Catch the Phonies by Kendra

Catch the Phonies by Kendra - April 2014 Scholarship Essay

Transitioning from middle school to high school is a stressful, exciting and emotional time for most students. For me the feelings were no different. After three years of middle school I had finally found my niche, and then abruptly had to move on to a high school with over 4,000 students.

The summer between eight and ninth grade, students who enrolled in honors english were required to read two books. One fiction, one non-fiction. I chose Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger.

Holden Caulfield, the antagonist, protagonist to some, has a different outlook of life compared to most people his age. However, similar to most, he hates school. Different from most, he actually acts on these feelings. Leaving school, breaking laws, defying his elders all made me hate him.

I loved the book and the way it was written, but I disliked Holden’s inability to follow rules, I didn’t understand how someone could be so rebellious, and only care about two people, his sister, and dead brother.

I have been raised to follow rules, respect my elders and always do what I thought was in the best interest for not only myself, but people surrounding me. Holden seemingly didn’t illustrate these traits. My thoughts of him ended with annoyance.

In the eleventh grade, part of our curriculum was to read Catcher in the Rye. I, remembering how well it was written was excited, and as much as Holden had annoyed me, there was no doubt in my mind that the book is interesting.

As I read the book for the second time, I saw my own growth.

Holden wasn’t some delinquent who had no idea what was going on in the world, as I had previously thought. He simply knew too much. He understood the negative in the world, the phoniness, the sadness but he also understood the positive.

He protected the innocence of his little sister Phoebe as best as he could. He understood the pretentiousness of individuals at his previous wealthy private schools, and was unable to handle it.

His distaste for school was not crazy, but understandable. We are often taught lessons that don’t help us get out of situations that we get ourselves into in life. For Holden, writing an essay in school did not help him escape from a prostitute and pimp who wanted money from him. Despite this being a unique case, his understanding for the real world, made him unable to continue living in the simulated world in school.

My thoughts of holden changed. I became more understanding. Like Holden, I learned to not accept and be complacent, but rather speak up for what I beleive, protect the innocence but not the ignorance, and remember to always be true to myself.

However, my actions may not take these traits to the extreme like Holden, but I’ve learned to better see through the “phoniness of the world” as Holden would put it and remember to value the relationships I have, because things in life can change in an instance.