Childhood is the most important stage of life. It's the period when an individual learns from their parents, guardians and others in their lives to trust, love and to live life to the fullest. However, in J. D. Salinger's novel "The Catcher in the Rye," Holden Caulfield lacks an intimate relationship with his removed parents, and thus builds these feelings towards his brother, Allie. Allie's death leaves Holden alone and skeptical of the adult world. Holden attempts to make up for his "lousy" childhood by seeking affection and by protecting others' childhood innocence. Although Holden desires intimacy from people besides his parents, he is hindered by his overactive perception of phoniness. Mr. Spencer, Holden's history teacher, reaches out, saying: "I'm trying to help you, if I can" (14). However, Holden bats this affection away, explaining that they "were too much on opposite sides of the pole" (15). He sets himself apart with this constant distrust of adults because his parents were, "occupied and all before they had" (1) him. This suspicion acts as his excuse for keeping his relationships empty and meaningless, by always "shooting the old bull" (9) when communicating. Rather than living his life honestly, Holden acts only in ways that are most convenient: "I'd only written that damn note so that he wouldn't feel too bad about flunking me" (12). By writing this note and calling himself a "real moron" (12), he tries to let Spencer set him aside as a lost case, and stop nagging him to improve. This disconnection relieves Spencer of the messy moral obligation to help Holden, and Holden of the pressure to please and to improve. Unlike Spencer, Antolini, shares Holden's perception of phoniness: "Mr. Antolini said that anybody that could write like D.B. had no business going out to Hollywood" (181). Mr. Antolini shares Holden's recognition of Hollywood as the capital of phonies, as every actor is defined by false appea