What is the name of the protagonist of J.D. Salinger's novel Catcher in the Rye?

The story behind the answer

Holden Caulfield is the teenage narrator and protagonist of J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye (1951). Expelled from Pencey Prep, he wanders New York City wrestling with grief, identity, and what he calls the “phoniness” of the adult world. His candid, slangy voice defines the novel’s intimate, confessional style.

The title comes from Holden’s fantasy of being a “catcher” who saves children from falling off a cliff—preserving innocence—which helps you remember his name: Holden “holds” and “catches.” The book became both influential and controversial for its raw portrayal of adolescent alienation. To avoid mix-ups: Jay Gatsby is Fitzgerald’s hero, Randall Flagg is a Stephen King villain, and Fletcher Christian led the Mutiny on the Bounty.