Seth Miers
Mrs. Bean
American Literature / Period 4
28 September 2009

Is Holden Caulfield a Moral Person?

The Catcher and the Rye, written by J.D. Sallenger, is a story about a struggling teenager named Holden Caulfield. He was kicked out of school in the beginning of the book because he wasn't applying himself, and he failed all of his classes except English. Holden is very hypocritical and constantly complains about people and how they are 'phonies'. Unlike many of his friends and classmates, he likes to treat women with respect and be patient with them. He believes that everyone should be respected, and above anything, Holden likes to preserve innocence. It would appear to most readers that Holden has strong convictions and morals, he is also very sensitive and caring.
Constantly, throughout the book, Holden talks about his virginity. Holden has never lost his virginity even though he has had many chances to do so. He thinks it’s a root cause of him being too patient and respectful with women. "I mean--she keeps telling you to stop. The trouble with me is, I stop. Most guys don't. I can't help it." (93). He will wait for when the girl is ready instead of just doing it like most guys do. Every single time in the book that he gets with a girl, he continues to be respectful with them even though he says he won't, and he'll finally lose his virginity. This shows that even though Holden may not want to have this ethical characteristic, he does. "He lost his virginity when he was only fourteen in Nantucket. He really did."(145). Holden is constantly pressured by the public to lose his virginity. Though, even when he has the chance, he doesn't do it. Just like when Holden ordered the prostitute to his room, he just made up excuses so he wouldn't have to have sex with her. "I don't feel very much like myself tonight. I've had a rough night. Honest to God. I'll pay you and all, but do you mind very much if we don't do it? Do you mind very much?" (95). During the prostitute scene, it seemed like Holden viewed the girl as a real person, and not just an object like they are portrayed in movies.


Holden believes that everyone should get what they deserve, and overall be respected, even though he never directly says it, it's implied throughout the book. Such as when James Castle jumped out of the window.
"There was this one boy at Elkton Hills, named James Castle, that wouldn't take back something he said about this very conceited boy, Phil Stabile. James Castle called him a very conceited guy, and one of Stabile's lousy friends went and squealed on him to Stabile. So Stabile, with about six other dirty bastards, went down to James Castle's room and went in and locked the goddam door and tried to make him take back what he said, but he wouldn't do it. So they started in on him. I won't even tell you what they did to him--it's too repulsive--but he still wouldn't take it back, old James Castle. And you should've seen him. He was a skinny little weak-looking guy, with wrists about as big as pencils. Finally, what he did, instead of taking back what he said, he jumped out the window." (171)

Holden loved the fact that James Castle was the only non-phonie person he had ever met. He thought those bullies had it coming, and deserved what James Castle said about them. Holden thinks that the thief that stole his gloves would have it coming if he ever met the thief. Though, he thinks that people should be respected more than they should get what they deserve. Nearly every conversation Holden has, he worries about being rude! "Then, all of a sudden, I yawned. What a rude bastard, but I couldn't help it! Mr. Antolini just laughed, though." (190) Holden knew it was rude, but he just couldn't forgive himself. Or even when he did something on purpose, he felt terrible about it, such as when he was on his date with Sally. "I apologized like a madman, but she wouldn't accept my apology. She was even crying." (112) Holden kept trying to offer rides to Sally, and kept apologizing, but she just wouldn't accept it. This shows that Holden always knows when he does something inappropriate.


The biggest part of The Catcher and the Rye is innocence in the book. Holden wants to protect innocence, and he hates the way children are exposed, and how they grow up. Near the end of the book Holden moans about how 'F.U.' is written all over the place, and how someone will probably write it on his grave. He wonders about how kids learn about these words, and how its passed on through innocent children. "I thought how Phoebe and all the other little kids would see it, and how they'd wonder what the hell it meant, and then finally some dirty kid would tell them" (201). Subconsciously, Holden doesn't want any of the kids to see the curse words, he doesn't want them to go through the trouble of learning what they mean. Innocence makes Holden feel less depressed, just like when the kid was singing "If a body catch a body coming through the rye." (115). This is probably the most famous quote in the book, and its where the title comes from. Even the title of the book is referring to something innocent. "What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff--I mean if they're running and they don't look where they're going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them." (173). Even when Holden grows up, the only thing he wants to do is protect innocence in children!


The Catcher and the Rye is a very good interpretation of the real world. Literally everywhere, there is an 'F.U.' written somewhere. Then, most teenagers worry about how they act around their teachers and other students, just to be respectful. Sallenger did a great job of showing how Holden progresses through his life. Even though Holden never specifically stated it, it was implied through his actions that Holden had some strong convictions and good morals.









Works Cited
Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 1991.