The setting is initially a psychiatric hospital where the main character Holden reminisces about his life so far and essentially how he got there. However, the setting is in Pencey Prep School and New York City in either 1948 or 1949. Holden's story takes place over only three days, from Saturday afternoon to Monday around 1pm. The characters include Holden who is the main character. Although he shows the characteristics of a typical teenager, his adolescent forbiles become increasingly disturbing throughout the novel, which reveal a self destructing side of the character. “At sixteen, he is over six feet tall and has some gray hair, but still acts like a child”. He belongs to a wealthy family and has attended 4 different schools. A particularly important character is Phoebe, she is Holden’s sister. She is the only one Holden can really express his feelings to because she is young and still in her childhood. She is mature for her age and is the only one …show more content…
He confesses to Phoebe that he wants to be the catcher in the rye. He pictures children playing in a big field of rye near the edge of a cliff. He imagines that he saves all the children from going off the cliff. Protection of innocence, especially of children IS. For most of the book, Holden sees this as a primary virtue. It is very closely related to his struggle against growing