Novel Pheobe And Holden example essay topic

In the novel, Catcher In The Rye, Phoebe plays many important roles in Holden's life that leads her to be his ideal person. She is a major part of Holden's life, even though she is only a mere child. Actually, one of the reasons Holden likes Pheobe so much is because she is only a child. He is attracted to her innocence and youth, but at the same time to her maturity. She is the person that Holden turns to in his times of need or when he just wants to talk with someone. He confides in her and she is the one he goes to for compassion and affection.

Pheobe also loves Holden a great deal and is always trying to set him on the right path. Throughout the novel she can be seen not only as his fun loving little sister, but as his friend, his confidante, and his mentor. She even takes on the role similar to that of a mother figure in Holden's life. For these reasons she is very important in Holden's life and is his ideal person. Pheobe is the one person that Holden can really relate to, despite her age.

In fact, one of the reasons Holden gets along with Pheobe so well is because she is a child. Holden adores the youth and innocence possessed by Pheobe and children in general. Yet, Pheobe has a quality most children do not posses, and that is her maturity. She has very mature ideas and thoughts for her age. Holden says, "You never saw a little kid so pretty and smart in your whole life". He is amazed how she understands so many things in life and he likes that she is not afraid to voice her opinion about them.

"I mean if you tell old Pheobe something, she knows exactly what the hell you " re talking about... If you take her to a lousy movie, for instance, she knows it's a lousy movie". Holden believes that Pheobe is one of the only people in the world with some sense. When he needs to talk with someone she is the one he thinks of first. After he arrived in New York Pheobe was the first person that Holden thought to call, and when he was considering moving out West the only person he wanted to say good-bye to was Pheobe. She is the only person who understands Holden.

She knows that he is mentally distraught and listens to him, even if she doesn't know what he is talking about. "Old Pheobe didn't say anything, but she was listening... She always listens when you tell her something". He admires this quality held by Pheobe and confides in her.

Pheobe also knows Holden's outlook on life and tries to set him on the right path. She loves her brother and wants to see him succeed in life. She lectures Holden about getting kicked out of Pency and tries to discover where he is going with his life. She warns many times that, "Daddy " ll kill you", but when Holden doesn't respond with concern she begins to lecture him on where his life is heading.

Pheobe would do anything to help her brother and many times she is seen as a mentor. Pheobe is the person that Holden goes to for compassion and affection. Throughout the novel he mentions that she is too affectionate, but he needs that affection and Pheobe is the only one that provides Holden with affection. He trusts her and values what she thinks. When Holden returned home to see Pheobe he searched for compassion in her. He wanted her to feel sorry for him when she found out that he was kicked out of Pency.

But instead of feeling sorry Pheobe became angry with him. She knew that her parents would be disappointed in him and she rejected him. This rejection greatly hurt Holden because he was in need of affection from her. During this same time in the novel Pheobe emerges as a mother like figure. The first action that resembled that of a mother's dealt with the broken record. Holden brought a record for Pheobe, but later on dropped it and it shattered into pieces.

Even though it was broken and not worth anything Pheobe still said, "Gimme the pieces... I'm saving them". Like a mother she knew the trouble he probably went through to get the record and in appreciation she wanted to save the pieces. She also lectures Holden, just as a mother would do to her own troubled child. Pheobe also shows the care, concern and love that a mother would have for her child. In the novel Pheobe and Holden have a special bond.

Pheobe is also the only person throughout the entire novel that can make Holden express his feelings. She made him happy, she made him sad, she made him angry and she was the only person that made him cry. Pheobe is everything Holden wants in a person. She is childhood without immaturity, she is a good listener, she tries to understand, and she is caring and affectionate. In Holden's eyes it is essential for a person to have all of these characteristics.

The roles that Pheobe takes on throughout the novel force her to demonstrate all of these characteristics an therefore leads her to be Holden's ideal person.