Comparisons: CITR vs. Black Boy

Both books are about boys growing into maturity, but in CITR, the character seems as if he refuses to grow up. Holden is wondering through the whole book in a haze, and never really getting anywhere. On the other hand, Richard keeps striving for more and more until he can rise up from the darkness of his childhood. Holden, near the end reaches the height of his anxiety, and collapses, and says, "Don't tell anyone anything. If you do, you'll start missing everybody" (75 Salinger). This is almost like him saying that if you do more that means more you'll be hurt.