Catcher In The Rye Maturity

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Maturity is also about realizing that you can’t stop people from growing up. J.D. Salinger justifies this statement in Catcher in the Rye when the narrator, Holden, is at the natural history museum looking at exhibits and remarks that “Certain things they should stay the way they are. You ought to be able to stick them in one of those big glass cases and just leave them alone” (Salinger 158). Holden wants to preserve people and mummify them in their innocent, childlike state by sticking “them in one of those big glass cases” at the museum so that their personality and level of phoniness will be static throughout their entire life. In other words, so that their personality and character will never change. Since Holden at this point has not come …show more content…
Holden was not the only one who realized that “coming-of-age is inevitable.” I also realized this as I read Salinger’s novel and wrote this analytical essay in response to it. I feel that analyzing his message helped me realize the truth behind maturity and further molded my thoughts about it. I learned that “coming-of-age is inevitable” and applied this to my own life. I realized that I am maturing every second, and that the progression will never cease. Eventually, when I am adult, I will look back at my beliefs as a child and realize that they have changed over time as I came of age. After writing that essay, I matured a little more and am now that much closer to inevitably becoming an adult. Sometimes to be mature, you have to recognize that you failed, just as Holden did when he gave up on being the catcher in the rye. However, that failure cannot hold you back. You must persevere and try to become a new and better person. The same goes for debate: sometimes your opponents rip apart one of your arguments, but you have to recognize that and keep debating and trying to win until the round is over. Whether you win is irrelevant; what matters is that you tried your hardest and turned that round into a learning experience that will aid you in the
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