Andrew Scheibe
8/26/08
Junior Faith
O Ye of Little Faith

Although Holden Caulfield does not have faith in many things, what little faith he does have manifests itself in his trust and belief in his sister Phoebe. A little faith is all that can be seen from Holden as he does not trust and believe in many people because he considers them phonies. “Phonies,” to Holden, are people that are hypocrites and he can put no faith in them because they will not even be themselves. However, Phoebe is not a phony and Holden does trust and believe in her.

Holden’s trust in Phoebe can be seen because he comes to see her. By coming to see her, Phoebe will know Holden has been kicked out of school as that is where he is supposed to be. Even though she will know this, Holden still trusts her not to tell his parents before they find out from the school and he comes to visit her. Because Holden wants to delay the news of being kicked out from his parents, he would not go and visit Phoebe if he did not trust her.

By giving Phoebe a record, although broken, Holden shows his belief in her. Holden buys Phoebe a record, Little Shirley Beans, which he thinks she would like. Even though he falls and shatters the record, he decides to give it to her believing she will take it anyway. She accepts the record, shattered and all. Holden would never have gone through the trouble of buying a record and keeping all the broken pieces for someone he doesn’t believe in. Because Holden does do all that for Phoebe, his belief in her is exemplified.

Because Holden shows belief and trust in Phoebe that he could not do for someone who was a phony, Holden is a person of faith. Faith is faith even if it is just in one person.