J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye is a novel about the life of a boy by the name of Holden Caulfield. Young adolescents have been reading this book since it's publishing year 1951. This is evidence of its timeless quality and popularity. The reason this novel is so popular is because it has the ability to relate to young readers going through a difficult time, just like Holden. Holden is specifically having a difficult time figuring out where he belongs. He feels lonely and isolated, he is curious but concerned about sex, and most of all he is extremely fearful of the future. He does not want to grow up. Holden is afraid of the adult world, which is something all young adults fear. It is just like fear of the unknown, no one truly knows what to expect. Holden displays immature, childish behavior throughout the novel. The reason being is because he is afraid of change and the struggle that goes along with it. For example, on the way home from Pencey an attractive older woman sits down next to Holden during the train ride. It turns out she is the mother of his classmate Ernest Morrow. Although Holden strongly dislikes Ernest, he tells the woman extravagant lies about her son. He also tells her his name is "Rudolph Schmidt  and that he is heading home early for a brain tumor operation. Holden lies all of the time, even when it is unnecessary. This exemplifies his child-like behavior. Holden acts like a child because he does not want to lose his child-like qualities. The reason being is because he believes that the preservation of childhood innocence is very important. Later in the novel he refers to himself as "the catcher in the rye , a job that involves saving little kids from a terrible fall as they begin running off the edge of a cliff. By stopping them from going over the edge, he is managing to stop them from falling into adulthood, the very same thing he is trying to avoid himself. The idea of change intimidates Holden. He would much rather have everything stay as is, but unfortunately change is inevitable. Holden's desperation for things to remain the same is evident when he visits the museum, where "everything always stay[s] right where it [is] . (157) As a child Holden had visited this particular museum on numerous occasions. This time, as a young adolescent, stepping through the front doors of the museum was like stepping back into his childhood; everything was the exact same, nothing was out of place. This implies that Holden misses his childhood years, when he was not filled with anxiety and fear of his oncoming adulthood years. Although Holden's greatest fear is change, he is aware that change is something he cannot avoid. In chapter sixteen he states, "certain things should stay the way they are, you ought to be able to stick them in one of those big glass cases and just leave them alone. I know that's impossible, but it's too bad anyway.  (158) Holden's younger brother Allie died at a very young age. The night he passed away, Holden went to his garage and punched in every single window. This was the most devastating thing that had ever happened to him. Because Allie died when he was ten, his innocence is what people remember because he was only a kid at the time. The stories and memories Holden shares about his brother are directly linked to his wanting to preserve the innocence of children, as well as his resistance toward change. Most teenagers feel lonely at one point in time. How they deal with that particular feeling may or may not be the same way Holden deals with it. As mentioned in the above paragraph Allie's death is directly correlated to Holden's emotional state. Holden does not realize that he himself is also a big reason why he is feeling so lonely and depressed all of the time. He alienates himself from people, making i