Holden is a teenager that struggles to adapt with adulthood. He criticizes people who are boring and refers to them as "phony". However, Holden displays plenty of hypocrisy in the story as he does things that he considers "phony" all the time. For example, when Holden leaves Pencey and goes onto a train, he runs into a classmate's mom. He lies to her and insists that her son is great person. He also gives her a fake name. Throughout the story, Holden is very judgmental of everyone and everything. He has struggled with school, flunking out of four separate schools. His life has not been great, as his brother Allie died at a young age and he also witnessed the death of one of his classmates. In the end of the story, it is revealed that Holden is writing these flashbacks from a treatment center of sorts.