Holden Caulfield might be one of the saddest characters I've read. His character also seems to be a huge draw of a line between whether you hate or love the book though. As I was reading though all I found was a boy who probably had some severe trauma happen in his past, and now as a teen his rebellion toward has what has happened is manifesting itself. I understand not particularly liking Holden, but I feel it would be difficult to not be empathetic to what he hints has happened to him. J.D. Salinger uses his talent for the first person and dialogue though to bring a book that feels real and is controversial.
Summary: Holden Caulfield feels alienated from the world. His peers he thinks are phonies, the girls seem not too interested in him, and his parents could be less than observant about their son. After getting kicked out of another prep school, Caulfield decides he will rent a motel room in New York where he will spend time till Wednesday, when he is supposed to return from school. His time in the city only further depresses him though. The only person that he seems to be set on being around and cares about is his sister, Phoebe.
