Salinger's work offers a clear insight into adolescence moving toward adulthood. His writing is often compared to Mark Twain in that both narrators are naive, adolescent runaways. It is gritty, raw, and honest in its portrayal of a young person's struggle to 'find himself' in the world. Additionally, it is used in many psychology courses to examine the human mind, motivations, and to offer frank dialogue about mental illness.