Loneliness

I think that Holden is lonely. He is just wanting someone to talk to. In chapter 13, he has the prostitute come over and he just talks to her... I wonder about Holden though, because, if he is so lonely then why does he shut everyone out all the time? He could be great friends with Stradlater and Ackley if he wanted to. I think that maybe he shuts people out so much because he was so close to his brother Allie before he died and it was just all taken away just like that. Maybe Holden is afraid of getting close to people, in fear that they will just leave him or he will lose them. He needs to open up and get over Allie's death. Its been a few years and he needs to move on and learn to be close to people again. He should try to see Allie's great qualities in others and stop judging people right away. If he tries to find those traits, he will find them in some people and he will become close to them. If he just assumes that everyone he meets is going to be a Phony or is just a bad person, than that is what he will get from them because he doesn't give them a chance. He needs to remember Allie for all of the good things about him and move on and try to see the good in people more often.