Holden Caulfield Innocence

Charles Darwin, a renowned naturalist, stated that “it is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the most responsive to change.” Adolescence represents the inevitable nature of change. Emotionally unstable teenagers face additional challenges when transitioning into the complex life of adulthood. Therefore, some may wish to live carefree as children and never grow up to accept the responsibilities of adults. In J.D Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield desires to preserve his own childhood innocence. From a mental institution, Holden, a troubled 16-year-old boy, reminisces about the past, of the days he spent in New York City. Since the death of his younger brother Allie three years ago,

Holden constantly criticizes and disapproves of most people around him. Because Holden struggles with change and hesitates to grow up due to his beliefs that adults act disingenuously, he remains trapped between the threshold of childhood and adulthood.
Holden often clings to sentimental memories of his childhood, which reinforces his inability to tolerate change.

The carousel at the park illustrates one place Holden finds comfort. As Holden and Phoebe strolls toward the carousel, he hears the song “Oh Marie” playing. This tune has been playing since Holden’s childhood, and he loves how the carousel “always [plays] the same songs” (210). With the carousel playing the same song repeatedly reveals Holden’s unwillingness to accept change. Also, it brings back the thrill and happiness of his childhood days when he use to go there. As long as the carousel moves around in circles continuously with nowhere to go, Holden appreciates this. Following the same infinite motion as the carousel, it reflects Holden’s inability to mature and progress forward into

adulthood.
Similar to the carousel, the artifacts inside the museum which Holden visited as a child, does not change. One day, after buying the record “Little Shirly Beans” for his sister Phoebe, Holden walks to the Museum of Natural History. Spending an abundance of school field trips there, he remembers the Eskimo and Indian artifacts exhibit which he treasures, because “everything always [stays] right where it [is]” (121). This museum serves as his escape from the complexity of adulthood. He sees the exhibits as a perfect example of an ideal way to live. Exhibit items remain frozen in time and always staying the same. Scared by all the changes he sees happening around him and his personal life, the predictability of the artifacts in its exact place helps him feel secure and stable. Because he likes the static nature of the museum, Holden does not want to experience the change into an adult.
Holden finds the lake at Central Park to be another environment that does not change until the winter comes.

When Holden arrives at Penn Station, he takes a cab to the Edmont Hotel. During the ride, Holden asks the driver if he knows “where the ducks go when [the] [lake] gets all frozen” (60). Holden's concern about the safety of the ducks as they transition from the comfortable waters into the hazardous wintery conditions reveal his dilemma about where he will go when he leaves the comfort of childhood. The ducks parallel his existence. With this seasonal change, Holden feels stressed and scared. Desperate for an answer, Holden questions the driver repeatedly on this childish subject. As the pond freezes, Holden correlates this to his uncomfortable transition into adulthood where he fears the unknown. Without the reassurance from other people, Holden does not want to leave his "comfortable lake" of childhood and experience the inescapable life of an

adult.
Time will always keep moving forward no matter how much Holden Caulfield struggles with growing up and his unwillingness to move on. Stunted in his psychological and emotional development, Holden perceives adulthood as deceitful. People must have the ability to accept the challenge of change to better adapt and survive. Trying to go back in time and fighting the obstacles of growing up will surely lead to mental health issues and nonconformities. In the pursuit of happiness, people need to learn to adjust to change and not dwell on memories.