My favorite character in the book is the main character, Holden Caulfield. Holden is a sixteen year old teenager. His father is a famous lawyer, and his family is in a good financial situation. Therefore- Holden is sent to the best and most expensive privet schools all over the country. He cannot find himself in none of them- he is being expelled time after time.
Holden has a very unique point of view. He represent everything that we, as adults, would like to be. His mind is free, and he is open to spontaneous changes. He does not like the adult world as it is. He hates the fake there’s in it, and he founds it very hard to handle with the dishonesty, the lies, and the heavy responsibility in this world.
From the one hand- he wishes he could stay a child, and be ‘The catcher in the rye’- to live in the fields with all the children, and protect them from falling into the adult’s world. But from the other hand he wants to have all kinds of privilege that only adults have – like drinking or smoking.
He tries to protect himself from the disappointment and the pain in the world, and this is the reason that he is being very cynical to other people, and sometimes even to himself.
Although he is intelligent and sensitive, Holden narrates his story in a jaded voice. He finds the ugliness of the world around him almost unbearable. He feels uncomfortable with his weaknesses (for example, he is afraid from death, from fighting with somebody else, from his lack of experience about sex, etc’…) and during the book he is trying to get over them. Sometimes he even succeed.
Many people who have read the book, found it very easy to identify with Holden. He is true, and he is not afraid from himself, and he is extremely human.
A description of my favorite scene in the book:
My favorite scene in the book is the scene when Holden is meeting with Sunny, the prostitute:
Holden is traveling in New York all day by himself, after he discovered he was expelled from his school. As
the night is falling on the city, Holden is getting tired. He is looking for a cheap hotel to spend the night. Finally, he finds something, and gets his room. Suddenly, he doesn’t feel sleepy- so he is going down the stairs for a walk. On his way back- he meets the elevator guy, Maurice, who offers him to spend the night with Sunny for 10 dollars. Holden is already very tired and confused, and he agrees. He goes up to his room, takes a shower, wears a clean shirt, and waits patiently for Sunny. After a few moments she knocks on the door. Holden is getting up to get it, and on his way he trips over his suitcase. When Sunny finally comes in, Holden feels that he is too nervous, and he can’t do anything sexual with her. She is starting to undress herself, and he tells her to put her dress back on- and tries to start a conversation. He ask her about her past, about her hobbies, etc’. she is very unkind to him, yells at him, and then she leaves. At the moment the door was closed, Holden gets back to his bed, and falls asleep.
I like this scene the most because it teaches me two important things about Holden:
# He is very lonely in the big city, and therefore-he is trying to connect with everyone he can. (We can see that loneliness in other part of the book to, but here this is most obvious.)
# The scene shows us that Holden cares a lot about other people around him. Even though Sunny is a prostitute- he does not disrespect hers. The opposite is true. He shows her a lot of respect- tries to talk to her, be interested in her- and she is very cold towards him.
I think this scene lights up the character in a human and sensitive light. We can see Holdan’s fears, and identify with them.
