The Catcher in the Rye, by Jerome David Salinger, is a controversial novel about a teenage boy struggling with growing up in a society that has lost its grasp on moral conviction. Holden Caulfield, the main character and narrator of the novel, may seem like just another normal teenager trying to find their place in society, but Holden is different in many ways. Holden is a critic of society, and believes that the major weakness in society is the phoniness of everyone within it. He goes through the novel being alienated by people around him, dealing with the phoniness of society, and coping with the pain of the death of his younger brother Allie. On top of all this, Holden has just been expelled from his fifth school, and goes through most of the novel with no support from anyone. At one point in the novel, Holden falls apart, not being able to take what society throws at him on his own anymore. At this point in the novel, Holden lets all his feelings out and opens up his mind to the reader through his actions and thoughts. One experience in general, helps the reader to understand why Holden really does despise society. .
In chapter twenty-five, Holden becomes quite erratic, and experiences what seems to be a nervous breakdown. During this time, Holden sits on a park bench and ponders about how he would like to escape from the east, and live a secluded life on the outskirts of the woods in the west. He would become a deaf-mute, get a job pumping gas and changing oil for people at a local gas station. He would marry a beautiful deaf-mute woman and maybe even have children someday. If Holden did have children, he would not let his children go to school, but he would keep them at home and teach them how to read and write. These statements that Holden makes not only tells a lot about his personality, but also his views on society in general.
To begin, Holden's fantasy about getting away from the city shows how insecure he is with the world around him.
