How Is Holden Caulfield A Realist

Throughout the novel, we watch as Holden Caulfield’s story unfolds before us. He shares his story to his therapist, ensuring us that it is the truth. Holden is so concerned we do not believe him, he tells us frequently that this is the truth. He refers to everyone around him a phony, and even his little sister points out that he does not have many interests. He seems to dislike many things and is not particularly fond of anybody. Throughout the novel, we see as Holden’s attitude and perspective of the world changes drastically.

Holden, our 17 year old narrator, comes from a wealthy Manhattan family. At this young age, however, Holden has experienced much more than most do in their entire lives. He has been kicked out of many schools, he lost

his younger brother, and he does not currently live with his family. At such a young age, Holden’s past and experiences have influenced his views on the world. Usually, if someone experiences bad things, they tend to think negatively about the world and society. Holden, I think, does the same thing in the novel.
When the novel begins, Holden starts his story talking about Pencey Prep.

He seems to dislike everyone there, calling them phonies. He does not care for his schoolwork either, in fact, he is failing every class except for one. English is the only course Holden is passing, and this is because he learned the material in a previous school. Overall, Holden’s attitude is negative, but he is also a realist. While most people take one listen to Holden and assume is a rude, pessimistic teenager, I see him as a struggling individual calling things like they are. He does not like to sugarcoat things, he is purely matter-of-fact. When Holden takes a look at society, he sees it as corrupt and impure. In a way, he is not wrong. He has seen over the years what loss of innocence can do to people, who they become. Holden seems like a young, lost boy who is afraid of corruption and wants to prevent the ruin of youth. Holden is open to the thought that life is painful and he embraces this

belief.
Knowing something is not enough, however.

Holden is aware of the corruption of the world and throughout the novel he tries to discover how to use this knowledge. His journey to New York sets him on a mission. A mission to learn how to cope with his knowledge and put it into action. Holden takes his sister, Phoebe, to the zoo where she rides the carousel. While Phoebe is on the carousel she reaches for the gold ring, in order to win a ticket for another turn. Holden gets nervous about her doing so, he is afraid she will fall. The rain starts coming down, and in this dramatic setting Holden shares with us his anagnorisis. He realizes that he had to risk letting her fall for her to grow. While Holden wants to keep his sister young and innocent forever, he also recognizes that if she remains stagnant and unchanging, she is not living. Holden also comes to the realization that loss of innocence is desirable and inevitable. He wants to be the catcher in the rye, but he has to let kids grow up and live their

lives.
Holden is a sensitive boy, we can only hope that with his newfound perspective on life, he will mature into somethings strong and open-minded. He has the rest of his life to develop a positive outlook on life. Holden’s attitude towards the world changes acutely from the time he fails out of Pencey and when watches Phoebe reach for the gold ring. We see Holden’s dirty glasses get cleaned, and a new perspective is now visible. Holden is still afraid of the change children undergo, but he is now able to accept that he cannot prevent this change from occuring. Holden realizes that in order for children to grow up and live fully, they have to risk falling and lose their innocence.