Preview

Maturity In Catcher In The Rye

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
436 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Maturity In Catcher In The Rye
Anyone who reads Catcher in the Rye and watches Rushmore should be able to identify the blatant maturity levels of Holden and Max. Although a couple years apart, both share similar levels of maturity. Holden from the start has a I am the best attitude that is clearly shown. Expressed later on in the film, Max shows a lack of maturity in talking and acting around females particularly Miss. Cross. Where Holden’s maturity is shown in self pride and selfishness, Max’s Maturity is expressed in the ability to understand the situation of his love life. Towards the end of the novel, Catcher in the Rye, Holden shows a small amount of improvement on his maturity by telling us he is writing this story from a mental house. Max has a same occurrence where …show more content…
Holden and Max show a lot of it. Holden lives a rebellious life drinking, smoking, and living by himself and not giving a roach’s bottom about anything. Max is a rebel in a different way. Yes, going after an older woman is sort of a sign of rebellion, but Max is more rebellious in a different way. Max is focused on many extra curricular activities rebelling in a studious way. He gets kicked out of school for not having enough curricular classes. This is a definite sign of rebellion. While
Holden is messing up his life in a phase of rebellion, Max is expressing himself differently.
Rushmore and Catcher in the Rye are two similar yet very different movies. I do have to say Miss Cross is very similar to Mr. Antolini in Catcher in the Rye. Miss Cross treats Max almost as a Mom. She is caring and understanding, but still able to be serious and tell him sternly about why things work out. Mr. Antolini is sort of the same. When Holden sleeps over there they have a talk about life and it comes out the same way Miss Cross says it.
Finally, Holden vs Max. Who is more of an authentic, relatable teenager? Max. Max is a more authentic, relatable teenager. When boys are on the journey of turning into men, the opposing gender seems to become a main part in the long adventure. Max is obviously on this journey due to his blatant cringe worthy pickup tactics and lines. In the end though, Max is the winner in the battle of authenticity

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    similar to many other teens, Holden has difficulty in expressing who he truly is. Throughout the…

    • 903 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Catcher In The Rye Summary

    • 1259 Words
    • 6 Pages

    The story will evolve as Holden grows learning more about innocence and the lack of innocence in the world around him.…

    • 1259 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Before Holden arrived at Pency he failed to meet academic standards at his previous schools that have “given him the axe”. The idea of Pency Prep seems to follow him everywhere because whoever he meets seems to know about it and how good of a school it is. It is a symbol of failure. Pency is not the first school Holden has flunked out of as a result his family is not too pleased with him and nonexistent academic ambitions other than in English.…

    • 681 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    I chose “The Catcher in the Rye” authored by Jerome Salinger because I feel it represents coming-of-age thoroughly although with a twist. Holden Caulfield, the main character, experiences the same feelings and maturing and transitioning perception of society that, mostly, any 16-year-old would. It focuses around Holden’s insight of adolescence and the way he apprehends people’s behaviour and judgements. Published and based in the 50s, the moralities have not changed much.…

    • 352 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Characterization Chart

    • 473 Words
    • 2 Pages

    |Holden acts immature but can also act mature |Mr. Spencer states “do you feel no concern for your future.” |Holden does not want Phoebe to go to the museum and change every|…

    • 473 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    Growing up is generally not considered easy or desirable. In J.D Salinger’s novel, The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield is a sixteen year old boy on the precipice of adulthood. He is resisting growing up despite the allure of sex and alcohol, but he despises the thought of entering a phony world. For Holden, his life is stuck in a never ending cycle of misery, alcohol, and a desire to hold on to his childhood innocence. His own life up to this point has been very rough - his beloved younger brother Allie died of pneumonia, a classmate jumped out of a window, and he has gotten kicked out of yet another school. He yearns to be a protector of childhood innocence. It is only after beginning to accepting change, relinquish his protective instincts,…

    • 1254 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Salinger uses biblical parallels to depict Holden’s journey to maturity. The main concept behind Holden's maturation is saving children, not letting them fall. Initially, Holden tries to become "the catcher in the rye and all" (173). However, this attempt to protect the innocent went against what the bible argued--causing Holden to remain stuck in a cycle of immaturity. As the book progresses, Holden discloses that, “The guy [he likes] best in the Bible, next to Jesus, was that lunatic…” (99). Salinger includes this allusion to the Bible because the lunatic accurately depicts Holden’s persona--representing the immature aspect of Holden's character. Since Holden cannot live up to the idea of a christlike figure, he emulates the only other character…

    • 219 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Holden Caufield, either mentally unstable or too morally advanced for society, misses the innocense of his childhood. Holden's mentality, although confused and seemingly unstable, show the effects of exposed innocence. He becomes frustrated that he does not belong where ever he goes. He travels away from his school with no logial direction for a more internal desire to find his place. Holden has trouble understanding why he does not fit in anywhere and implies mental deterioration from stress. Holden Caufeild struggles with the contrast of society's standards of innocence, change and affection to his own intuitive values.…

    • 883 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Holden Caulfield, a cynical and paradoxical teenager not ready to embrace adulthood goes on a journey to explore the phoniness of the adult world. J.D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye published in 1951 reflects on Holden as a child as well as an adult. His neglection of adulthood and his blindness on the innocence of youth presents a great challenge in his life. The bulk of the novel displays Holden, a 16 year old teenager who just flunked out of Pencey Prep fleeing to his hometown, New York City in hope of staying at a hotel for a few days before revealing his expulsion to his parents. Throughout his stay, Holden has unusual encounters with past colleagues, his former neighbor, his sister Phoebe, and his old teachers. From these encounters, Holden acquires different perspectives on life and adulthood.…

    • 815 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    He hasn’t started being the catcher in the rye yet, but he has the power to save the youngsters. Overall, Holden is a normal teen like the others. Teenagers like to convey their thoughts, take risks, be kind towards others, and experience things. They want to reveal what they are thinking in an honest way. Furthermore, the advantages including the enjoyment from doing things is important to them, so they do whatever it takes to get them. Teenagers are eager in what they want to do, but don’t start until later. To conclude, a typical teenager like Holden has these…

    • 691 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In this novel Holden not only demonstrates dishonesty by repeatedly lying in various occasions but also shows to be confused as of what he really is. It is also proven that he is a hypocritical person that is just looking to keep his image well even if he has to lie. It is also shown that this character seeks pity from other people in order to make himself feel better.…

    • 715 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    A coming-of-age novel is when a protagonist undergoes adventures and/or inner turmoil in his growth and development as a human being.…

    • 2337 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Will demonstrates similar characteristics to Holden in several ways: he does not long for academic success, he shows a begrudging attitude towards his family members, and he also tries to make life hard for himself merely to avoid being influenced by others. He pushes his girlfriend, Skylar, away got too close to him, he pushes his mentor/teacher away, and he pushes potential career offers away, anything that would ultimately give him happiness he pushes away, solely so he would not become emotionally involved. Holden is different from Will, though, because he is not ordered by the court to go to a therapist, but instead had to have a breakdown of sorts. Will thus becomes what one might call a success story. Will becomes a more educated person by accepting becoming aware of his feelings and being able to open up to suggestions and thoughts about his life.…

    • 594 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Catcher in the Rye written by J.D Salinger is a coming of age story. It is a story narrated by the protagonist, Holden Caulfield, who is a sixteen year old boy, but has a mind of a ten year old innocent kid. In the beginning he thinks of innocence as important, but later he realizes that growing up cannot be stopped. He wanders around the New York City by himself and gains experience of life that teaches him to become mature. This book is clearly written to show the theme of coming of age because it shows many symbols of coming of age, it shows the changes of young adults in modern life, and it creates an image of Holden growing up.…

    • 1139 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Hypocritical Holden

    • 1009 Words
    • 5 Pages

    that we don’t want to share with others, and try to hide; perhaps we are trying…

    • 1009 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays