The Catcher in the Rye: Looking Back On Holden

As I sit here writing blogs and thinking highly in depth about the novel The Catcher in the Rye, I remember my original thoughts on the main character Holden. When I started the book for the very first time, I did not have any idea what to expect really. Actually, that is not true; I had heard many peer reviews from some friends. I had heard from some that the book was terrible, and it was just about some punk kid walking around New York making fun of people. However, I also heard that the book was very deep, and it gave you a lot to think about. Overall, I did not really know what to expect especially from this “punk kid” named Holden. When I first started to read it, I figured Holden was just another one of those kids who does nothing but whine and be negative throughout the whole story. Boy was I wrong. I discovered shortly into the book that Holden had a lot to offer. My thoughts changed over and over again as I read, but I still did not fully understand the mind of Holden Caulfield. However, I now feel as though I completely understand the boy that is Holden Caulfield. I have read in depth articles on him, and I have made many conclusions of my own. Even directly after I finished reading the novel, I thought Holden was just kind of a cool kid who tells it like it is. I had no idea of the real conflict that was tearing his mind apart. I could not tell one bit that the main conflict involved Holden’s transition between childhood and maturity. I did like him right after I finished reading the book, but now he has grown to be one of my favorite characters of all time because he is so complex and funny. In conclusion, my thoughts on Holden have changed drastically from when I first began the novel to the current moment.