The Catcher in the Rye

     The main character, Holden Caulfield, of J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye, proves to be a very unique guy. Thus far in the novel, the author has used imagery and conversations to convey his character to the reader. One profound trait of Holden is that he is a compulsive liar. He often tells lies even when the do not benefit him at all, just for the sake of lying. At one point, he is talking to a friend's mom on a train. He really has no reason to lie to her; he'll likely never even see her again. But he truly can not help himself.

"Then I started reading this timetable I had in my pocket. Just to stop lying. Once I get started, I can go on for hours if I feel like it" (58).

     The fact that Holden lies so much tells a lot about his character. Due to previous stories, it is obvious he has psychological problems. I don't really know if that is what caused his lying problem, but it is clear both issues are interfering with his life.