Growing Up is a Part of Life

Growing up is a part of life that everyone must go through, and some people struggle through the change more than others. Holden Caulfield is a prime example of this because he refuses to grow up and take responsibility for his actions. In some ways he thinks he's an adult by going to bars and inviting the prostitute up to his room, but he is still immature because he doesn't take responsibility for his schooling and flunks out of every school he is sent to. He is also immature because he is a hypocrite. He calls everyone a phony, but really he is a phony because Holden cannot be honest with himself about his feelings towards the matter of growing up due mostly to the death of his brother and the impact on him.
An experience that caused me to grow up quicker in my life was getting a job. I had a poor experience at my first job, but in the long run it was helpful because it forced me to deal with unpleasant coworkers. This helped me grow up because I know that I will have to work and deal with unpleasant people my whole life, and now I know how to deal with them.

A Closed Perspective

Since society is composed of a variety of extremely different individuals, with polar ideals and opinions, those who live within society have no choice but to adapt to the challenges that arise when around such diverse ideas. If one fails at coping with societies differences, they may fall into a false reality; fabricating a world they believe is correct. Holden Caulfield has become victim to this event in that he refused to comprehend the fact that he is maturing and losing his innocence. He battles any growth that attempts to alter his personality; resulting in immaturity, depression, and loneliness, as he isolates himself from others that may influence him. This process is evident when Holden consistently postpones calling Jane Gallagher, or when Holden suddenly repels Sally Hayes when she refuses to commit complete emotional support for Holden. Throughout the novel, Holden’s mental state deteriorates as he is confronted with the fact that he cannot survive in society without losing his innocence and maturing to accept those he believes are phony.

Holden finally does come to terms with his age and position in society as his manufactured world deteriorates. He begins to pray to Allie, and experiences delusions and paranoia. I believe that Holden would have fared much better if he had kept an open perspective towards others; instead of labeling them as phonies or flits. Acknowledging conflicting opinions towards your own, such as those in politics or religion, offer an expanded version of the world. I have developed this attribute by staying neutral and analyzing the motives behind ideals, not simply the surface logic (I use this often with politics, since I am an independent). By isolating himself, Holden self-imposed his destruction, loneliness, and depression and he stifled his mind’s attempts at growth (often seen as laziness throughout the book).