Catcher in the Rye: 3

Childhood and Adulthood

I think the bridge between childhood and adulthood comes naturally for most people, but Holden is having an uncommonly hard time accepting maturity. I feel bad for him because he's so upset about loosing his childhood. Maybe he's so stuck on not getting older because he only knew Allie while he was a kid and he doesn't want to loose the possible "bond" he feels is the only one left between him and his brother.That makes me sound like an old phony but that's what I think. It really is. To connect it to real life is easy because why do you think so many teens loved this book when it was first published? Holden can't keep one decision the way it started without changing it or ending up finding it too depressing. He can't make it in school because he doesn't want to graduate, probably. Graduating would mean fending for himself and starting a real man's life, no more girly-man nonsense. Stradlater is a very good example of a girly-man.