Holden Caulfield Character Essay

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William Golding once said, “The only choice that really matters, is the interpretation of the story, is your own. Not your teacher 's, not your professor 's”. Holden Caulfield’s evolving circumstances and troubled past allows the reader to have strong cathartic moments whilst reading the story. In J.D Salinger’s novel The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield’s innocence causes the reader to feel appreciative towards his personality and attitude through his coming of `age. Comparably, Holden’s troubled past which he has presented throughout the story allows the reader to feel sympathy emotions towards what he’s been through as a person (mortalities). In addition to the sympathetic emotions, Holden’s dynamic personality makes us feel contemplative …show more content…

Holden loves kids, however not in a disturbing way. Holden see’s children as “hilarious bundles of innocence” which makes us, the readers feel contemplative over Holden Caulfield’s personality. For example, “People always think something 's all true. I don 't give a damn, except that I get bored sometimes when people tell me to act my age”(Chapter 2, p.22). This show’s that Holden is not always acting like he should; he implies that he does not find it relevant when others tell him to act more maturely. This is significant as this makes the reader feel confused on Holden’s personality, this is because later on in the novel Holden seems to act completely mature which is different than what he was acting like at the beginning of the novel (dynamic personality). For instance, “I ordered a Scotch and soda, and told him not to mix it—I said it fast as hell, because if you hem and haw, they think you 're under twenty-one”. (Chapter 10, p.6). Holden doesn’t seem to mind being young however it seems to be a different situation when he’s in the mood for a drink. That’s the thing about growing up: you lose something things (like innocence) but you gain others like self-confidence (Shmoop 1). Holden’s changing personality makes it difficult for the reader to assess Holden’s situation of maturity making us feel contemplative and confused of who Holden Caulfield really is. This is important to the reader as they are having prolonged thoughts about Holden Caulfield’s

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