Holden as the typical teenager of today Holden Caulfield, portrayed in JD Salinger's novel Catcher in the Rye as a teenager struggling to find his identity, he possesses many characteristics that easily connect him to the typical teenager alive today. The fact that the book was written many years ago clearly exemplifies the timeless nature of this work. Holden's actions are ones that any teenager can clearly identify with. The desire for independence, sexual encounters and questioning one's religion are issues that almost all kids have had or will face in adolescence. The novel and its main character's experiences can be easily connected and will forever tie Holden to every member of society, because everyone in the world has been or will be a teenager in their life. The first and most obvious characteristic found in most teenagers, including Holden, would be the desire for independence. Throughout the novel, Holden is not once found wishing for his parents to help him in any way. He has practically lived his entire life in the dormitories of prestigious schools and has learned to be on his own quite well. This trend of adolescents also took place in ancient history, where the newly developed adolescent chooses to leave the cave and search for his own food. Every teenager tries, in their own way, to be independent. Instead of admitting a wrongdoing to their parents, the teenager tries to hide the mistake or avoid it in hopes of not getting into trouble. They feel they have enough intelligence to think through a problem without turning to their parents for assistance. When Holden hears the news that he has been kicked out of Pency, he concludes that his parents wouldn't know for a few days. Therefore, he would wait from Saturday until Wednesday, let his parents "take it and digest it completely", and then face the consequences, which would most likely be less severe once his parents calmed down. He states on page fifty-one, "I didn't want to be there when they first took it. My mother gets very hysterical. It's not so bad after you've fully digested something, though." In taking the path of independence, Holden does not seek sympathy or help from either of his parents.