Fake Holden

            In The Catcher in the Rye, a boy named Holden Caulfield is faced with the obstacles of both society and life. He struggles to find direction, and to discover his relationship with the world. From page one, the reader can both understand and relate to what Holden has to say about the society in which we live, and the way in which people in that society govern themselves. The more we read, the more we identify with Holden Caulfield. .
             It seems like the typical, adolescent dilemma: How do I find my place in this life? In most respects, Holden is not unlike the typical teenager. He, too, is on his own quest to find himself. He needs to find acceptance. Going to school at Pency, Holden becomes the manager of the fencing team. In doing so, he tried to gain friends as well as social status within his peer group. Even then the whole team "ostracized him"(page 3). Like most teens at that age, Holden was having trouble gaining acceptance and making friends. .
             "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." (pg.16) Holden's ability to lie is one of the first traits that he reveals about himself. He takes pride in saying that he is a good liar. His inability to have normal conversations and relationships is probably one of the factors that has him shunned by his peers. Holden's insecurity is one of the reasons for his compulsive lying. This is why he can't find his place in the world. The world doesn't know Holden, and he doesn't know himself. It is difficult to separate fact from fantasy. .
             It is Holden's rejection that forces him to act the way he does. To compensate for having no friends of his own age, he looks to the older and younger. Even though immature, Holden tries to act like an adult by smoking and drinking in hopes that he will find companionship.