Catcher In The Rye: A Character Analysis

The novel The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is narrated by the main character Holden Caulfield on parts of his life. He writes of his life during the 1950’s where he is undergoing therapy in a rest home. Holden describes when he is kicked out of school, and the problems in society. He writes about how he was expected to achieve great things through his school. How he is surrounded by phony adults and liars. Holden is very confused and in the middle of all of it. After Holden is kicked out of his fourth school, Pencey Prep, he subsists in the city of New York before he returns home. Holden tries to converse with others to try and fit in, but is refraining himself from adulthood to avoid the society of adulthood.

Although Holden has flunked

Early on, Holden narrates, “I’m the most terrific liar you ever saw in your life. It’s awful. If I’m on my way to the store to buy a magazine, even, and somebody asks me where I’m going, I’m liable to say I’m going to the opera.” (Salinger 16). Just an example of how easy it is to lie. People, in any society could just as easily lie like Holden had. It could be close friends family, or even a complete stranger someone might lie to. Holden states, “He’s one of the most popular boys at Pencey.”... “Because he’s so darn shy and modest and all. He refused…. Boy, he’s really shy.” (Salinger 63-64). Holden lied to one of his peer’s mother. He told her that he was tremendous person everybody loved him. He lied to her to continue the conversation and to make her feel pleased with her son. Holden had deceived her to create a more entertaining conversation for himself. But later, the saying, “What comes around goes around” would come into effect. Holden is not the only person who has lied in The Catcher in the Rye. A man that had convinced Holden to pay for a prostitute, Maurice, had said, “It’s ten bucks, chief. I tole ya that. Ten bucks for a throw, fifteen bucks till noon. I tole ya that.” “You said fifteen bucks till noon all right, but I distinctly heard you—“ (Salinger 113). Here Holden is being lied to by a man who convinced him into buying a prostitute for the night. The deal was for Holden to pay the prostitute five bucks. But Maurice had changed the price on him to receive more money. He was now charging 10 bucks. Lies like this happen very often in and out of novels. Many people in any society do this to have their own way. Holden lies so frequently, he says he can go forever if he really wanted to. But most of the time, Holden will just stop talking in general to keep himself from doing so, thereby stopping the whole