Dan Kuehl
August 29, 2008
Junior Theology

Faithless

          No, Holden Caulfield was not a person of faith. Holden doubted schools, thought almost everyone was a phony, and did not trust his parents.

          Holden does not like school, not because of the homework, but because he believed that �innocent� children were corrupted there, and he thought the teachers, like almost everyone else in the world, were �phonies.� Holden�s entire worldview is negative. Holden even says that �[He] didn�t know anybody there that was splendid or clear-thinking� (TCITR, 2). He thought the world �was full of crooks� and people who were phony liars (TCITR, 4). Holden never finds anything in the world to suggest that God exists, but he never looks for anything either.

          Holden was able to place his faith in his younger sister Phoebe. She always made Holden more cheerful and always brought out the best in him. He realized though, that she, too, was becoming corrupted when she told him stories from her school. Holden also had faith in his childhood friend Jane. But when Jane went out on a date with Stradlater, Holden�s roommate, Holden had a lapse of faith and instead of remaining faithful through the rough times, he abandoned the faith he had in her.

          Holden also does not have faith in his parents. When he got kicked out of school, he hoped that they had not yet received the letter informing them that he had been expelled because he feared that they would be angry and hateful. Instead of returning home to his parents trust and love, he explored the hellish city. He indulged in alcohol and got prostitutes and lived a reckless life. I think Holden lacked faith because he was never shown a way to be faithful, or a way to search for faith.