The Nun

The Nun is a Catholic nun whom Holden Caulfield meets in a diner in New York City, and one of the few adults in the novel toward whom Holden Caulfield feels genuine affection and respect. She is kind, intelligent, and asks thoughtful questions about literature, particularly about Romeo and Juliet. She appears to Holden Caulfield as authentic and uncorrupted, free from the phoniness that he detects in nearly everyone else. Her genuine interest in Holden Caulfield and her obvious dedication to her faith and charitable work earn Holden Caulfield's respect. This encounter represents one of the few moments in the novel where Holden Caulfield experiences connection and warmth with an adult.