Character Sketch of Holden Caulfield

             Salinger wrote Catcher in the Rye in New York. It was written during the late 1940s or early 1950s, and first published in July of 1951. Holden Caulfield is portrayed as a child that is coming to age. Before Holden finishes completing his "Odyssey" story, he has a superiority complex, has a very pessimistic point of view, and tends to be a pathologic liar. All of these characteristics are subconsciously a reflection on Holden's self esteem and his view of himself. Throughout the story, Holden Caulfield makes himself out to be someone he is not. Although he likes to act as if he is comfortable with himself, he is very self-conscious. Holden's insecurities are the reason for him creating different aliases, making himself older, and being so judgmental on what other people say or do. After all of this, with the help of his sister Phoebe, he develops into a person who begins to think with reason and make better choices.
             Holden's superiority complex is evident throughout the story. He tends to point out the flaws that people, most of the time calling them phony. Not once during the first half of the book does he talk about his flaws, but it seems as if his expectation of people is to be like him. Although almost everyone around Holden is considered phony or generally obnoxious, the irony is that some of Holden's actions would be considered phony if someone other than himself was acting in that way. Holden points out these actions but he never calls them a flaw of his character or an example of him being phony at times. In a way he celebrates them and calls them some of his best traits.
             One trait of Holden's character that is ironic within the story is his tendency to lie constantly. It is ironic because his lying is a characteristic that could be considered phony, something that he despises to see in other people. Most of his lies are used to make himself seem cooler than he actually is.