Coming Of Age Vs The Catcher In The Rye

730 Words3 Pages
To mature into an adult one must grow physically, mentally, and emotionally. However, coming of age is a more emotional process than it is physical and mental. One is considered to be getting older when he or she hits puberty, but that is their body growing and not their intellect. Physically a person grows in strength, their body gains more muscle and start to mature into the bodies of older woman or man. As one grows emotionally they learn to care for their emotions and themselves. Emotionally a person must have control on how to express their emotions in an appropriate manner. In The Catcher in the Rye, the character Holden faces a problem of expressing his depression and loneliness to people, which results in him being isolated from everyone…show more content…
One doesn’t feel their knowledge and body growing but emotionally they can notice themselves becoming older and wiser. There is an abundance of experiences that can lead a person to grow up. From time to time a person is placed into a situation where they are forced to grow up beyond their years. These experiences can range from having a hard life when a person was younger to them having to fend for themselves or care for their siblings at a young age. One has to mentally and emotionally be able to interpret what is happening around them and be able to endure the toll it will take on them. A factor that can result in a person growing up is if they take on a responsibility that isn’t theirs. Everyone has their own issues to handle but when adding in someone else’s it becomes a lot more stressful. Children and teens most times do not have to worry about taxes or financial aid yet for some of them they face family problems and have to step up and find a job to help pay for the bills. Another type of experience that can lead a person to grow up is being neglected. Once in a while a person’s parents aren’t there to help them grow up so the child must learn on their…show more content…
Of course there are the noticeable differences between the two such as height, life experience, coordination, and knowledge. However, these are just the surface differences that form the basic contrast between the two age groups. Children have a tendency to make rash decisions based on impulse rather than weighing the short or long term consequences, where else an adult would consider the repercussions of their actions. A persons thought process changes drastically as they mature into adults. Adolescents tend to have no filter and speak the honest truth when conversing with another person whereas adults would be more reserved and aware of the person’s feelings. Children are still learning and experiencing the world as are adults but as one becomes older they become wiser. Wisdom comes with age and the ability to use life experiences to make the most sophisticated judgements. The most significant difference between being a child and being an adult is the maturity level. To be a mature person essentially means that one possesses the ability to differentiate between what is right, and what is wrong. Being mature is to be able to choose the path that is right over the one that is easy, it is to understand and know what one wants in life. Being mature means knowing one’s boundaries, it means being humble. It means showing respect.

More about Coming Of Age Vs The Catcher In The Rye

Open Document