Thursday, May 1, 2008

Holden at 26

WANTED: CREATIVE AND SUPPORTED RESPONSES!
You should be well-versed in Holden after reading the novel and thinking about him. Knowing what you do, create a hypothetical Holden, 10 years after the novel's close. Consider what he'll be doing...his attitude...his job...his health...his family...or his goals. Connect your predictions to background from the book.

Keep responses brief but thoughtful to allow everyone a chance to add something new!

45 comments:

CLevin124 said...

I think holden will be an writer. He has good stories and a creative mind. He will probally not find a wife because he will think that they are all phonies. He will most likely live close to his sister because they had a good conection. AS for his writing carrer, i predicted, i think it will be succesfull, one because he will probally write the story that jd salinger wrote, which is the actuall story he tells the analisist which i think would be popular because it was so popular writen by jd. I think after holden recieves mental help he will be much better off and stable

Anonymous said...

Ten years after the novel's end, Holden would be 27 years old. By this time, I think that Holden will have finally graduated from high school and entered a college. At the very end we find out Holden is at a clinic for help, and is planning on returning to school in the fall. He does not if he will apply himself, but since he finally got help, I think he will.

I disagree with Charlie. I think Holden will finally have found a wife at this time. He called everyone phonies because he had problems with himself, and at the end of the book, Holden has received help. His wife will be someone like Phoebe though. Holden seems to only trust Phoebe, and Allie but he has passed away, so when choosing a wife, he would choose someone like Phoebe. I do not think he would have had kids yet, but he will want a few in the future.

Juls said...

I think in 10 years Holden will have changed but will still have some of his old self in him. I think he will still think most people are phonies. I think he will grow up to work as someone who deals with kids. Throughout the book he never wanted children to grow up, he wanted them to stay young forever. He never thought children were phonies. I also think he will visit his sister a lot, because he loved her so much.

Kevin Steehler said...

I'm going to be brief on this one: I think Holden will be a literary critic because he shows that he likes reading D.B.'s novels and also because he is a very outspoken person. He tends to exploit flaws to the point where you just get sick of it. He's also very particular in the few things and people that he likes. I also think Holden will eventually grow up and change his ways because growing up is an inevitable part of life. Maybe he will always experience a loss of childhood, but nevertheless, the book simply foreshadowed Holden's growing up by having Holden say that he may actually try in school when he gets back in session. I think Holden will learn from his visit with the psycho therapist and finally be able to mature and grow as a person

Juls said...

In my last blog I relized I really only described how his work life will be in 10 years. As for his family life...I think by age 27 Holden will be married. Im not sure if he will have children yet, but I'm sure he will. I think Holden will be a good dad, as he was very nice to Phoebe, and took care of her. I think thats how he will be with his own kids. I think Holden will find a nice wife and she will not be a phonie. Holden did change at the end of the book in a positive way. I think in 10 years he will have become more mature, and be able to find a nice job and a wife. I think he will still think some people are phonies, but not every peron he sees practically, as in THE CATCHER IN THE RYE.

Kevin Steehler said...

I think Holden will be eager to have kids because he gets along with children so well and because he loves the innocence of children.

Anonymous said...

I forgot to mention Holden's career. Personally, I think he will find a job that involves young children. He could end up as a writer, but I think he would write books for children. The most likely job for Holden would be a teacher. lthough he did not like school himself, he wants to help the young ones. Holden does seem to have a love for knowledge. If he were to become a teacher, Holden is one step closer to being the catcher in the rye. Teachers can influence their students, and steer them off the wrong path. By controlling what the young students know, Holden can preserve their innoence like he tried with Phoebe. Some of the people Holden actually trusted throughout the novel were teachers too. Hoping to be like them, I think Holden will be a teacher ten years after the novel is complete.

Austin O'Keane said...

In ten years, I think that Holden will have formed a stronger relationship with his parents. After finishing the book, I could tell that Holden was going to try to work harder in school, and I could see him graduating and possibly going to college. To stay close to Phoebe, I would imagine that Holden would find a house or apartment to live in near Phoebe's college. Although Holden may be more mature and stable, I do not think he will have a wife yet, but possibly in the future. I could picture Holden Caulfield pursuing a career in a field pertaining to teaching or guiding teenage kids. I would say possibly a teacher, but I do not know if Holden will be mentally stable enough to teach young students every day. I believe that by age twenty-six, Holden will have accepted adulthood and may hold a position as a councilor of some sort, guiding kids in their transition from childhood to adulthood. This would fulfill his goal of "catching" the falling kids over the "cliff". He will now understand that adulthood is inevitable and will help kids similar to him begin adulthood.

Mrs. Hurt said...

See Page 21!

Unknown said...

By the end of The Catch in the Rye, I got the impression that Holden's drama and fear were finally coming to an end, and he had accepted the fact that he was becoming an adult. I think now that Holden has accepted the fact that he is becoming an adult, he will be able to head down the right path. In 10 years he will be 27 and most likely in college, as Erica pointed out. I think Holden will be a happier person and his whole attitude towards life will turn poistive. I agree with Charlie in saying that he will live close to his sister, Phoebe. I could picture Holden becoming a teacher in the future. Holden loves children's innocence, and he will be able to teach and fill them in on his insights of life. Also in 10 years, I predict Holden will have gotten over his brothers death, which will bring Holden's family back together.

Unknown said...

I did not see Erica's comment on Holden's career before. I did not realize she had already explained Holden being a teacher. Sorry if it sounds like I repeated Erica's answer.

Anonymous said...

Ten years after the end of the book, I think Holden will be in much worse shape than he was when it ended. From what I have learned about Holden, he says a lot more than he means, and most likely will not live up to his promises. He wants to go back to school and try to have a successful life. I really do not think there is much chance of Holden having a family or a steady job ten years in the future. He is already not a very healthy person, and he smokes, so farther in his life he can only get more addicted and unhealthier. I think that Holden’s life will steadily decline because he was neglected as a child, he still does not get enough attention, and he can not interact well with other people.

Jimmy said...

I believt that ten years later when holden is 27 he will have changed his habbuts. Towards the end of the book it seemed like he was changing and getting more mature, possibly he might apply himself. I think he will carry on these new habbits and finish school, and graduate from college. Like everyone else said I think he could be some sort of critic becasue he loves to judge people. Also he could do something that deals with children becasue he said he wanted to help them in the book. Maybe he could be a teacher. I think that he will probably be married. Possibly it could be Jane gallagher. I think he would probably have gotten closer to his parents but i dont think everything would be perfect. Finally he probably will have a good relationship with phoebe.

dmeach said...

Somehow, it's hard for me to imagine Holden growing up completely. I mean I know that he was obviously showing signs of gaining maturity towards the end of the book, but there still is no definite direction implied in the book other than that he might start caring a little. But who knows, it might be another circle of failure again.


I agree with Austin. I think that Holden could possibly end up being some sort of "survivor" psychologist that made it through life with very difficult circumstances. I can just see him talking to teens the same age as he is now that are going through the same sort of depressed mind set sort of thing. He could talk about how he was exactly the same way and end up fulfilling his dream of being a "catcher in the rye."


This might be a little idealistic though. For example, what's to keep him from changing his mind now? There is a very real possibility that his life will go totally down the drain because he might revert to his old unmotivated ways. After being like that for so long, it would most likely be hard to change, and knowing him, he might just give up. Considering that the circumstances in his life haven't changed (his brother is still dead, he did flunk out of several schools, his parents still don't care), it would be very easy to continue on a downward trend.


Either way, I guess, is a possibility. It all matters whether or not he has the courage to stand up for himself and stop worrying about things that he can't fix and that don't concern him. Personally, I'd like to see him come around and end up with a life other than the "fall" that he seems so fated to have.

J-Ro said...

Holen Caul fiels at 26 years old would be a guy who is still trying to fully grasp what it means to be a man. i think he will be graduated from college but still not really know for sure what he wants to do with his life.
if i had one guess as to what holden would be doing at 36, i would guess that he would be a pediatrician. The reason i say this is because he really enjoys the innocence of youth and would want to work in a field that he could help innocent people.
i think he will be in a marriage that is semi functional and have 2 kids.

CLevin124 said...

I disagree with erica r. I failed to mention that i think holden will not attend school. He will be a drop out but still a very accomplished writer. I d
o agree that he may find a wife, but i believe it is a 50 50 chance and could go either way. Personally im leaning towards no wife. Holden could also be a sort of recluse because he could start to think eveyone is a phony but hopefully therapy will stop that from happening. Most likely i just think holden with be a very good writer, with a pen name, who lives alone somewhere near an american border with his sister.

georgia said...

In 10 years i think Holden will be a bum on the srteets.Well not really. Holden will probably have some low paying, boring job where you do not need any skill.How could he be successful when he never graduates from school? He most likely won't get in to college, therefore he won't have a good job. It questionable on whether Holden would have grown up by then. He might never be able to grasp the fact that hes getting older.

I imagine Holden will get married when hes older. Though I think he won't care about his wife. I agree with kevin when he said that Holden will probably have kids. That might be the reason why he gets married, just so he can have kids. He loves kids so much that hes bound to has his own

Rob Duran said...

Erica you are wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Holden is never going to finish school. It never shows Holden making a change for the better because the book just ends. My prediction of Holden when he is 27 is that he is going to be a drug deal and end up being an elevator pimp like Maurice. Holden is going to try to help kids out, but how can he help them when he cannot help himself? Holden is just going to inherit his father’s money and Phoebe will likely give her share because she feels bad. Holden may be a critic, but he will end up screwing up with his job because he has to criticizes everyone. Holden is going to be a bum.

Steve N said...

I think that ten years after the novel the Catcher in the Rye ends, Holden Cualfield will still be in the Mental Institution that he is when he is in the beginning of the novel. Holden will still be recovering from the condition that he was in at the end of the book. However, I think that Holden will be very close to being allowed out of the institution, maybe only a couple months. I think Holden will be feeling slightly better, but because of the poor diagnostic techniques of that time period, he will not be fully recovered. Holden Caulfield will not be feeling very good at the age of 26.

Katie B said...

I think in 10 years Holden will actually have changed.Throughout the end of the book I felt that Holden grew. I also think Holden didn't want other people to know that he had grown up. I think after he passed his teen years he matured. I think Holden will not have a fancy job, but a job that he loves. I think he will have a family with a couple kids, and i think he will want those kids to live their kid years to thier fullest. I believe he would be a good father. I think the more mistakes you may make in life the more life experience you have. You learn from all of it. I think thats where Holden will be in 10 years.

ANDERSON_BEN said...

In ten years, Holden will probably have kind of figured out his life. He will be more positive, and more willing to work for what he wants. If he made it out of school, he will probably be a writer, or something of the sort. He most likely will be better off with his family too. He will likely not be married, because he can't seem to keep a relationship. He will probably be trying to find someone to share his life with, and he might be thinking about children.

By this time, Holden has hopefully gotten through school, and is starting to think about where he wants to go in life. At that time, he probably will be away from his family, but still be close enough to stay in touch. He will have really understood how much his parents worried about him, and will have tried to work harder

Unknown said...

I am gonna have to agree with Julie. As she mentioned Holden will definately keep some of his bad qualities, but I think it will get to the point where his good qualities outway his bad ones. In 10 years like Julie had also mentioned I definately believe that Holden will work with kids for he has always dreamed of being that person in the rye field with cliffs on all sides catching the kids that are about to fall off. I feel overall Holden is a good kid and who knows what 10 years will have in store for him.

Unknown said...

I am also going to have to agree with charlie as well because, now that i have read his response, he brings up a good point too. Throughout the book the author continually hints that Holden loves literature. Even though Holden seems to fail at just about everything he successes in english and writing papers. I believe that if Holden does become a writer he will definately not prostitute his work and will write for the pure joy it brings him. I feel that to Holden writing is a way he can express himself on paper and relieve some of the tension in his life. In 10 years I feel Holden will either be a writer or someone who works with children... maybe even a childrens book writer who knows.

Katie B said...

Oh yeah, I also think that Holden will have gone to school. He deffinatly went school and majored for something to do with english. I think in 10 years he will have realized that growing up isn't that bad. I deffinatly think he will have a better life now.

Em Kolson said...

Well, I think when Holden is 26 years old; he will be his same old self. I can see Holden if he has graduated high school trying to go out in the world and trying to “find himself”. I can see Holden holding down a job, but not a job that could support both him, and a family if he wants one. Maybe Holden would be working for a newspaper, but not writing or anything, just working his way up, starting from the mailroom, complaining about his job day after day. I don’t think he would be in the best of health, most likely because he would still be smoking. I could see him trying to still chase after Sally, even though she is probably already married. He will probably still be close with D.B. and Phoebe, but I could see him getting into a big argument with his dad because Holden thinks he’s a “phony”. I agree with some of the things Charlie said, but not Erica. I really don’t think he would have a wife, because even though he received help, people can go back to their old ways.

Unknown said...

I think that when Holden is ten years older, being 26, he will have been gotten a chance to become more mature. As the book ends, Holden is at a mental hospital and planes to when the next school season starts. I think that he will graduate high school, and become a “catcher in the rye” because now that someone has saved him, the mental hospital, he will be ready to help other people with similar problems. I think that after he has a good career he will find a wife and eventually have kids.

Emily Lim said...

In ten years I can see Holden as an around the world traveler. He can't seem to stay anywhere for a long time (such as schools). He wanted to travel as soon as he got back home. Although I do think he will be more responsible and motivated to finish his schooling. I think after talking to his elder peers such as Mr. Antolini, he will realize that it IS important to be serious about life and not just put everything off and go with the flow. I think he will try to finish school but he probably won't change in the fact that he thinks everyone is a phony.

Unknown said...

Ten years from now I feel Holden will change in some ways. I feel that Holden will want to pull together with his family. I do disagree with Emily about Holden wanting to travel. Holden will be more concentrated on wanting to move on with his life once he gets out of the clinic, which is why I agree with Erica and Julie that he will want to start a family and finish schooling.

I believe Holden will still be considering everyone a phony. Everyone that Holden considers a phony, he was still respectful to them, when talking in person. I think Holden will start having more respect for himself also. He will believe in himself, face challenges, and never give up.

Emily Lim said...

Well Maddie, I disagree with you. I do not think that Holden wants to get back with his family. The only reason he went back in the first place was to see Phoebe before he left. First of all, he hates his father. He hardly talks to his mom and Mr. Antolini just freaked him out by petting his head. Basically, I think he never wants to return to that town again! Once he talks to someone that can actually influence him on making the right decisions then maybe he will consider going back to talk to his family.

Unknown said...

Well Miss Emily, once he gets out of that clinic he will realize how much he will need his family. If Holden were to start a family, he would need his own family to support him! I also believe that eventually in 10 YEARS Holden will realize, maybe even forget, about Mr. Antolini "petting" his head. I'm sure he won't hold a grudge against a man, who was the only one who actually believed in him and wanted him to be successful in life! He will always have the terrible memories about his teenage life, but I'm sure in ten years he will want to turn his life around, and get closer to his family.!!

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
lisa pogson said...

I aggree with maddie and disagree with emily. I do believe that in 10years, Holden will be closer to his family and start to actually get along with them. He will find a school, but it will still be full of phonys in his perspective. He will stick to working hard and having good grades, and then finally he will pass. I don't think he will worry much about sex anymore considering the fact that he is older and probably and hopefully more mature, but will end up getting married and starting a family of his own. I think with everything that has gone on during his life and his unhappyness, he will finally change his ways and become happy and mabey even stop calling people phnonys. Chances are low on the not calling people phonys part though. Overall his life will change a little at a time. It will change slowly, but for the better. :]

Emily Lim said...

Yeah...well who the heck is he going to marry?! He thinks everyone is a phony, hates his dad, doesn't like that Sally Hayes girl and I doubt he would even try to get together with Jane. Even with all his elders trying to help him, he still doesn't take life seriously.

Once he gets out of the clinic he may go to his family, but if I were his parents, I'd be pretty ticked if he came back wanting my help I don't know that I would be there for him. I mean his parents already paid for him to go to three different schools, which he dropped out of!

Face it kids....Holden will never be a mature man! :)

RDARTNELL93 said...

In ten years...

27 year old Holden Caulfield is found rummaging around the streets of L.A., fighting with other homeless men over god knows what. He slowly wonders around all day with Allie's old baseball mitt, and looks for food.

Holden probably will fail to get into college, fail at patching things up with his family, and fail to realilize that he is the phony/fail at life :(.

That is what i believe HOlden Caulfield will become in 10 years.

lisa pogson said...

Just because he's sort of a screw up now doesn't mean that their is no hope for him in the future. Everybody deserves the chance to change and if they take that into effect then Holden can make his life a good life. Just because he doesn't like Sally and has no chance with Jane, it doesn't mean he is never going to get married. He is going to meet new people as he goes through life, and lose old friends. That is just how life is. As for his family, you might not help him out if he was an ass to you, but they're his family and they should always be there for him when he is in need. He is still young and everybody acts immature at times when their teenagers. He still has a long life to live and that means he has a long time to change his life around for the better (i hope) or for worse. "srry about the langauge"

D3viN said...

In all honestsy, at the rate Holden's going, he'll probably be dead.

Unknown said...

I forgot to mention a few other things. I think that Holden will go to college after he graduates high school. Like I said before I think he will be the “catcher in the rye” and he will be ready to help other people with similar problems. I think the field that he will go into will be something that has to do with literature though because that was the only class he tried in when he was at Pencey Prep. I also think that his relationship with his parent will become better because Phoebe will have grown up, and his parents and he will hopefully move past Allies death. I think Holden Caulfield has a pretty promising future if he stays on the right path.

magster said...

In ten years, I can see Holden with a more stable life, and stronger relationship with his family. I can see him going on to a further his education, after high school, and his clinical help classes. I'm not sure if Holden would ever get a job, pertaining to what he likes to do. I think he would quit on himself, and probably end up with a job on the streets. He will most likely not get married, because he thinks everyone is fake, and are phonies. I agree with everyone else, when they say Holden will live near Phoebe. He enjoys Phoebe's presents so much, and I think he will spend most of his days with her. He will probably be a single man, living in a apartment, with a simple job (garbage man, bk toilet paper filler man... etc).

Kevin Steehler said...

I still think he's just going through a "teen phase" and will get over it eventually. Holden shows a new kind of hope at the end of the book; you can't just simply say he'll commit suicide after the little bit of progress you see in Holden at the end. A little bit of progress with an attitude like Holden's can go a long way. It's like a turning point for Holden, but the book ends and leaves the rest of Holden's life up to the reader's imagination.

Unknown said...

When i think about holden growing up, finding a good job, and having a succesful life, i just think of it as dream. I might just want to say that he could have a better life, but in reallity i really don't think he could succeed. When he gets out of the clinic and realizes that he needs to sharpen up and finish school, he might be able to accomplish that. But i think as soon as he starts thinking about college its going to spook him and he is gonna slip back into his old habbits.

For his social and family life i think that he wants to be as far away from his family as possible, except phoebe of course. Also i do not think that he will be very succesful at dating. As he said in the book, he is not very experienced, and he judges alot of girls as phoney and annoying. As for Jane, i think he will never go after her, he is to "yellow" to try and hook up with her.

ryan rothman said...

I think that Holden will end up just like his brother, a writer. He seems like the very creative type. He also does not seem like he will get into any amazing college, seeing as he keeps getting kicked out of high school.

I think he will be a really good writer, whether it be for a movie, or a book. I lives a very interesting life, which some may say is necessary to becoming good in life.

ryan rothman said...

In my eyes, Holden could also be considered as sort of a bum. He is not very good in school, mainly because he doesn't try. I think that if he applyed himself, he could be a very smart, and good student.

I also think that Holden could end up being a salesman. He seems to be really good with people, such as when he with with the mom on the train, and he said her son was really popular. He seems like the kind og guy that people would trust.

Jake Shiblanko said...

Personally, I think Holden would be one of those guys that lives in their parents basement for the rest of his life, only in his case he would be accompanied by Pheobe and not his parents. He comes across to me as someone who will never full grasp the real world, and will always feel depressed. I highly doubt he will be in any type of relationship, because he is so negative about everything. He very well could be a writer though. He might live with Pheobe and have no friends, so he will write books and stories. This is just how i feel about Holden in 10 years.

Nick Ingram said...

In 10 years, I think Holden would have gone to college, assuming that he applies himself like he said he would in the novel. I think he would apply himself, because Holden seemed to have changed from his experiences, and because of Phoebe's negative attitude towards his failing school. I think Holden would have also got married by then. Holden likes girls a lot, as evidence shows, he had many girlfriends and he tried to dance with the girls at the hotel. He is capable of committing to marriage because by his own experience with his parents, Holden would have realized how important it is to have loving parents. Due to this realization, I think Holden will also have children, and be committed to them as well. His "dream job" of being a "catcher in the rye" reflects his attitude and connection toward children. I don't think Holden will be "catching" the children, but rather "guiding" them toward adulthood, seeing that Holden would be a young adult by then. As for his job, I'm not sure, but I think writing might suit Holden, or maybe something that connects to children. Perhaps a children's author?

Becky said...

I believe that HC was never able to find stability in his life. This, is a trend that will continue his entire life. Although I don't see him as living with his parents, he'll probly be rooming with someone else and working at a job he doesn't like with people who are phonies. Holden is a pesimist, he isn't happy now, and he never will be.