Examples Of Coming Of Age In Catcher In The Rye

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Holden is a boy with a selfless dream, and he conveys his true personality and character through his extraordinary power of words. The way he talks to the audience with such a unique voice draws the reader in, and allows an intense glimpse into his thoughts. As readers follow his coming of age, it is clear that he holds on to innocence until the very end, and it is quite a journey. Holden uses his words to adjust to the societal norms he tries so hard to break, but ironically, something holds him back every time, as he fights to break from conforming.
Holden's coming of age story is quite literal and straightforward. As he leaves the Pency Prep school, he has reached a point in his life where he is expected to follow different rules and essentially has to fit into society as a grown up, a ‘proper adult’. However, instead …show more content…
He is surrounded by people that he describes as “phony” and he refuses to make any real bonds with them, and this is not only hurting himself, but is also evident to those around him. He isolates himself more and more, showcasing how he is trying to single himself out from society, but his need for company holds him back from complete isolation. His constant want to phone up Phoebe and Jane represent his desperation to make a connection with anyone. He admires Jane and constantly thinks about her, since she is different than the rest of the girls he knows, like Sally, and he holds onto those old memories about where she kept her kings in checkers; “She just liked the way they looked when they were all in the back row” (Salinger 32). However, his childish fear of being rejected by her keeps him from calling her, and he makes excuses by saying he is “not in the right mood”. This is his way of hiding from his feelings, and gives another look at his attraction to those who are different in society, something he wants to be so

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