Its a good book. Holden reminds of Peter Pan not wanting to grow up. He doesnt try in school to avoid the next phase of his life in my opinion and wants to live a life as a recluse at first in the wilderness, then to be a deaf gas station clerk in the West so as to retain his innocence from society. He goes to New York and exposes himself to the sex drugs and money and tries to save a prostitute from her way of life. I guess in the end he decides to go back to school to be an example to his sister Phoebe who looks up to him. You can see this when he tries to say goodbye to head outwest and she decides to go with him. He refuses and goes to a park where she rides the carousel reminding him of his own childhood and decides to stay in school. I guess he saw Phoebe will eventually go through the same phase as he did except this time she'll have someone to talk to and look up to during that transition to adulthood. Feel sorry for the guy he just wanted advice how to steer in the right direction during that time. Yes he was upset of his situation and reminiscing his childhood but he did throw himself out into the world and sought wisdom in others for direction. Guess thats the case with boarding school being away from family might have had an impact on the guy.