The Real Catcher
Everyone talks about how Phoebe represents childhood innocence in The Catcher in the Rye, but I think that completely misses what she’s actually doing for Holden. She is not just a “pure” or “innocent” kid; she is his conscience. She’s the person who sees through all his bullshit and actually holds him accountable. Throughout the whole novel, Holden is desperately searching for a human connection. He tries talking to cab drivers, strangers on trains, people at bars, and really anyone who will listen. He never finds what he’s looking for, and he keeps spiraling deeper into his depression and loneliness. When Phoebe shows up, he finally gets what he has been craving. Someone real. Someone who will actually talk to him, not at him or past him. The second he tells her he’s home early from Pencey, she sees through it immediately. “You did get kicked out! You did!” she says and then hits him (214). She’s not playing along with his fantasies or letting him hide behind his facade of lies...