No, Catcher in the Rye is not a failed coming-of-age story
Someone brought up in class that they didn't think that Holden did that much coming of age - that he wasn't really an adult when the novel ended, and that it is so ambiguous that readers don't know if the future looks good for him.
I would disagree with that - I think Holden absolutely came of age, even if his ending doesn't fit some people's standard of "of age". He went through a very dramatic change over the course of the book, especially the end, when he came out on the other side of the peak of a mental breakdown and grew from a situation that could have turned out much worse.
I think saying that he didn't really come of age ignores how low his low point in the book was - he wasn't eating, sleeping, thinking straight - he was on the brink of - in fact nearly tipping over into - ruining his life. To stay afloat and make a rational decision to go back to his family, is a very drastic change from the Holden with which the book began, and the Holden who wandered the streets of New York drunk with wet hair.
Now, is he a fully formed adult with everything figured out at the end of the book? Definitely not - Holden still has many doubts and concerns and doesn't always trust adults who try to help him. What he is, however, is finally ready to take on life. In the last chapter, he says, "A lot of people, especially this one psychoanalyst guy they have here, keeps
asking me if I'm going apply myself when I go back to school next September. It's such a
stupid question, in my opinion. I mean how do you know what you're going to do till you
do it? The answer is, you don't. I think I am, but how do I know?"
This passage tells us a lot - first off, Holden is getting professional help for his mental illness, which is pretty significant based off of how severe and untreated his depression appeared to be throughout the book. Next, while he's definitely still the same old Holden who doesn't like to give straight answers or make adults promises, he's expecting to apply himself in school the next year. This new mentality, where he is not sure how everything will turn out but is no longer avoidant of the future, is way more likely to get him through school or whatever happens in his life, rather the mentality he had previously, when he decided to move to an isolated farm when he faced problems.
The contrast between Holden's earlier way of dismissing most adult help and instruction, and his new mentality and situation is the difference between night and day for someone like Holden, and this change he underwent basically determined if he had a chance at stable life and happiness again.
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ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with your concise and thorough post about how this novel truly is a coming of age, Holden didn't necessarily come of age as we seem to know with most of these novels, but rather in a different and unique way.
ReplyDeleteI disagree. He recovered from a low point back exactly where he started. He is unchanged. He may now have treatment that he needed but I certainly would not describe that as growth. Being uncertain of the future is minimal at best, he never cared about his future and now he is uncertain if he will care about his future. Holden is back at square one in my eyes, I do not see the growth that I think he needs to come of age. This is a failed coming of age story.
ReplyDeleteThey really didn't let me edit my first comment so I had to write a whole second one.
I also thought that the ending of the book didn't leave very much evidence to argue that he had failed to come of age. Even the fact that, on the last page, he tells us that he is sorry he told so many people about it and that he misses even old Maurice shows us that he's starting to crack out of his old shell and beginning to accept his own emotions rather than deny them.
ReplyDeleteI think that his mindset at the end of the book is definitely an improvement, but it is too flimsy to be called coming of age. However, it is a step in the right direction. In the beginning, returning to his parents was completely out of the question, so I agree that going back is proof of growth.
ReplyDeleteI agree, I don't think Holden totally failed at coming of age. I think there were significant events that occurred in Holden's life that although seemed like it lead him downhill, I think were necessary since these experiences contribute and are important to Holden's growth. I think we are seeing Holden's hard journey and path towards coming of age, not the time when he reaches it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. Holden learned a lot about himself and the world while away from his family. Some may argue that he didn't make much physical progress, but I think he made lots of progress, just not the tangible kind. He has made immense strides in realizing his own mental health struggles and that is the first step to recovery. He is not a full adult by any means but did progress a lot.
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