Catcher in the Rye- Phoebe

In the book Catcher in the Rye, Phoebe is Holden's little sister. Phoebe is ten years old and her and Holden get along with each other very well. Phoebe and Holden get along so well because although there is six years between them, Phoebe actually listens to what Holden has to say and because of that she has a better understanding of him. Phoebe displays all of the traits you would expect to come from a ten year old girl, plus a few more. Phoebe is portrayed as intelligent, organized, and very mature. At some points in this book Phoebe is Holden's only true source of happiness. For a girl only ten years old, Phoebe is very mature and often criticizes Holden for being so immature at times. Phoebe helps Holden to realize that growing up is something that you have to do, and she pushes him to do so. When Holden sends the note to Phoebe's school that is telling her that he is leaving their home for good, the author shows to us just how much Phoebe and Holden care about each other. Phoebe goes to meet Holden during her lunch and when she arrives she has a suitcase full of clothes and it soon becomes obvious that she is planning on leaving with Holden. Holden knows that he can not take Phoebe with him, so he tells her that she has to stay behind. When Phoebe finds out that he is not going to take her with him she begins to cry and refuses to talk to him. I know that when I am in a fight with my siblings or one of my friends the first thing I want to do is try and make it better, and that is just what Holden does. He knows Phoebe will follow him, so he leads her to a carousal and buys her a ticket. As he is watching her ride, he becomes so happy he is almost in tears. After this happens, Holden decides that he does not want to leave and he goes home and plans on going to a new school in the fall. This part of the story shows how much Holden loves Phoebe because he did not want to leave her. I can understand how Holden feels because I would never be able to leave my little brother forever.

Bibliography

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 2001. Print.