Phoniness

I think that the front that a lot of people put on is phony. Lots of people aren't really themselves unless they are comfortable around you. In my personal opinion, you kind of lose who you are when you act like everyone else. When you act fake, you kind of become fake.

I think at times Holden can be phony. Like when he calls that girl in chapter 9. He changed his voice so that she would not guess his age. Also when he was hanging with those girls in the lounge, he was acting how they wanted him too.

Holden can be really real too. When he was with Stradlater, he was not hiding his feelings for Jane. He was fighting for the her. He was fighting to know what happened. Also, Holden didn't write a fake story for Stradlater's composition, like some people would. He told us about a really sad memory instead. That was as real as it gets.

I do not think it is possible to grow up in the society in America and not be phony at one time or another. I could understand that if you were home schooled and not around people that often, that you would be completely real.