With so many different ways to live life, one's choices gradually develop into the form of a personality. Between Holden Caulfield and Annie Dillard, their experiences have led them to make choices that set them far apart from each other in their views of society, life, and innocence. J.D. Salinger creates the fictionalized character, Holden, who struggles with life and the loss of innocence in The Catcher in the Rye. In contrast, Annie Dillard in her autobiography, An American Childhood accepts the changes in life and steps into adolescence willingly. In both books, each character expresses their thoughts and feelings about innocence.

Throughout The Catcher in the Rye, Holden shows great distaste to many people and things in the world, calling them "phony bastards" or "sonavabitches." He can't grasp the concept that people and things change, and lose their innocence over time. Holden himself, still tries to...