All of these characteristics are subconsciously a reflection on Holden's self esteem and his view of himself. ... One that he uses all of the time is the lie about his age. ... Another reason why Holden lies is because he feels insecure about himself and worries about what other people's thoughts are of him. ... After this conversation he begins his evolution into being a more mature character in the story. ... He has fully completed his Odyssey adventure and has become a better character for it....

• Word Count: 749
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

The novel is about Holden's "Odyssey" through New York in search of his true self and acceptance from society. Through his "Odyssey" you can see Holden on a downward spiral gaining momentum as he falls due to his problems. ... He rejects the world around him because of its "phoniness" and fantasizes about his own world. ... This is a typical movie scene and in it, Holden is a character who is tough and cool like the movie heroes. ... He has his ideas of what he wants to be and makes up this entire character in his head picturing himself as a suave, strong, cool guy like a movie hero. ...

• Word Count: 1155
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

Yet, they"re given a nice little 4X6 package that explores all those things in detail. ... Finally, the book gives teens unrealistic ideas about the real world and about the consequences of Holden's actions. ... Although Holden had to go to a hospital at the end of his odyssey, much worse could have become of him. ... On the whole, a 16-year-old kid isn't ready to deal with all the things a big city can throw out at him. If the character in this novel, even for a minute, shows that it is okay to do what he did and justifies his actions, the book is not helpful for a teen to read in a...

• Word Count: 1001
• Approx Pages: 4