The Catcher in the Rye (blog one)

Holden Caulfield is sixteen and goes to a private school called Pencey Prep. Or, at least he was since he failed four out of five of his classes that semester so he's not invited back for the second part of the year. It's kind of frustrating that this guy has all of these opportunities but doesn't go after them. His parents have money but really don't seem to care to much what their son does. Also it's not like Holden is incapable of doing the classes he just claims that they don't interest him. He wrote a note at the bottom of a final he failed for his teacher that read, "Dear Mr. Spencer. That is all I know about the Egyptians. I can't seem to get very interested in them although you lectures are very interesting. It is all right with me if you flunk me though as I am flunking everything else except English anyway. Respectfully yours, Holden Caulfield." (page 17). I think this shows that he could easily learn this but isn't quite interested in putting in the work.

I think that Holden has some major family issues. As I said before his parents seem distant and don't really show all that much interest besides getting a new school for him every time he gets kicked out of the last one. Also his younger brother died from cancer. I think that this made him very trusting and faithful to the people who are very close to him and kind of distrusting of anyone he doesn't know well. Almost like he could save his brother Allie by holding in and protecting all the old, safe and known things while pushing away the new, unknown and questionable things. It's easy to see his difference in attitude between his brother Allie and a person in his dorm. He remembers his brother in this way: "You'd have liked him. He was two years younger than I was, but he was about fifty times as intelligent. He was terrifically intelligent. His teachers were always writing letters to my mother, telling her what a pleasure it was having a boy like Allie in their class. And they weren't just shooting the crap. They really meant it." (pages 49-50). He continues on in this loving and fond tone. He also uses the same tone for his neighbor that he really trusts and acts very protective of her. On the other hand when he talks about Robert Ackley he seems annoyed and mad. This is how he talks to Ackley: "He came over and stood right in my light. 'Hey,' I said. 'I've read this same sentence about twenty times since you came in.'
Anybody else except Ackley would've taken the goddam hint. Not him, though. 'Think they'll make you pay for 'em?' he said.
'I don't know, and I don't give a damn. How 'bout sitting down or something, Ackley kid? You're right in my goddam light.' He didn't like it when you called him 'Ackley kid.' He was always telling me I was a goddam kid because I was sixteen and he was eighteen. It drove him mad when I called him 'Ackley kid.'" (page 28).
As you can see he reacts much differently to Ackley than Allie.

I think that since this is a coming of age story part of the process of growing up for Holden will be learning to trust people and let them into his life. Also a side note, I really like the way Salinger uses Italics to show more meaning and make it easier to see the way people are saying something rather than just what they say. It adds a whole new level to the story.