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Holden is deeply botheredd by the transition to adulthood, and continually struggles against it by refusing give up many of his qualities. For your journal you are asked to cosider and adress the following address: What does mean to leave childhood behind? What are some of the major transitions that one must go through in the process? What kinds of changes are experienced?

Some ideas:

*Compare childhood versus adulthood

*Responsibilities and expectations

*Use personal anecdotes (what was your view of the world as a child? How have these views change? How do you expect them to change as you enteradulthood?)

*Behaviour (child vs. adult)

For Holden, leaving childhood behind means leaving a time of innocence and ignorant bliss behind.  Children are more honest in their opinions and reactions, and they are not nearly as guarded as adults about saying the 'right' thing, or doing the 'right' thing.  They act on sincere impulse and are content with doing things that just make them happy, rather than because they are the right thing to do or because it is what society expects of them.  The latter is what Holden understands to be adulthood, basically, doing what society expects of you and going against your impulses in regards to what makes you happy. This is the phoniness that he sees in the adults around him.  This is also proven in the scene when he visits Phoebe's school and sees the curse words written on the wall.  It really upsets him because he doesn't want such an 'adult' term to upset the innocence of the children who don't know what it means.  To him, being an adult means doing what everyone else thinks you're supposed to do while being a child means living life your own way and for the simple concepts of fun and happiness.