Growing up and coming of age can be a daunting experience; it is difficult to leave your childhood behind and embrace the adult world. For some people, this transition from youth to maturity can be much more difficult than for others. These people often try to hold on to their childhood as long as possible. Unfortunately, life is not that simple. One cannot spend his entire life running away from the responsibilities and difficulties of adulthood, because he will eventually have to accept the fact that he has a role in society that he must fulfill as a responsible and mature individual. . The novel "The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger follows the efforts of Holden Caulfield, a sixteen-year-old who faces a time in his life where he must transition from childhood to adulthood. In an attempt to retain his own childhood, he begins to hope to prevent other young children from growing up and losing their innocence as well. As the title suggests, "The Catcher in the Rye" is a book that explores a theme involving the preservation of innocence, particularly that of children. It's the story of a boy who is too reluctant to grow up and feels the need to make sure that no one else around him grows up either. His own fear of maturity and growing up is what leads Holden to desire to become a "catcher of rye" so that he can prevent innocent children from becoming part of the "falsity" of the adult world. To begin with, Holden's love for the innocence and purity of childhood makes him very hesitant to move on to adult life. In general, he finds children simple, easy-going and simply pure in every way. This is because they always say what they think and never try to put on a false facade to... middle of paper ... childhood. Additionally, his concern with how things are constantly changing also communicates his wish to simply freeze everything and keep it as it is. This way, neither he nor any other child would have to go through the pain of growing up. Despite all of Holden's thoughts about preventing "loss of innocence" and change, he is ultimately powerless because change is inevitable and everyone must grow and play their part in life, whether they like it or not . Becoming an adult, as difficult as it may be for an individual, is an important part of their life cycle. Overall, preserving innocence is a remarkable cause, but it is not entirely realistic because it is not within the power of humans to change the way their minds develop. Works Cited Salinger, J.D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 1951. Print.