How Does Holden Mature In Catcher In The Rye

Limbo is an uncertain period of awaiting a decision or resolution; an intermediate state or condition.It is possible for people to be stuck in limbo for any situation. In J.D. Salinger’s novel, “The Catcher in the Rye” Holden is stuck in Limbo between childhood and adulthood. Holden is suspended between the innocence of being a child, and the phoniness of maturity. Although Holden may try to come off as older he still wishes to preserve childhood innocence for those who still have it.
Holden has grown out of the innocence of his childhood. Holden often finds his happiness from children as he states, “I'd just be the catcher in the rye and all. I know it's crazy but that's the only thing I'd really like to be”(Salinger, 191). What Holden means, is that he would save all the children from falling off of the cliff, which represents adulthood, preserving their innocence. Holden likes the

Holden often tries to act older than he is, and also lies about his age. Holden says, “Sometimes I act a lot older than I am- I really do- but people never notice it. People never notice anything”(Salinger, 22). Holden acts older than he is and he thinks nobody notices, but they do. They notice that he is just a kid who is trying to act mature. Holden is the phony when he pretends to be something he’s not. Holden is not a child nor an adult. Although he has grown out of his childhood innocence, he is not ready for the phoniness of the adult world. In J.D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye, Holden is suspended in Limbo between being a child and being an adult. Holden realizes that he is no longer a child, which is why he would like to preserve the innocence of children, but he believes all adults are phony, and refuses to be like them. Growing up is something that everybody has to do. As children get older, innocence is lost, and phoniness is obtained, and this is what Holden fears the