Teen Years and The Catcher in the Rye Essays

Teen Years and The Catcher in the Rye Essays Teen Years and The Catcher in the Rye Essay Teen Years and The Catcher in the Rye Essay Essay Topic: The Catcher in the Rye For many individuals, their teenage years are difficult time. Many teens yearn for a sense of belonging and have difficulty in seeking a place where they genuinely fit in. Holden Caulfield, a teenager in the 1950’s faces the same problems. After flunking out of his fourth boarding school, he decides to not go home and spends a couple of nights alone in New York.This ultimately leads to his mental breakdown. Holden’sfears cause him to have a his guard up at all times and his value tie him to the past. By lying, Holden reveals his fear of rejection. Towards the end of the novel Holden takes Sally Hayes on a date. Holden does not actually have feelings for Sally, but he still makes an effort to spend time with her. Holden has a strong admiration for Jane but doesn’t attempt to contact her.His love for her is evident, he wants to protect her and he even admires the simple things about Jane. For instance, he admires the fact that she kept her kings in the back when playing checkers. By keeping the kings in the back she is protecting them and Holden tries to do the same to Jane and fails to protect her and from her drunken stepfather. He does so because if Holden were to be rejected by Sally it would have no effect on him, because he does not genuinely like her. If he were to be rejected by Jane his reaction would verydifferent, considering the fact that he actually likes Jane. He would rather be unhappy with Sallyinstead oftakinga chance with Sally and being rejected by her. H e is protecting himself, it would destroy him to be rejected by a person that he cares about so much. Another time Holden lies to protect himself is when he lies to Ernest Morrow’s mother on the train ride leaving Pencey. Instead of waiting till it was time for break he packs all his things and leaves early. She sees that he has a Pencey sticker on his luggage asks about if she knows her son. Holden lies and says her son is one of the most popular b