Holden refers to the majority of men and women he interacts with throughout the novel as "phonies." Holden is a jaded adolescent, who struggles to adjust transitioning into the world of adults. Despite the fact that Holden is a hypocrite, he values genuine, innocent, trustworthy individuals, who are sympathetic and selfless. In Holden's opinion, the majority of people in the world are superficial and act amiably with others in order to advance their social status. Holden notices how individuals can be disingenuous in certain scenarios and situations. Holden even finds flaws in honest, selfless people like Mr. Spencer by mentioning how his teacher acts when the headmaster is observing the class. Holden views his classmates as phony, along with the women he meets at the Lavender Room and other adults he observes throughout the novel. Essentially, any person who is not perfectly genuine and authentic at all times is considered by Holden to be a phony. It is ironic that despite Holden's negative perception of phonies and his constant labeling, Holden is a phony himself. He is portrayed as a hypocrite, who continually exaggerates, constantly lies to other characters, and deceives numerous people throughout the novel. Overall, Holden fears entering the competitive world of adults, where people act differently in certain situations to advance their own agendas. While the majority of people simply consider this socially appropriate, Holden views it as being phony.
No comments:
Post a Comment