What makes the character Holden happy in The Catcher in the Rye?

In The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield is depicted as a cynical adolescent who fears growing up and entering the competitive world of adults. Holden has a relatively negative worldview and finds most people "phony," which is another way of saying that they are insincere. Despite Holden's cynical and negative perspective on life, there are a few things that bring him joy.

Holden is happiest when he is interacting with his younger sister, Phoebe. Although Phoebe is six years younger than him, Holden feels comfortable talking to her and says that she is one of the few people who genuinely understands and listens to him. Phoebe does not judge Holden the way adults and his peers do, and she does not expect anything from him. Her childlike innocence is what Holden values most, and her presence gives him a feeling of joy and familiarity. Similarly, Holden enjoys hanging out with Jane Gallagher, who is portrayed as a sensitive teenager. One of Holden's favorite pastimes is playing checkers with Jane, who likes to keep her kings in the back row.

Thinking about his deceased younger brother, Allie, also brings Holden peace and joy. Allie embodies childhood innocence, and Holden thinks about his brother often to calm his nerves and ease his mind. Memories of Allie comfort Holden, and he finds himself reminiscing about him while writing Stradlater's composition. Holden also enjoys certain activities, like ice-skating, reading, and visiting the Museum of Natural History. While Holden is waiting for Phoebe, he elaborates on his fond memories of the museum and mentions that he likes the museum because nothing ever changes there.

What does Holden yearn for in "The Catcher in the Rye"?

"Hunger" is a great verb to use when describing Holden's need for certain things and people. One thing Holden hungers for is a strong emotional response to certain situations; he seems frustrated at times when he doesn't feel something strongly. He exhibits an example of this frustration when he talks about leaving Pencey: "I don't care if it's a sad good-by or a bad good-by, but when I leave a place I like to know I'm leaving it. If you don't, you feel even worse."

Another thing Holden hungers for is a feeling of equal standing with others, and this feeling is sometimes symbolized by objects. He expresses this need for equal standing when he remembers rooming with Stradlater while in New York: "The thing is, it's really hard to be roommates with people if your suitcases are much better than theirs—if yours are really good ones and theirs aren't...It's one of the reasons why I roomed with a stupid bastard like Stradlater. At least his suitcases were as good as mine."

One person Holden hungers for is his brother Allie. Holden remembers going to visit Allie's grave with his parents, and his memories of this activity are painful because he misses his brother so much. Holden describes imagining the other visitors to the graveyard going to dinner after visiting their dead relative, and because Allie can't be with them to go to dinner, Holden says, "I can't stand it...I just wish he wasn't there."