Holden’s background history is the leading cause of his struggles to find a pathway to adulthood. In his past, he had flunked out of three private prep schools, experienced the death of his younger brother, Allie, and faced the expectations put upon him by his family. As Holden explains each event of his past, it is evident to the reader that he gains

In order to protect this innocence, Holden starts with Phoebe by believing in everything she pursues. When Phoebe and Holden met up and went to the zoo together, it is clear to the reader how Holden tries to protect Phoebe’s youth and learning she would have to experience on her own. “The thing with kids is, if they want to grab for the gold ring, you have to let them do it, and not say anything (pg 211, Salinger). The point in which he tries to make is that a parent or adult cannot control a child’s every action, but they should instead let the child learn on their own from their mistakes. Although very untrusting, he takes all of Phoebe’s advice and feels he can tell her anything and she would still support him. Holden best exemplifies this trust when he almost calls home to her to help heel his pain of loneliness.

While sitting in the subway gazing at people, Holden begins to wonder how his life ended up this disastrous and chaotic (pg 197, Salinger). He has flashbacks into when his little brother Allie was still alive and when his life actually made sense. Memories of Allie tagging along to Holden bestowing a sense of importance into him came to mind as he sat in the subway alone and unimportant to everyone else. Holden feels guilty for letting Allie die and having his youth stripped away from him. The reader can now realize that Holden has took upon

Some topics in this essay:
Phoebe Holden, Holden Caulfield’s, Phoebe Symbolically, Memories Allie, Holden Phoebe, Pency Prep, York City, , Chrissake” Holden, Catcher Rye, holden caulfield’s, learn holden, york city, innocence holden, holden feels, catcher rye,