www. Catcherintherye.com
The Catcher in The Rye, set in the 1950's, is a story about a 17 year old adolescent, Holden Caulfied, who finds himself troubled by coming to terms with the horrendous reality of growing old. Everything in the world that surrounds him rots with the 'filth' of adulthood, and Holden seems to be the only person who has difficulty accepting this. In the beginning of the novel, Holden is expelled from Pencey prep school in Agerstown, Pennsylvania - the fourth school which he has been expelled from. Throughout The Catcher in The Rye, Holden searches for meaning in his life, however constantly seems to find himself dwelling on the past and not willing to let go of his childhood. There are many instances in the novel where Holden demonstrates his immaturity by proving to be unable to move on in life, whilst everyone else has accepted reality and are beginning to move forward in life. The Catcher in The Rye is a story about coming of age, the loss of innocence, and the harsh reality of adulthood.