Phoebe Caulfield is Holden Caulfield's younger sister in The Catcher in the Rye. She is about 10 years old, intelligent, mature for her age, and one of the few people Holden truly trusts and confides in
. Phoebe is loyal, caring, and supportive, often acting as a grounding force for Holden during his struggles. Despite being a child, she exhibits wisdom and insight, challenging Holden's negative outlook on life and pushing him to confront his feelings and actions
. Phoebe represents innocence and goodness in Holden's world, and he deeply cares for her, wanting to protect her from the harsh realities of adulthood
. She even offers Holden all her savings to help him and insists on running away with him when he plans to hitchhike out West, showing her unconditional love and support
. Her presence in the story highlights Holden's desire to preserve childhood innocence and provides a lens through which readers can better understand his character
. In essence, Phoebe is not only Holden's beloved sister but also a symbol of hope and stability in the novel, helping to prevent him from falling deeper into despair
