Catcher In The Rye Anti Hero Argumentative Essay Example

In the J.D. Salinger book, Catcher in the Rye, Holden is not worthy of the title of hero. A hero is to be considered “a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities”. Firstly, Holden is unwilling. Unwillingness can be described as the lack of preparation or eagerness in doing something. He has flunked out of three schools and doesn’t care about his future. When talking to Old Spencer, Holden stated, “Oh, I feel some concern for my future, all right. Sure. Sure, I do.” … “But not too much, I guess.” (Salinger, 14).  Holden does not appear or wish to appear as if he cares. He is unwilling to keep up with his classes and does not care about how his future will play out. These acts of reluctance shown by Holden are unheroic as people who rarely prepare or are unready for events, are typically the people who are unsuccessful in life. Throughout the many aspects of my life, I wish to succeed, making him unrelatable to, or a person who I am unable to look up to.

Second off, Holden is an anti-hero as he is irresponsible. Irresponsibility can be described as showing a lack of responsibility in taking proper care of something or someone. Pencey, Holden’s most recent school to have flunked out of, is the third private school his parents have had to send him to. With Pencey being the third school Holden had been kicked out of, we can see that Holden has fallen into a pattern. In the text, Old Spencer stated, “If I’m not mistaken, I believe you also had some difficulty at the Whooton School and at Elkton Hills.”(Salinger, 13) With Old Spencer saying this, it is possible to be almost certain that Holden was irresponsible with his grades and actions at his prior schools, and that has not changed when he entered Pencey. People who can admit and face their habits head-on are more likely to succeed than others who ignore their problems. With Holden refusing to fall out of this pattern, he is irresponsible making me unable to see myself in his position. With that being said, he is unheroic as his life is not something I would want to live.

Lastly, Holden cannot be described as a hero as he is awkward. Awkwardness is the feeling of embarrassment, uncomfortableness and abnormality. In the club, as he was trying to talk to the older women he appeared unpleasant and unattractive. As he saw and approached these three women, he tried to play it off cool and be flirtatious which did not work out. Holden said, “Where you girls from? Don’t answer if you don’t feel like it. I don’t want you to strain yourself.” (Salinger, 72)  The awkwardness was evident in the end of the sentence because when asking someone a question, people don’t tell that person they don’t have to answer unless they’re uncomfortable themself. Awkwardness is not something I, or others enjoy relating to, making Holden's awkward traits unheroic.