A “Phony” Identity by Ashley

A “Phony” Identity by Ashley - February 2015 Scholarship Essay

“Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger is a versatile novel that should be read by all high school students before they graduate. Through Holden Caulfield’s character, the sense of complexity between the distinctions of childhood and adulthood and the challenge of finding one’s self when one refuses to admit that one is “lost” are emphasized dramatically to be familiarized with young adults. In addition, the fears with belonging to a world in which they deem themselves as unneeded or unwanted are shown as Holden detaches himself from getting comfortable and used to people he calls “phony.” The book demonstrates the difficulty of being a teenager and growing in a society with people thought to be hypocritical. Salinger brings to light the struggles most adults consider exaggerated when, in reality, mainly all teens go through. High school students who are deciding their futures -- their careers, life goals, and the types of people they want to be when they’re older -- should read Salinger’s novel to see how Holden’s experience and the questions he asks himself, although fictional, are relatable to their own confused minds.

Personally, this book was disliked when my class was done reading or, more specifically, Holden was disliked. He seemed depressing, nagging, and extremely irritable with the things he does and the way he talks to people, making himself feel superior to them by pointing out their flaws. Even so, I thought he was unpopular by the class because he was relatable. He feared change, the future, and the unknowing; he questioned everything and isolated himself while, unknowingly, he needed interaction with others. These were similar qualities with ourselves and having Holden show us what we were going through was frightening and because we were afraid of being as confused and unhappy as Holden was, we despised him. Nevertheless, I would recommend the novel for all high school students because it sheds light on what we don’t want to acknowledge; by accepting our fears, we can overcome them and, in turn, “find” ourselves.