Catcher In The Rye The Dilemma Of Adolescence And Adulthood

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Catcher in the Rye (The Dilemma of Adolescence and Adulthood)

In the “Catcher in The Rye” by J.D Salinger critically reveals the concept of the dilemma

of adolescence and adulthood. Adolescence has been defined as the growth stage between the

childhood to the adulthood in the course of every person’s life they have to find themselves in it;

this is the stage whereby people wants to discover themselves. In this context, Holden is the

protagonist who finds himself in a terrible circle of the life events as he wishes to find himself

and fit in the society. In every aspect of his conduct and ideas, they clearly reflected the core

aspects of a young one who is in the process of becoming an adult. The paper will discuss

various aspects as they relate and reveal the dilemma of adolescence and adulthood.

Holden begins by engaging a conflict with a dorm mate who he complains that he

mistreats his Jane Gallagher. Like any adolescent, he feels that if he were Jane's boyfriend, he

would have treated her better. At this point as a teenager and 16 years old, he tends to develop an

imagination of relationship over a girl. It is the age in which boys and girls tend to start

relationships for different reasons. However, after engaging in an argument with Strandlater they

end up in a fight and which he is defeated (Salinger 15). It signifies an element of violence at the

adolescence among most of the girls and boys. In this case, the author critically brings forth an

example in which almost every boy at the youth finds himself. It is a point where the power of

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innocence and the power of the reality of life tend to crush (Morgan et al. 116). As per the case

of Strandler and Holden, it reflects how he feels that Jane a friend to him is not being treated well

while strandler finds pressure in being a womanizer. It apparently forms a basis for defining how

changes and loss of innocence occur among the adolescents.

The adolescence stages identify as an age of dilemma because it is characterized by a

tight spot of what one wants to become¸ who he or she is currently and who he does not want to

become. It means that in a particular perspective an adolescent has to choose from three core

characters. It is held that during adolescence one is occupied varying ideas and increased self-

evaluation. At one point Holden blames himself for setting rules and then failing to adhere to

them as priority changes. It is further argued that in the course of determining who to become an

adolescent may always find him or herself in a place of divided interest (Morgan et al. 35). The

second aspect of self-definition is sex. Holden is represented as an adolescent who wants to

know the sex. He states that he has never been in sex, and he does not know what it

encompasses. As a self-consolation, he states that whenever it happens, it is always a bad timing.

He admits that in several occurrences he has asked girls but when they decline he accepts due to

manners (Salinger 23). One day he decides to get over with sex and invites Sunny, who is a

prostitute to his room. However, he refuses to sleep with her when he discovers that’s they are of

the same age.

It is identified that the adolescents are subject to difficulties in decision making during

the. Like in the case of Holden he decides to leave school and goes to stay in a hotel until the

time comes to go home. It reflects the difficulties that students go through at the adolescence. It

is noted that student may either drop the school or may be doing destitute depending on how the

youth aspects affect him or her. Furthermore, other an impact as to show one person treats the

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others. In the case of Standlater as an adolescent, he decides to be a womanizer and violent. At

this age, a child may find that the world is unfair, or things are not working their way, and this

motivates them to try a different course of action if there is no guidance such a child chooses the

wrong course of action (Freiberg 124). Holden decides to stay in a hotel for three days in his

hometown rather than going home. It would argue that the appropriate decision would have been

to remain in school or to go home.

The dilemma subjects an individual to be susceptible to the drug abuse. It is explained

Holden got sick after three days which he stayed in the hotel. He did not enough sleep, he also

smoked and drunk a lot (Salinger 10). He represents a common aspect that occurs among the

adolescents as they want to try new things especially sex and drugs. In refereeing to the fact that

he had not slept well reflects the manner in which the adolescents do not pay attention to live

aspects that they matter as they to explore. It is a risky point where and adolescent may now be

unable to go back to a person that they hoped to become while they still had the innocence

(Mortimer et al. 89). In line with this, most may become addicted to drugs, sex or other activities

that contributes in losing themselves. In the end, it ends up affecting the quality of their either as

they relate to other people and the society. At this point tone is open and willing to try anything

they know and hear which would not only give them pressure but attribute to their fitting in the

society.

Moreover, the dilemma of the adolescence and adulthood contributes to the division or

poor relation between the children and the parents. In line with this, Holden accurately manifest

existence of a difference between him and the parents. He opts to stay in a hotel instead of going

home. Furthermore, when he visits his sisters Phoebe he sneaks out the moment the parents

came (Salinger, 123). In this case, the author correctly shows how parents and the children relate

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to this age whereby the adolescent may have different views concerning their parent. It is held

that at this point the adolescent may show different perspectives and perceptions of the parents.

In the case, the parent fails to employ the proper means to address the issue with the child he or

she may end up in worse situations (Balswick et al. 123). It is the reason for the increase o f

young aged in the juvenile and the drug abusers who start at the tender age of 16years and above.

At times, the child may feel that the parent does not treat them as mature persons. Due to this,

they may end up forcing what they want or engaging with peers who may contribute to his bad

behavior.

The society challenges the adolescents and tends to make the dilemma much

complicated. In the book, it is identified that Sunny is of the same age as Holden and she is

prostitute this signifies a mistreatment of the adolescents by the society. Furthermore, after

visiting his teacher Mr. Antolini, he learns more about the adults. It happens that he wakes up to

find him patting his head “flitty” which makes Holden to feel uncomfortable (Salinger 125). Due

to his disgust with the mature people, he decides to become the “catcher in the rye.” At this case,

the main point that the author aims to pass along is the dangers that the adolescents face in the

society and the way their well-being is threatened. It is due to this that Holden wishes to run and

find a peaceful place that is not filled with contradictions of life. He fantasizes on his capability

to protect the young from the adults who wish to take their innocence or misguide them to the

wrong course of life. He is further disgusted with the way that people pretend to be people who

they are not. The dilemma of adulthood, in this case, is being revealed by Mr. Antolli, who tends

to give Holden reliable advice and later wants to use him.

Cognitive and behavior difficulties characterize the dilemma of adolescence and

maturity, at one point Holden explains that he feels like taking his life. It is a common aspect that

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most youths go through. Some may believe the world and life treating them unfairly. It may also

be due to the perception that they are not cared enough by their family. These challenges

motivate Holden to focus on saving the children from the evils of the childhood (Salinger 171).

In this context, the author intends to show the magnitude of the problem and the challenges that

it brings forth for the quality of the adolescent's life. It is that they are characterized by differing

decisions that they may need to be guided properly (Mortimer 123). However, due to lack of

proper mechanisms and lack of proper help it would be difficult to most of them tends to get lost

in the earthly activities such as drugs, or prostitution such as Sunny. The concerns with Holden

manifests that he understands that it is a trend that has been there in the society, and that which is

witnessed by the children as they hope to become adults. In his case of becoming in an

adolescent define it as the rough and dangerous road.

In conclusion, it is elaborated that the dilemma of adolescence and adulthood is

characterized by significant challenges. Holden as the main character the “Catcher in the Rye”

his life serves as an appropriate example to express the challenges in the gap between the

childhood and the adulthood. He faces most of the challenges not because of any other reason

but because of adolescence. It is identifiable that his parents were well up, and he was catered

well financially. However, he lacked crucial element as an adolescent who is proper parent

attention. It requires the parents to offer guidance to the child rather than money which he or she

will end up using drugs or any other harmful activity. Hence, the book unraveled reality in a

broad way defining different characters in the society and the contribution that they make to the

children engaging in the evil which the protagonist focuses on saving them from.

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Work cited

Balswick, Jack O, Pamela E. King, and Kevin S. Reimer. The Reciprocating Self: Human

Development in Theological Perspective. Downers Grove, Ill: InterVarsity Press, 2005.

Print.

Freiberg, Karen L. Human Development, 05/06. Princeton, N.J: Recording for the Blind &

Dyslexic, 2005. Sound recording.

Morgan, Joel E, and Joseph H. Ricker. Textbook of Clinical Neuropsychology. New York: Taylor

& Francis, 2008. Print.

Mortimer, Jeylan T, and Reed Larson. The Changing Adolescent Experience: Societal Trends

and the Transition to Adulthood. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2002.

Print.

Salinger, J D, E M. Mitchell, and Lotte Jacobi. The Catcher in the Rye. , 1951. Print.

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Catcher in the Rye The Dilemma of Adolescence and Adulthood

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