Catcher in the Rye: Holden Character Description

Holden Caufield is the protagonist as well as the antagonist in Catcher in the Rye.  What I mean by this is that he is often at odds with himself socially and about what choices he should make.  I would characterize Holden as depressed and headstrong, but also as caring, protective, and conflicted.  It is not hard to find a quote in the book where Holden is referencing how he is depressed.  The word “depress” itself was used a total of fifty-one times throughout the course of the book, and that does not include other words like “sad”, “terrible”, etc…  Something is always making Holden depressed, whether it is a current situation or remembering the past.  It seems that he has a difficult time letting go of how life was when he was younger.  Some of the only happy moments that he mentions is going to a museum when he was little (Salinger 64), watching his little sister Phoebe ride a carrousel, and buying her a record (Salinger 63).  The reason why Holden likes to think of his childhood so often is that he is not sure what his place in the world is.  He mentions running away to live in a cabin a few times, even once to Sally.  This comes across as an idea that someone who does not have a plan for his or her would dream up.  Holden may have made a few mistakes along the line, verbally, physically, and morally.  He had to put up with some of the boys at his school such as Stradlater and Ackley who were not very good example for him.  Holden came to realize that growing up can be a very difficult experience.  After hearing a boy sing “If a body catch a body coming through the rye” (Salinger 62), at least that is what he thought he heard, Holden comes up with the idea that it is his purpose in life to “catch” kids as they are about to fall off the cliff of childhood innocence and simplicity. 

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 1951. Print.