Why does Holden fear adulthood? Essay -- English Literature

Why does Holden fright adulthood?The novel catcher in the rye is set in the 1950s and is narrated by ayoung boy called Holden Caulfield who is sixteen eld old. He tellsthe report between the end of his school term and Christmas break. We distinguish he is in a mental hospital and is telling the story of a few dayshe spent in sore York city, he shares his feelings, emotions andopinions against the world surrounding him.Holden Caulfield, he is a person who feels the subscribe to to be in controlof everything in his life, nevertheless the problem comes when he finds himselfin the transition between puerility and adulthood. Holden wants andtries to act like an adult, plainly is unable to accept the fact he isbecoming one, perhaps because of his tie-up of adulthood withphonies and all he hates. By being in the portray where he is, hemanages to avoid change, control his world with his own hands, besidescreates a paradox between what he is, and what he wants to be.Possibly the im portant reason to why Holden doesnt want to become an adultis his perception of phoniness and hypocrisy surrounding adultsociety. Holden shows his criticism towards most of the grownups whointervene in his life, specially those related to his schools. We cantake Ossenburger as an example, he represents everything Holden hates, pie-eyed famous character who for Holden only gives phony speeches onhow to live life.He said he talked to Jesus all the time. Even when he was private road hiscar. That killed me, I can bonny see the big phony prick shiftinginto first gear and asking Jesus to send him a few more stiffs (Pg17).This is just one of many examples Holden sees as fake. Phoniness ishis main(prenominal) concern against society. Holden lacks the capa... ...and wanted to be an adult.Holden fears becoming an adult in creative thinker and heart, but wants to becomeone in his actions. He wants to be harmless but take chances. Its abattle between tykehood and adulthood, between in nocence andphoniness. This battle is what has do Holdens world an illusion,what has made him a madman. Holden fears landing form his illusion,becoming what he despises, knowing his justification is lost and knowinghe is vulnerable to the world. What we see in Holden is plausibly notuncommon at all, he wishes to be a child at mind where it satisfieshim internally but an adult in his actions, just like everyone, theyget the side of the situation which satisfies them most. We never seewhat Holden becomes, but we see how his paradoxical way of acting andthinking is just a reflection of his fear of taking the full step intothe adult society.