drinking or having casual sexual encounters. The article concludes that, sooner or later, these individuals will have to grow up, either through biological imperative or economic necessity. Studies on smoking reveal that 90% of smokers start at a young age and that young person will smoke just about anything, including hookah and electronic cigarettes. The studies also reveal that young people may be prompted to smoke by various factors, such as having a parent that smokes or seeing a movie that glorifies smoking. Most of the time, however, young people smoke in order to simply appear more mature. Like Holden, people in