Catcher in the Rye A classic theme in American literature is a youth's journey into adulthood. This journey is usually met with some adversity. Such is the case with J. D. Salinger's book The Catcher in the Rye. In this book the protagonist, Holden Claufield, is a nineteen year old expelled college student who is going through some tough times. Most of Holden's problems stem from his inability to disregard his childhood and proceed to …showed first 75 words of 780 total…

…showed last 75 words of 780 total…his ideal goals versus his reality-based goals. Finally he just tries to reclaim his childhood. In all three cases, he finds that he cannot continue to avoid growth, his only hope is to cope with it or embrace it. The reader never discovers what the ultimate fate of Holden Claufield is, but what his story leaves with us is that without growth, we will be unsuccesful, but to abondon your inocence is to lose yourself.