Holden Caulfield: A True Hero

A hero is defined as someone who is brave, noble, and has outstanding qualities. Holden Caulfield was all of these things, but only in his own mind. Holden always thought he was doing the right thing. Holden was tragic. He was utterly confused about all his feelings, and didn't know how to handle his developing emotions. All the destructive things he did, he justified with his own reasons.

He wanted to protect the people that he felt needed protection. For example Jane Gallagher was his childhood friend, whom he developed an overwhelming love for. He felt as though he needed to protect her from other males who wanted something that wasn't innocent from her. As soon as Stradlater returned from his date with Jane, Holden became angry and questioned

Keep it for me," she said. Then she said right afterward,"Please."That's depressing, when somebody says "please" to you. I mean if it's Phoebe or somebody. That depressed the hell out of me. But I put the dough back in my pocket.” Holden became so depressed by this encounter because he wanted to be the provider and helper to his sister, but she had to help him. He felt as though he couldn't be her hero. At the end of the novel, Holden says he wanted to hit Phoebe. He isn’t noble, he can hardly control his own emotions. In every story the hero is always truthful. Holden is not. He admits to being a pathological liar. “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. It's terrible.” He acts respectful to adults, but is lying the whole time. He lies to Mrs. Murrow on the train ride home. He asks her to get a drink with him even though he is underage and she is married. Holden lies for fun, mostly because I believe he doesn't fully comprehend that lying this much could get him into