Holden the opposite of goodIn the twenty-first century many things have changed. Laws have become stricter, medical science has advanced, and schools have changed teaching styles for the better. Holden, the main character of "The Catcher in the Rye", would not have been a role model if he lived today. Even though times were different and many things went unnoticed, his actions would not have been acceptable today. There are many reasons why Holden is a very poor model. People can understand it; his academic studies, his social life and finally his habits. On an academic level he is doing very badly and does not apply (he was rejected in four schools). His social life is the same, when he meets people he doesn't make an effort to get to know them or understand where they come from. This feature is demonstrated impressively in the final chapters. Finally his habits are very disgusting, some might call him an alcoholic because he drinks almost every night in New York City. He is also a smoker, which is very serious considering he was just recovering from a terrible illness. Even though Holden's actions were very inappropriate as a child, if he had been an adult then it would have been normal for him to go out every night and smoke. Holden's academics are very present in the early chapters as he explains how his high school career got this far. He failed in many schools. "Well... they're going to be pretty annoyed," I said. "They really will. This is the fourth school I've attended." Failure at four schools shows how we shouldn't follow Holden. Furthermore, he didn't apply himself or even try to do his job. “I can't seem to care much, despite your lessons. half of the paper... this shows that he has no sense of kindness because when someone buys you a gift it shows that they care about you. Holden, a character from "The Catcher in the Rye," would not have been a role model if he lived today. Even though times were different and many things slipped through the cracks, his actions would not have been acceptable today. The above facts are evidence of how Holden's action or personality should not be followed have no friends. People, even if they tried, couldn't do some of the things Holden did because society protects children much more than in the past. Holden is not a good model, but at the same time a bad model that should be shown for this fact.Works Cited Salinger, J.D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 1951. Print.