Reactions to Holden

I really enjoyed the discussions today about Catcher in the Rye, though I found myself feeling a real sense of melancholy, as I often do when I think too much about Holden. Everything about his character, from his dishonesty to his instinctive fear of adults suggests someone who has been deeply hurt, perhaps irredeemably so.

The real tragedy, though, is that the people who seem to want to help Holden may do more damage than anyone else. The efforts of doctors, his family, and his teachers to correct his behavior and force him to acquiesce to a life of acceptance has the potential to be tragic.

I think Phoebe saves him. 🙂