Coming of Age Essay

Holden is afraid to grow up is because he is scared that he will become a phony. When Phoebe asks Holden why he is so scared to be grown up, Holden exclaims, “How would you know you weren’t being a phony? The trouble is, you wouldn’t” (172). Because Holden strongly considers himself as ostracized by society for the reason being that he is a non phony, he believes that when he gets older, it is certain he will become a kind of person that is fake, or somebody that in his eyes doesn’t live a…

A Word on Introspection and Independence “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I am sure that the majority of us ran into this question dozens of times during our childhood. When I was younger the answer would come to me as easy as saying my name. A veterinarian or a ranch owner or a writer, I had many phases. Conversely, if you asked me that question now that I am seventeen years old, the only answer I’d give you would be a shrug of shoulders. How come now, that I am only a few months…

Lost Innocence in the Catcher in the Rye Innocence is something that is seen as a trait in children, and can even be associated with being naive. The book ‘The Catcher in the Rye’ however, shows a different side to this. It shows how a young boy named Holden Caulfield travels around New York for 48 hours, and how he sees innocence as a godsend. The book ‘The Catcher in the Rye’ uses symbols such as the idea of being a ‘catcher in the rye’, the ducks in central park, and the Museum of Natural…

makes someone an adult? What are some special personalities the adults have? Today, I would like to tell you the difference of an adult and a child, and what makes an adult. First of all, I think that the first thing that makes a real adult is age. People grow up and mature as they get older and older. They become very adult-like person…

These stories are so diverse with such unique writing styles and characters from many realms and circumstances. Yet in a way, when I read them, they are all the same. I pondered why I had this tugging in my heart, a connection to these stories I read in school. Then, I realized that the stories seem universes apart, but the characters are all just the same as me. Yes, the characters have different religions, family situations, and experiences than me, but we are all going through the same thing.…

games and political power; a talent her Valorian father wishes she’d hone by enlisting for the military. In this society, when an aristocratic Valorian woman comes of adult age, she must choose her future by enlisting in the military or by entering marriage – both futures Kestrel desperately resists. Before she reaches the age of majority, Kestrel takes solace in the escape of her…

THOMS Growing Up by, Juliana Vandermark Growing up means learning about the world and understanding what's out there and how people act in the world. It is like discovering what you need to know to succeed and setting you up for your future. Based on The House on Mango Street, growing up is learning and experiencing the real world. When Esperanza was younger she dreamed and wished to be older. But as she grew up she began to understand what being grown up means and decides she could stay young a…

Holden values children’s innocence. When phoebe asks Holden what he would like to be when he grows up, Holden says: “Thousands of little kids, and nobody’s around–nobody big, [he means]–except [him]. And [he’s] standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What [he has] to do, [he] has to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff… [He’d] just be the catcher in the rye” (191). Holden pictures himself as a “big” figure catching thousands of children before they fall off a cliff. Falling off…

The Importance of Growing Up Growing up. It’s one of the reasons you were brought here to become who you are. It is something that is meant to happen but there is always those few individuals that always try to avoid it much like Holden in the book, “Catcher in the Rye” by J.D Salinger. Growing up can be a struggle at times. Growing up happens to everyone. It’s a part of your life and you cannot take that away. Whether you're younger or older or whether you like it or not. It can be scary,…

Holden, at a very young age, unfortunately had to experience the pain of losing a close family member. When asked who he admired Holden responded by saying Allie, his deceased brother. In response Phoebe replied and told Holden that Allie is dead. He retorted, “Just because somebody's…