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There are many reasons why we read stories. They provide us with entertainment, and a forum in which to expand our minds and imaginations. However, there are other, more specific reasons why we read stories about growing up. We read novels and memoirs about growing up because there are many things we can learn from them. One thing we can gain knowledge of when reading a story about adolescence and the transition to adulthood is how certain individuals react in specific situations, and how we, ourselves, might react. For example, in The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield is forced to deal with some very tragic circumstances. Particularly, he is faced with the death of his younger brother, as well as the untimely death of a schoolmate. Holden’s reaction to these unthinkable events was to become detached from the world and sink into a delusional state that eventually led to a mental breakdown. By reading this tragic story of a young man on the verge of adulthood, we can learn how someone like Holden might react in our world. We learn the consequences that can come from that reaction. This knowledge can then help us to understand the actions of those in our society, as well as our own methods of relating to similar circumstances. In addition to learning how others might react to a situation, we can also learn quite a bit about our own feelings towards society and life by reading stories about growing up.
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