Mr. Antolini claims that "the mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of the mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one” (188). From this definition of maturity, do you think Holden is mature or immature or both? Explain your claim.
Sometimes I think that Holden is mature, but other times, not so much. Sometimes he acts very childish, like when he acts like he has been shot in the guts and wounded. His extreme hypocrisy is also a little bit immature, it shows his ignorance. Holden does not want to really die nobly for a cause because he thinks that would be phony, but I mean, what cause is he living humbly for either? I think he thinks that both would be seen as phony when really the fact that he would do neither, is phony.
ReplyDeleteBy this definition of maturity, I don't think that Holden can be described as immature according to this definition because I don't think Holden would want to die nobly for a cause because he would consider that fake and phony. I also do not see Holden as living for a humbly cause because he doesn't live for a cause either so according to this definition, I don't see Holden as either mature of immature
ReplyDeleteI think that by this definition, Holden can be both mature and immature. I think that Holden wants to die nobly for a cause to show that he didn't conform to anything and prove he's not a phony. But then sometimes I think he really does wish to live a humble and normal life, but he can't let himself. He's so afraid of being phony that he won't try to make friends or do anything with his life.
ReplyDeleteBy that definition, Holden could be described as mature. Holden shows that he isn't willing to die for any cause because people like that are phony to him, but he is willing to live for an equally important cause. Holden doesn't want to be a phony. He obviously has mental issues, because he is in a mental hospital now, so who knows what he would do if he was given a chance to live or die for a cause.
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