How Does The Catcher In The Rye Change

Many people fear change because they cannot predict the future. In the novel, The Catcher in The Rye by J.D. Salinger, Holden Caulfield hates when people become phony as they age. He also fears moving on from people. As a result, he hates change because of his brother’s death. Also, he has a tough time because he wonders if his good friend Jane Gallaher lost her innocence. Lastly, his sister Phoebe is still young but has time to lose purity. Holden likes everything pure and perfect and nothing to ever change. He fears change and does not want to move on from the people he loves most because he cherishes relationships and fears that by growing up, he will lose the connection with them. Holden’s favorite person in the world, Allie, cannot change, so Holden views any growing in others as negative. Holden is so traumatized by his death that he, “Broke all the windows in the garage” (Salinger 44). Holden does not suppress his emotions about Allie’s death. Allie is Holden’s whole world and he loses him without being able to tell him that and that is where his rage comes from. One particularly agonizing incident for Holden is when he would not let Allie ride bikes with him. He revisits the moment and he imagines telling Allie to,“Go home and get your bike and meet me at Bobby’s house.”(110). Since Holden realizes his mistake of not including Allie, he cannot get it off of his mind. Holden cannot change the decision he made and if he could manipulate change, he would bring Allie back. He hates change because change is not perfect or pure. Holden regrets everything he did not do with Allie. Holden refuses to reach out to his old friend, Jane Gallagher, because he fears she may now be corrupt and phony. He cherishes their past times together and he does not want to release those memories so he does not talk to her anymore. Holden fears that time has changed her and she has lost her innocence. He always wants to,”Give old Jane Gallagher a buzz” but he never comes around to actually doing it (66). If she changes since he last talked to her it will show him people cannot mature without losing their innocence. When Stradlater says that he and Jane,”just sat in the car,” it really …show more content…
Holden is on the brink of adulthood and he believes that if he crosses the line, he will distance his relationship with Phoebe. Holden feels isolated due to Allie’s death, but when Phoebe, “gave [him] a kiss.” he feels loved again(233).Holden is not happy since Allie’s death and Phoebe giving him a kiss shows him that Allie is not the only person who cares for him. Holden considers Phoebe beautiful and innocent when Holden visits Phoebe he loves the “suit” his “mother bought” for her and he thinks about how children usually “have some terrible dresses on.”(117) Holden loves the way Phoebe is right now and does not want her to change. Holden puts Phoebe on a higher pedestal than anyone in his world right now. He does not want Phoebe to change and become something different. He describes people who change as phony because the people who change are not their real selves. Phoebe is perfect the way she is and should not