麦田里的守望者中的理想与现实的冲突

IntroductionJ.D.SalingerisoneofthemostrenownednovelistsincontemporaryAmerica.Sinceitspublicationin1951,hisdebutnovelTheCatcherintheRyehasbeenenthusiasticallysoughtafterbyalargenumberofadolescentsandwontheirgreatacclaim,thusgivingrisetoa“Salingercraze”.Forawhile,“Holden-style”adolescentswithfoullanguageandwearingredbaseballcapsbackwardscouldbeseeneverywhereonthestreetsofAmerica.Eventoday,thisnovelstillhasahugeinfluenceandiswidelyrecognizedasoneofthe“modernclassicnovels”incontemporaryAmericanliterature.ToldfromHolden’sownperspective,thebookdescribeshissocialexperiencesandinnerjourneyoverthreedaysandtwonightswhenhewanderedaroundthestreets,barsandseveralotherplacesinNewYorkCitybeforeChristmasafterbeingexpelledfromPenceyPrep.ItvividlyreproducesHolden’slonely,resentful,depressedandbewilderedspiritualworld,exposesthevulgar,hypocriticalandpretentiousadultsociety,andportrayshisadolescent,conflict-riddenpsychologyinaprofoundway.Yang(2016)pointedoutthatgrowthisaninevitablestageforeveryteenager.Bystudyingthiswork,onecanalleviatethepainofgrowingupandgainenlightenment.Holdendeeplyfeltthehypocrisyandcoldnessoftheadultworld,instinctivelyrefusedtogrowup,andrebelledagainstthemainstreamsociety.However,histimidpersonalityandsuddenawakeningmadehimchoosecompromiseandmovetowardsmaturity.Hong(2018)analyzedthatthegrowthincoming-of-agenovelsisdifferentfromthephysicalgrowthinreallife.Itisasignofthecharacter’spsychologicalandideologicaltransformationfromignorancetomaturity.ThethemeissetasexploringthepathandthegrowthandtroublesofteenagerstodiscusstheinnerdistressoftheprotagonistofTheCatcherintheRyethatcannotberelievedandtheinabilitytoadapttoyouthfulvitality.Inordertofindanoutlet,theygothroughhardshipsandfinallyachievereliefandliberation.He(2024)believesthatintoday’ssociety,weshouldgivemorepositiveguidancetoteenagers’growth,helpthemshapecorrectworldviewsandvalues,smoothlyachieveself-awarenessandacceptanceofreality,andultimatelyachieveinnerpeaceandmaturity.Dong(2024)deseribedthatforHoldenCaulfield,factorssuchastherealsociety,theeducationsystem,lifestyle,andpersonalitytraitsjointlyshapedhiscontradictorypersonality.Theworkprofoundlyrevealsthepainandstrugglethatindividualsexperienceduringthegrowthprocessinadolescence.Zhao(2016)expoundedthatHolden’sepiphanywentthroughdisappointmentandrebellion.Finally,duetothecallofcompassionandresponsibility,hebegantofacereality,returntoreality,andfindawaytodealwithlife.Eventually,hereturnedtohisfamilyandstartedanewlife.Thisprocesswashisgrowthprocess.Afterthisseriesofchanges,hefinallybegantomatureandhadhisowngoalsandresponsibilities.Thus,hewasnolongerconfusedandenteredlifeinabrand-newway.Inviewofthepreviousstudies,thisthesisabsorbstheessence,butinthetopicoftheconflictbetweenidealandreality,thepreviousstudiesarenotenough.ChapteronestatesHolden’sidealfantasyoftherealsocietyinhischildhood.ChaptertwostatesHolden’sdisillusionmentanddifficultyinadjustingtorealityduringhisteenageyears.ChapterthreestatesHolden’scompromisetorealityandeventualgrowth.ThisthesiswillexplorehowSalingerrevealsthegulfbetweentheidyllicworldpeopledreamofandtheharshrealworldthatactuallyexiststhroughHolden’sexperiences,thoughts,andactions,thusguidingreaderstoreflectontheuniversalhumanpredicamentofreconcilingouridealswiththecold,hardreality.

TheInitialEncounterBetweenIdealandRealityinChildhoodInhischildhood,Holdenisfullofbeautifulimaginingsabouttheworld.Hecherishedinnocenceandexpectedsincereinterpersonalrelationships.However,atschool,heencounteredtheimpactofreality.Thestrictrulesandthecompetitionamongclassmatesdeviatedfromhisideals.Inhisfamily,thereweredifferencesbetweenhisparents’expectationsandhisownaspirations.Theseinitialconflictsmadehischildhoodidealsbegintowaveranddevelopcracksinthecollisionwithreality.PureIdealandPerfectYearningInHolden’sview,childhoodisasymbolofinnocence.Thereisnohypocrisy,calculationorcomplicatedinterestrelationshipsintheworldofchildrenasthereisintheadultworld.Whenherecallshischildhooddays,gettingalongwithhislittlefriendswassimpleandhappy.Forinstance,hemightrememberplayingfreelyontheplaygroundwithclassmates,whereeveryonetrustedeachotherandtherewasnojealousyormalice.Suchmemoriesofchildhoodinnocencehavebecomeanimportantpartofhisidealworld.Inacademicresearch,ZhangYong(2017)holdstheviewthatinHolden’scognitiveworld,thereisanotherimplicitworld,thatis,theidealworldhehasenvisioned.Holdenlongsforsincererelationshipstobeestablishedamongpeople.Hehatesthewayofinteractingintheadultworldthatisfullofsocializingandfalsepleasantries.Hisidealinterpersonalrelationshipsarebasedongenuineemotionsandmutualunderstanding.ZhaoChunxia(2016)proposesthatHoldenhasarebelliousspiritandhatesthehypocrisyoftheadultworld.ThesecharacteristicscanbeseenfromhisattitudetowardsSunny,theprostitute.HoldencalledforSunnytocometohisroom.However,whenSunnyarrived,insteadoftreatingherinthewaymostpeoplewould,hestartedchattingwithhertolearnaboutherlife.HerealizedthatSunnywasactuallyapoorgirlwholivedatthebottomofsocietyandwasexploitedandhurt.HoldenfeltsympathyforSunny.Notonlydidhenothavesexualrelationswithher,buthealsogaveherextramoney,hopingtobeofsomehelptoher.Holdenhasastronglongingforahappyfamily.Althoughhehasmanycomplaintsabouthisparents,forexample,hethinksthathisparentssometimespaytoomuchattentiontosocialstatusandtheopinionsofothers,deepinhisheart,hestillhopestohaveawarmandharmoniousfamily.Hehopesthathisparentscantrulyunderstandhisthoughtsandcommunicatewithhimonanequalfootinginsteadofalwaysdemandinghimwithadultstandards.HeattachesgreatimportancetohisrelationshipwithhissisterPhoebe.HeregardsPhoebeasasymboloftheinnocenceandbeautyofthefamily.HehopestospendhappytimeswithPhoebeandprotectherfromharm.Forexample,hewouldcarefullychoosegiftsforPhoebe.Inhisfantasies,thehappyscenesofthefamilyoftenfeaturePhoebe’scheerfulfigure,andthewholefamilycanloveandsupporteachother.RigidRulesandInnerLonelinessHoldenyearnsforbeautyinhisheart,yetheistrappedintherigidsocialrulesandwalksaloneinhisinnerworld,plaguedbysolitude.ThesocialenvironmentHoldenisinisfilledwithvariousrigidrulesthathedetests.Inschool,theutilitarianeducationalruleofputtinggradesfirstprevails.PenceyPrepjudgeseverythingbystudents’academicperformanceandtheso-called“gentlemanlydemeanor”,yetthis“gentlemanlydemeanor”ismerelysuperficial,concealingvanityandhypocrisyinside.Studentspretendtobediligentandpolitetomeettheschool’srules,butHoldenseesthroughallthisfalsehood.Forinstance,variousactivitiesheldbytheschool,whichseeminglyaimtocultivatestudents’all-rounddevelopment,areactuallyforthepurposeofenhancingtheschool’sreputation.Undersuchrules,trueindividualityandemotionsaresuppressed,makingHoldenextremelydepressed.Hehasbeenexpelledfromschoolseveraltimes,notbecauseheisincapableoflearning,butbecauseherefusestofollowthisrigidandfalseeducationalmodel.Whenenteringtheadultsociety,thehypocriticalsocialrulesmakeHoldenataloss.JustasZhaoAruna(2015)saidthemostbasictrustamongpeoplehasbeenlost.Adultsarebusywithworkandneglecttheattentiontoteenagers.Suchasocialatmospherehasanegativeimpactonadolescentsintheirpuberty.Theinteractionsamongadultsarefullofpolitenessandcalculation,andeveryonewearsacarefullycraftedmask.Insomesocialoccasions,thetopicspeopletalkaboutaredullandempty,nothingmorethanshowingoffwealth,status,orchasingtrends,whilesincerecommunicationandemotionalresonanceareextremelyscarce.Inhiscontactwithothers,Holdendeeplyfeelsthebondageoftheserules.Hecan’tunderstandwhypeoplecan’ttreateachothersincerelybutfollowthesemeaninglesssocialroutines.AlthoughHoldenhaddailycontactwithsomeofhisclassmates,itwasdifficultforhimtoestablishatrulydeepfriendshipwiththem.DongYingcun(2024)putsforwardtheopinionthathethinksnooneissincere,andeveryoneseemstobelivingwithamaskon.Inschool,Holdendidnotpayattentiontotheteacher’steachings,alwaysinaperfunctoryattitude.Teachersworkhardintheclassroomandhopethatstudentscanactivelylearnandgrow,butHoldenthinksthatmanyofthecoursesareboringanddisconnectedfromreallife.Forexample,althoughhishistoryteacher,Mr.Spencer,caresaboutHolden’sstudyandtriestohelphimimprovehisperformance,HoldenonlydealswithMr.Spenceronthesurfacebutdoesnotagreewithhiminhisheart,whichmakesitimpossibleforhimtoestablishagoodteacher-studentrelationshipwithhisteacher.Holdenhadalotofinnerthoughtsandconfusion,buthehardlytooktheinitiativetohavein-depthcommunicationwiththeteacher.Hefeltthathisteacherscouldnottrulyunderstandhisinnerworldandcouldnotgivehimthehelpandsupporthereallyneeded.Eveniftheteacherfoundhisproblemandtooktheinitiativetocommunicatewithhim,hewasalwayswaryandresistantandwouldnotopenup.Invariousscenesoftheschool,whetherinthedormitory,theclassroomorthecorridorofthecampus,healwaysthinksaboutandcriticizesthepeopleandthingsaroundhimconstantly.Theseinnermonologuesreflecthisincongruencewiththesurroundingenvironmentandhisdeeplonelinessandhelplessness.Inthisway,heresolveshisinnerlonelinessandtriestofindcomfortandanswersinhisownspiritualworld.Inliterarystudies,HeYong(2024)suggeststhatinthefamily,whetheritwashisgrandmotherorhisparents,whattheyofferedwasonlymaterialsatisfaction.Forexample,Holdenhopedtohaveapairofracingskates,buthismotherboughthimapairoffigureskatesinstead.Althoughthefigureskatesweremoreadvancedthantheracingskates,theywerenotwhatHoldenneeded.Therefore,hedidn’tfeelhappyaboutit.Hisgrandmother’sbirthdaygifttohimwasalsomoney,whichcouldn’tmakehimfeelhappyorsatisfiedeither.Whatheneededwasforhisparentsandgrandmothertocommunicatewithhim,understandhisinnerworldandhelphimdispelhisconfusion,butthissimplewishcouldn’tbefulfilled.Onthesurface,ateenagerlikeHolden,wholivedinawealthyfamily,studiedataprestigiousschoolandhadnoproblemspendingmoney,shouldhavebeenfullofhappiness.However,Holdendidn’tfeelhappybecausewhatheneededwasspiritualcomfort.Holdenishelplesslylonelyinsideunderthecoercionofrigidrules.“Hefeelsaloneandvictimized,asthoughtheworldisagainsthim”(Chen,2009:143-146).Behindhisshatteredidealsliesthecontinuouscrushingofhisspiritualworldbythecruelreality.Thesetwoaspectsarecloselyintertwined,jointlyoutliningthetragiclifetrajectoryofHolden.IdealDoubtandInitialStruggleThroughin-depthresearchonthecharacter’spsychologyandbehavior,itcanbefoundthathehasastrongsenseofresistanceanddisgusttowardstheadultworldthatheisabouttostepinto.IfindthatHoldencherishedtheidealofpurityandbeauty,yetitwasshatteredundertherelentlessimpactofthecruelreality,highlightingtheunbridgeablegulfbetweenidealandreality.Therealworldisdividedintothehypocriticalandflashyadultworldandthepureandbeautifulchildren’sworld.Inhiseyes,theschoolisfullofhypocrisyandugliness.AlthoughPenceyPrepSchoolhasahighreputation,thestudentsitcultivateshaveallbecomehypocriticalpursuersofprofit.Inhisopinion,thesestudentsstudyjusttoliveamateriallyabundantlifeinthefutureandregardluxurygoodssuchasluxurycarsastheirgoals.Inhisheart,allhisclassmateswearfalsemasks,andtheheadmasterisevenmoresnobbish,curryingfavorwithwealthyandpowerfulparentswhilebeingcoldanddistanttowardsparentsfromordinaryfamilies.Healsoharborsadeepresentmenttowardshisfather,whoisalawyer.Hebelievesthatlawyerslikehisfatherspendalldaythinkingaboutamassingalargeamountofwealth,indulginginleisureactivitiessuchasgolfandbridge,beingkeenonpurchasingluxurycars,andshowingoffeverywhere.Hecan’tstandhismother’snervousandhypersensitivestateeither,complainingthathismotherhasextremelysharphearing.Evenifthereistheslightestsoundfromalongdistanceaway,hismothercandetectit.Inshort,heisdissatisfiedwitheverythingaroundhim,andtheonlythingthatcanmakehimfeelfondnessistheinnocenceofchildrenthathasnotbeencontaminatedbytheworld.ThesocialenvironmentinNewYorkisindifferent.MaJiamei(2020)believesthatdeepinhisheart,HoldenCaulfieldharborsasenseofresistancetowardsthesocialenvironment.Thishasgraduallyledhimtosocialisolationandmadeitdifficultforhimtoconformtotherequirementsofsocialnormsinhisactuallife.Onthestreets,peoplearealwaysinahurryandlackgenuinecareforeachother.Duringhiswandering,Holdenhardlyfeltanywarmthfromstrangers.Forexample,onpublictransportation,peoplearejustimmersedintheirownworldsorquarrelovertrifles.Thehypocrisyofsocietyiseverywhere.PengFenglingandXiaoHan(2020)haveputforwardthatbehindwhatseemstobeagreatadvancementinsocialcivilizationliesasignificantdeclineinsocialmoralityandethicalvalues.Fromtherulesinschooltoadultsocialoccasions,Holdenhaswitnessedallkindsoffalsephenomena.Therigideducationofteachersinschoolisjusttomakestudentsmeetcertainstandardsratherthantrulyfocusontheinnergrowthofstudents.Insocialoccasions,thereareoftenulteriormotiveshiddenbehindpeople’ssmilesandwords,andthishypocrisymakesHoldenfeelsuffocated.Holdenhasfallenintoadilemmainhispersonalgrowthprocess.Heneitherwantstointegrateintotheadultworldthathehatesnorcanhereturntothepurechildhooddays.Heisconfusedabouthisfuturedirectionanddoesn’tknowwhatkindofpersonheshouldbecome.Hetriestoresist,suchasleavingschool,butthisresistancedoesn’tbringhimliberation.Instead,itmakeshimevenmoreconfused.Underthepressureofreality,bothhisbodyandspiritaretortured,andhisidealsarelikeashipthathaslostitsdirectioninastorm,graduallybreakingupinthecrueloceanofreality.Inaword,theinitialencounterbetweenchildhoodidealsandrealitystirredripplesinHolden’sheart,causinghimtostartwaveringbetweenadheringtohisidealsandsufferingfromtheblowsofreality.Thisconflictlaidthegroundworkforhislaterrebelliousness,confusionandcontinuousstruggles,andalsoenabledreaderstodeeplyfeelthehelplessnessandunforgettablebitternesswhenidealsfirstcollidedwithreality.

AdjustmentBetweenIdealandRealityintheYouthAsateenager,Holden’sidealsstillrevolvedaroundinnocenceandsincerefriendships.However,whenhewanderedaroundNewYorkandwitnessedthedepravityoftheadultworld,realitywaslikesandpaper,graduallygrindingawaytheedgesandcornersofhisidealsandplunginghimintoconfusionandstruggle.BeautifulReverieandRomanticDesireHoldendeeplyyearnsforaninnocentandpureworldinhisheart.Heisdisgustedbythehypocrisy,affectationandutilitarianismintheadultworld.Inhisreverie,thereisabeautifulwheatfieldwherechildrenareplayingfreely,andhehimselfstandsontheedgeofacliff,keepingwatchtopreventthechildrenfromaccidentallyfallingoffthecliff.Here,thecliffsymbolizesthecomplexity,depravityandlossofchildlikeinnocenceintheadultworld.Helongstosafeguardtheinnocenceofchildren,whichactuallyreflectshishopethatthewholeworldcanremainsimpleandpure,farawayfromthesetoffalsesocialetiquetteandthetrendofseekingfameandfortuneintheadultworld.LuDongmei(2019)hasanalyzedthatHolden’stoleranceandkindnesstowardsothersenabledhimtoforgiveeveryone,includingthosewhohadoncehurthim.Holden’sroommate,Stradlater,servesasatypicalexample.Stradlaterisapersonwhoadherestoworldlyrulesandpaysgreatattentiontoappearanceandsocialskills,whicharequitedifferentfromHolden’sinnerpursuits.Once,StradlateraskedHoldentowriteacompositionforhim.Holdendidhisbesttocompleteit,butStradlaterflewintoaragebecausethecontentofthecompositiondidnotmeethispreferencesandevengotintoafightwithHolden.However,evenafterthat,HoldendidnotbearagrudgeagainstStradlater.HeunderstoodthatStradlaterwasaproductshapedbyschoolandsocialrules.Hisactionswerenotoutofdeliberatemalicebutweredrivenbythevaluesformedintheestablishedenvironment.HoldenregardedStradlaterwithacompassionatemindset,understandinghishelplessnessandlossundertheworldlyrules,andthuschosetobetolerant.TherootofHolden’stoleranceandkindnesstowardsthosewhohavehurthimliesinhisdeep-seatedbeliefinthefundamentalgoodnessofhumannature.GaoXiangqin(2017)arguesthatHoldenisakind-heartedboy,heharborsastrongyearningforabetterlifeandpursuesthebeautythattheworldpossesses.Hebelievesthateveryonehasakindsidewithin,butthissidemaybecoveredupundertheinfluenceofsociety.LuDongmei(2019)pointedoutinheranalysisthatbeneathHolden’scynicalappearanceliesaheartthatiscaringtowardsothers,sincereandkind.Atthesametime,Holdenhimselfhasexperiencedmanysetbacks,suchasbeingexpelledfromschoolandrunningintodifficultieseverywhereinsociety.Theseexperienceshavegivenhimadeeperunderstandingofthefragilityofhumannature.Heknowsthateveryoneisstrugglingintheirownpredicamentsandneedsunderstandingandtolerancefromothers.Therefore,withatolerancebeyondhisage,heforgivesallthosewhohavehurthim,tryingtopreserveaglimmerofwarmthandkindnessinthiscoldandhypocriticalworld.Thistoleranceandkindnessarenotonlyashiningpointofhispersonalcharacterbutalsoasilentresistancetothecruelreality,demonstratingthemostbeautifulaspectofhumannature.Holdenistiredoftheroutinizedlifefullofrulesandregulationsatschool,andhealsohatesbeingboundbytheexpectationsofadultsandsocialnorms.Hefantasizesthathecanbreakawayfromallofthisandgotoaplacewherenooneknowshim,perhapstheWest,andliveafreelife.Forexample,hecouldbeadeaf-mute,ignoringthegossipofpeoplearoundhimandallkindsofcomplicatedrequirements,andfreelydowhathewantstodoandseethesceneryhewantstosee.Helongsforthestateoflivingfreefromtheshacklesofconventionandcompletelyfollowinghisheart.There,hedoesn’thavetocatertoothers’opinionsorforcehimselftodothingshedoesn’tlikeforthesakeofso-calledgrades,futureandsoon.Thisromanticlongingforafreelifeisapsychologicalsustenanceforhimtoresisttheoppressionofreality.However,Holden’sbeautifulreveriesandromanticlongingsconstantlyrunintoobstaclesinreality.Thepowerfulforceoftheadultworldandthehelplessnessofrealityplungehimintoconfusionandpain.Butitispreciselytheselongingsthathighlighthiskindness,innocenceandhisunremittingpursuitofthetruemeaningoflifeinhisheart.WanderingandRealityBlowWanderingonthestreetsofNewYorkbecomesatangiblejourneyforHoldentoconfronttheblowsofreality.Eachstephetakesmeasuresthegapbetweenhisidealsandtherealworld,bearingwitnesstothestrugglesandgrowthwithinhisheart.Holden’swanderingonthestreetsofNewYorkisnotonlyashiftinspacebutalsoaspiritualtorment.IntheanalysisofHolden’sinnerworld,HongHuiling(2018)preciselyexpoundedhisstateofmind,wherethebitternessinhisheartwasbeyonddescriptionandtheworldheloathedcouldn’tbechanged.Afterleavingschool,HoldencametoNewYork,aprosperousandcomplicatedmetropolis.Heshuttledamonghotels,whichwereoftenplaceswhereallkindsofpeoplemingled.Inthehotels,heencounteredallsortsofstrangepeopleandthings.Forexample,hemetanelevatoroperatorwhotalkedinvulgarlanguage,andatenantwhowasdoingimmoraldeedsintheroom.Thesescenesgavehimamoredirectperceptionofthechaosanddepravityoftheadultworld.Throughmyresearch,IhavefoundthatHoldenisfilledwithadeepsenseoffrustrationinside.Heattemptstoimmersehimselfintherelativelyrelaxedatmosphereofthenoisyenvironmentinthebar,seekingamomentaryrelief.However,inthebar,hewitnessesthatundertheinfluenceofalcohol,people’shypocriticalmasksarefurthermagnified.Peopleinthebartalkvolublyandflattereachother,butthereisverylittlegenuineemotionalcommunication.Hetalkstothepeopleinthebar,hopingtogetsomesincereresponses,yetwhatheusuallygetsareperfunctoryanswersorreplieswithulteriormotives.Evenso,Holdenstickstohisprinciples,refusingtogoalongwiththecrowd.SimilartoGatsbyinTheGreatGatsby,whostrivedtowinDaisybackandenterhighsocietyonlytohavehisdreamscrushed,astarkcontrastbetweenidealsandrealityemerged.Nick,seeingGatsby’sunwaveringpursuitofloveandanideallifeinacorruptsociety,remarked,“They'rearottencrowd...You'reworththewholedamnbunchputtogether”(Fitzgerald,2019:98).Holdenhasauniqueperspectiveonartandyearnsforgenuineandprofoundartisticworks.Inthetheaters,whathesawwasartpackagedcommercially.Theactorsperformedseeminglywonderfulbutemptyplaysonthestage.Theaudiencepaidmoreattentiontothesuperficialplotsratherthantheconnotationofartitself.Thisatmospheredisappointedhimbecausewhathepursuedwassomethingrealandprofound.Holdendeeplyfeelsthatthereisahugegapbetweenhimselfandthosefriendswhohavealreadyintegratedintotheadultworld.Hevisitedformerclassmatesandfriends,likeSally.Sallywasagirlwhohadalreadybeenassimilatedbysociety.Shewaskeenonmaterialenjoymentandsuperficialsocialactivities.WhenHoldentriedtotalktoheraboutsomeprofoundideas,suchasthemeaningoflifeandhisviewsonthehypocriticalworld,Sallydidn’tunderstandhimandeventhoughthewasstrange.Holdenoriginallyhadanidealisticexpectationoftheworld.Helongedforinnocenceandhopedthatpeoplecouldcommunicateandgetalongwitheachothersincerely.However,hisexperiencesinNewYorkshowedhimthecompletelyoppositepicture.Thehypocrisyanddepravityoftheadultworldformedahugegapwithhisideals.Hefoundthatsocietydidn’toperateinthewayhehoped.Peoplepaidmoreattentiontomaterialinterestsandsuperficialthingsratherthaninnerqualitiesandgenuineemotions.Holden’swanderingexperiencesinNewYorkplungedhimintodeeperlonelinessandconfusion.Thereseemedtobemanypeoplearoundhim,buttherewasnoonewhocouldtrulyunderstandhimandresonatewithhim.Hisspiritualworldgraduallycollapsedinthisloneliness,andhebegantodoubtwhetherthebeliefshehadalwaysadheredtostillhadmeaning.Forexample,hehadalwayswantedtosafeguardinnocence,butinreality,hefoundthatinnocencehardlyhadafootholdintheadultworld,andthisdiscoverygreatlyhurthisspirit.EndlessConfusionandSearchforReliefThroughmyresearch,IbelievethatHoldenhasanextremelydeepsenseofdisappointmenttowardsthehypocrisyoftheadultworld.Frommyperspective,inHolden’sperception,theadultworldissimplyafarcethathasbeencarefullydisguised.Teachersinschooloftendeliberatelyputonasanctimoniouslook,andalltheyutterareemptyandhypocriticalplatitudes.Theparentsofhisclassmatesarenoexception,andtheirwordsanddeedsarefilledwithaffectationandinsincerity.Atthesametime,basedonmyresearchandanalysis,IhavefoundthatHoldenhasprofoundconfusionintermsofself-identity.Ithinkhenotonlydoesn’tknowwhohereallyis,butalsohasnoideawhatkindofpersonheshouldbecome.Whenheseeshisclassmatesmovingsteadilyalongtheestablishedlifetrack,heseemstobeleftfarbehindandisunabletofindhisowninterestsandgoalsatall.Duetothelackofaclearself-positioninginhisheart,inmyopinion,heislikeashipthathaslosttheguidanceofalighthouseinthedarkandcanonlydrifthelplesslywiththecurrent,constantlyexamininghisownsoulamidstendlessconfusion.Intermsofinterpersonalrelationships,Holdenwasaslonelyasanisolatedisland.Hedidn’tfitinwithhisclassmatesandcouldn’tintegrateintotheirsmallgroups.Theirinteractionswerefullofcontradictionsandconflicts.Hetriedtocommunicatewithhisteachersbutalwaysendedinfailure.Itwasasiftherewasaninvisiblehighwallbetweenthemthatcouldn’tbecrossed.HisrelationshipwithhisgirlfriendSallydidn’tgosmoothlyeither.Therewerehugedifferencesintheirconcepts,andeveryconversationbetweenthemwaslikeafiercedebate,endinginanunpleasantbreakup.Allthesedifficultiesininterpersonalcommunicationmadehimfeelextremelylonely,asifthewholeworldhadabandonedhim.Hecouldonlystrugglealoneinthiscoldworld.Inordertoseekrelieffromallthesenumerousconfusions,IbelievethatHoldenembarkedonhisuniquejourneyofstruggle.HeresolutelyfledfromtheschoolthatmadehimfeelextremelyoppressedandheadedforNewYork.Ithinkhewasfullofanticipationthatinthisbustlingmetropolis,hecouldfindhisownfreedomandspaceandbreakfreefromtheshacklesoftheschoolandthefettersofthoseannoyingpeopleandthings.However