In J.D. Salinger's novel, The Catcher in the Rye, the main character Holden Caulfield displays an obsessive dislike for "phonies," or superficial people. Holden narrates of his adventures during a Christmas weekend. Although Holden is telling his story from a correctional facility in California, his actual story occurs mainly in New York. Through his experiences, Holden is enlightened to the adult world. He continually mentions the "phonies" that he encounters, but Holden is eventually drawn to the reality that innocence cannot be preserved forever. Holden's dislike of phonies is revealed by his reactions towards people at institutions, his peers, and entertainers and their accompanied fans.

Holden detests artificiality in people, and how he views people at his private schools reveals his hatred toward the phoniness in them. When Holden thinks of Elkton Hills, a school he used to attend, he is reminded of its phony headmaster, Mr...