A counter-argument :

1. By understanding that he will be unable to stop himself from harming the people he loves, Holden finally accepts that losing his innocence is a normal function of life. A counter-argument: One could argue that Holden doesn’t learn to accept losing his innocence, and that he only changes his behavior because he has suffered a nervous breakdown and is in pain. My response: His thoughts about letting Phoebe fall seem not to occur at the carousel but more likely after therapy.

2. By understanding that he will be unable to stop himself from harming the people he loves, Holden finally accepts that losing his innocence is a normal function of life. A counter-argument: One could argue that Holden does see that he should accept losing his innocence, but his regret at the end of the book about telling his story suggests that he has not learned to change his behavior because of what he has seen. My response: Seeing and understanding this new belief about his innocence is the first and perhaps most significant part of the process of learning.

3. By understanding that he will be unable to stop himself from harming the people he loves, Holden finally accepts that losing his innocence is a normal function of life. A counter-argument: The fact that Holden stops himself from hitting Phoebe is not evidence that he has learned anything about losing his innocence. My response: Holden’s immediate reaction after nearly hitting Phoebe is strong and significant, indicating that he has done more than merely stopped himself from committing a violent act.