J D Salinger's novel The Catcher in the Rye details the story of Holden Caulfield who attempts to fight against the inevitable loss of innocence of the people around him. When Holden visits his teacher Mr. Spencer, his teacher imparts to him that "life is a game." This deeply upsets Holden. To him, all the people surrounding him are "phonies," meaning they have no individuality; these people simply put on a fake persona because society forces them to play "according to the rules." Throughout the novel, Holden repeatedly shows that he does not wish to play by life's rules, possibly in attempt to disprove his teacher's statement: he drops out of school and also shows irresponsibility to the people around him. The passage lays the foundation for a theme that the book develops over the course of its plot: children can be disillusioned as they mature and understand the realities of the societies around