In JD Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, a troubled teenager named Holden Caufield struggles with the idea of growing up because of the belief that all adults are phony. Part of Holden wants to connect with people on an adult level and the other part of him sees the adult world as completely phony. Because of Holden’s lack of interactions with Allie and Phoebe, Holden is constantly seeking for someone to love and trust from others.
The effect that Allie’s death had on Holden causes him to search for someone to love. Part of the reason Allie’s death results in Holden searching for love elsewhere is because Holden did not officially have closure after the death. Holden missed Allie's funeral because he was in the hospital, getting a psychiatric evaluation as well as attention to his hand.“ I was only thirteen , and they were going to have me psychoanalyzed and all, because I broke all the windows in the garage “ ( Salinger 44 ). Here Holden expresses how deeply Allie’s death affected him and begins to ruin his mental state. Considering Allie and Holden’s strong bond, Allies death was a negative impact on Holden’s life. In consideration of…show more content… Phoebe is always there for Holden as emotional support; Although, she is not physically there. “While I was changing my shirt, I damn near gave my kid sister phoebe a buzz, though, I certainly felt like talking to her on the phone. Somebody with sense and all” (Salinger 75). Phoebe seems to realize that Holden’s bitterness toward the rest of the world is actually bitterness toward himself. She understands him more than other do , as well as Holden himself. When Holden is around her he feels understood,and he can communicate with her better than he can with others. As a result of Phoebe and Holden not being together constantly Holden searches for someone to trust and understand him as much as his sister
