How Holden Deals with Grief in Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye

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The Catcher in the Rye is about a young boy named Holden Caulfield who is going through an emotionally hard time. After leaving school due to flunking grades, Holden sets out for New York city. During his time in New York, Holden rediscovers himself and his values. Holden Caulfield values Allie’s baseball mitt before he leaves school, the museum, and the Carousel in Central Park because they remind him of his childhood, and the innocence of childhood he hates to see children lose. Holden Caulfield values his brother, Allie. When Allie died of Leukemia on July 19, 1946, Holden was left devastated. However, Holden always thought that Allie was the most interesting person that he has ever met. Allie was one person that Holden mentions that he loves in the novel. When Holden’s younger sister Phoebe asks Holden what he likes he says, “I like Allie” (171). Holden hides or at least does not want to join the world because of Allie’s death. He cannot come to terms with himself to see that Allie’s death has nothing to do with how he should live his own life. Holden carries A...

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