The novel by J.D. Salinger The Catcher in the Rye portrays a
             disaffected youth named Holden Caulfield whom has recently been expelled
             from his preparatory school for his poor academic performance. Caulfield
             has also failed to socially thrive within the narrow confines of his
             school. Thus, Caulfield must return home to his parent's apartment, but
             not before he essentially runs amuck for several days in New York City,
             living in a transient fashion. However, he is not relegated to the street.
             Caulfield is of an affluent Manhattan family, as his status in preparatory
             school attests to. His adventures revolve around him attending swanky
             nightclubs and staying overnight in motels and talkingâ€"and just talkingâ€"to
             prostitutes. Eventually, Caulfield must return home, mainly because he
             desires see his beloved younger sister Phoebe, before he is shipped off to
             a mental institution, a status he notes at the beginning and the end of the
             text.
             In some ways, however, Caulfield is not so different from many young
             runaways today of very different socioeconomic status. Although he is from
             a wealthy family, he feels a strong sense of moral and social alienation
             from his parents as well as the peer groups of his generation that he is
             exposed to. He frequently dissociates from his outer lying problems, such
             as the fact that he is flunking out of school, rather than attempts to
             actively engage with them. Holden prefers to live in a world of his own
             internal creation, rather than the real world' in a strategy that is
             anything but psychologically and socially healthy. Although
             heterosexualâ€"many young runaways are gay, lesbian, or transgenderâ€"Holden's
             assurance in his sexuality seems confused. This is evident of his contempt
             and conflict his more conventionally sexed and confident male roommates.
             His behavior towards the prostitute whom he co...