Holden Caulfield
Holden Caulfield, fictional character, the teenaged protagonist and narrator of J.D. Salingerβs novel The Catcher in the Rye (1951).
A sensitive, rebellious 16-year-old, Caulfield is expelled from prep school. Afraid to go home to his parents in New York City, he spends a few days alone in Manhattan; he relates his experiences there in vivid and insightful prose.
This article was most recently revised and updated by Kathleen Kuiper.
Citation Information
Article Title:
Holden Caulfield
Website Name:
Encyclopaedia Britannica
Publisher:
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Date Published:
29 May 2026
Access Date:
November 13, 2026