Furthermore, despite Holden's reluctance to grow up, "The Catcher in the Rye- is still described as a bildungsroman. ... When Holden tries to rub out the graffiti at Phoebe's school in order to protect the minds of the innocent children he is becoming the catcher in the rye. ... This novel is not one of overt Existentialism like "The Childhood of a Leader-, I have no idea of Salinger's philosophical orientation, but it is implicit that Holden is capable of freely making many different choices and only when made can he learn about himself. ... She is now not in control of who...

• Word Count: 1213
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: Undergraduate