Nostalgia can be considered an invertible feeling that everyone will experience at some point in their lives. The definition of nostalgia is “a sentimental longing or melancholy affection for the past, typically for a time or place with happy personal associations.” The Catcher in the Rye contains characters who follow the definition of nostalgia, to the point that it affects their outcome in life, causing nostalgia to become an egregious trait. Anyone who desires excessively or relies on nostalgia cannot succeed in life. The young catcher of the rye begins by stating “the first thing you probably want to know is where I was born… but I don’t feel like going to it…” (Salinger 6). This statement denies the inclusion of any nostalgic memories. The verbal irony lies in the fact that towards the end of the book, the character Holden Caulfield, being the source of all nostalgia in the novel, rejects all possibilities that nostalgia can be found, before said nostalgia is introduced. Caulfield's nostalgic memories relate to significant figures such as Phoebe Caulfield. Phoebe is Holden's younger sister with whom he spent much of his childhood. As the time to meet Phoebe approaches, Holden reveals more events he experienced with Phoebe. Holden's memories of Phoebe and his actions that led him to return to meet Phoebe are actions that prevent him from becoming his definition of success. Holden's unique definition of success can be contemplated because of the actions he chooses to take and the negative consequences of these decisions and how they affect him. Initially, Holden was going to attend a prestigious school with several opportunities to live a successful life, although, his choice to fail all his s... halfway through his studies... is the said "American dream" impossible, even if the teenager does not recognize that it is impractical. This lack of recognition is not intentional, it is a misconception that one is led to believe due to the expectations set by society. Inevitably the definition of success given to teenagers by a fake society is a failure. When one's “American Dream” turns in a failed direction, and there is nothing ahead except debt and failure, nostalgia is a “backup cushion” that the teenager would use to comfort himself. Holden uses individuals who are not defined as "fake" as a fallback, of which Phoebe is one. Contemporary teenagers and Holden are cohesive on this topic because not everyone knows what their personal definition of success will be, even though everyone knows what they will fall into if their success plan is executed inadequately..