In The Catcher in the Rye Holden Caufield struggles with a lot of things. He thinks the entire world is against him. Holden struggles with "phony" people and the reality of growing up. He obviously does not want to grow up. Holden wants to stay a little kid forever. This, with him being a teenager and all, obviously causes a bit of a problem for the character.
From the beginning of the novel we can tell that Holden is struggling with who he is. He has been kicked out of many schools; he just does not seem to find something he really likes to do. He also does not think very highly of anyone. He only sees the bad things in everyone even the people who you, as the reader, would think is his friend. He thinks everyone is stupid and phony, especially adults. Holden really does think that the entire world is against him. The only people he cares about are his little sister, little brother, and a girl who used to be his neighbor that he played chess with. Everyone else Holden seems to hate.
Holden shows the characteristics of many teenagers. He, like many others, does not want to become an adult. Holden is caught inside his own little world, and he can not find his way out. His world is made up of himself, his little sister and brother, the ducks in the pond, and cigarettes and alcohol. Throughout the novel, Holden starts to gradually let people inside his world. He starts to notice people who are not as phony as he would think. He meets two nuns, and he has a nice conversation with them. He likes the nuns.
Holden is an example of a young man who does not want to grow up. He is pretty much in denial of his new responsibilities as a young adult. His responsibilities would include doing his homework, doing well in school, taking care of himself at a boarding school, and not getting into any really bad trouble. Holden does not stick to any of these responsibilities. In the end of the novel he finally comes to his senses though.
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