The Catcher in the Rye #2

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

"I didn't know thta the goddam hotel was full of perverts and morons... In my mind, I'm probably the biggest sex maniac you ever saw" (Salinger, 61-2).

As Holden has progressed from being and Pencey to being in the city, he seems to be a character that molds to situations at hand. Early on in the novel, it seemed that Holden was cussing more frequently at Pencey than he does once he reaches the city. It seems as if Holden's actions are influenced by those around him most likely because he is self-conscious. I once believed that Holden was most likely homosexual or having a mental disorder. From the end of the first half of the book, Holden does not seem that way anymore. Instead of having an issue of those sorts, Holden seems to just be lost in his identity in the world and therefore conforms to the situation that he is in. After seeing all of the people that he noted as perverted, Holden then reflects on his views in that way noting how he is like them yet he disapproves of them and their actions. Furthermore, Holden acts and wants to be independent of everyone yet when he is lonely, he caves in his loneliness and wants to have a companion after leaving all of them behind when he left Pencey. Clearly, Holden is having issues with identifying who he is in the world and how he interacts with those around him.