...Holden’s deep depression is rooted in his traumatic experiences one of which cause such distorting behavior that it shows the readers how on the brink of his great fall Holden really is. And that is his brother Allie's death. Alies death brings us something that is seen in most depressed people and that is to self inflict any harm.Meaning Holden hurts himself. On the eve of his brothers death Holden ends up smashing the windows of everything in his house with his bare hands stating that “They were going to have me psychoanalyzed…..I broke all the goddam windows with my fist, just for the hell of it. I even tried to break all the windows on the station wagon we had that summer, but my hand was already broken and everything by the time, and I...
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...Many teens nowadays are facing depression. In the book Catcher in the Rye the author J.D. Salinger explores loneliness and depression in a troubled boy who does not want to grow up. Holden often admits his loneliness and finds out he has some emotions left. He chooses to protect himself and reduce his pain. For example, whenever he thought about calling up a girl he gives himself many reasons why he should not contact her so he doesn’t get hurt in the end. He tries so hard to protect himself by shutting things out that could potentially hurt him. Holden Caulfield the protagonist isolates himself, has many fears, especially about growing up, and can’t connect well with people. Holden isolates himself from his society. Holden then becomes...
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...Depression within Holden Caulfield Depression is a mental illness that is very common among teens. Depression is a mental illness that is a feeling of intense of hopelessness and sadness. In the book, The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Saligner, a high school student named Holden Caulfield loses his younger brother Allie to Leukemia. This leads to his depression and grief. In The Catcher in the Rye, Salinger uses multiple symbols to show Holden’s depression. In the following examples:the red hunting hat, a record called “Little Shirley Beans”, and the ducks from the Central Park It becomes clear to us that Holden Caulfied suffers from depression. Depression can emerge from a death of a loved one. The death of Holden’s little brother Allie took a big toll on him, causing him to drop out of school, feeling depressed as well as isolating himself from everyone. A symptom of depression is to be isolate one’s self...
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...Many teens nowadays are facing depression. In the book Catcher in the Rye the author J.D. Salinger explores loneliness and depression in a troubled boy who does not want to grow up. Holden often admits his loneliness and finds out he has some emotions left. He chooses to protects himself and reduces his pain. Like whenever he is thinking about calling up a give he gives himself many reasons why he should not contact them so he doesn’t get hurt. He tries so hard to protects himself by shutting things out that could potentially hurt him. Holden Caulfield the protagonist isolates himself, has many fears especially about growing up, and can’t connect with people. Holden isolates himself from his society. Holden then becomes very lonely because...
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...‘THE CATCHER IN THE RYE’ AND ‘IGBY GOES DOWN’ – NON-CONFORMITY Both J.D Salinger’s 1951 Bildungsroman novel The Catcher in the Rye and Burr Steer’s film Igby Goes Down, demonstrate that regardless of context, the youth will choose not to conform to socially held values. We can see that this is the manifestation of the vulnerability and hesitation experienced as adolescents like us grow up. Ultimately both these texts explore the search for identity and individualism as a cause for non-conformity. The Catcher in the Rye was written during a post war era and a time of drastic social change. However, many of its conservative values remained and most importantly, the notion of youth conformity was held in high regard. On the other hand, Igby Goes Down is set in the 1980s -1990’s American era, a time of expanding multi national corporations, materialism and commercialism. Salinger and Steers utilise the characterisation of their young, sardonic and rebellious protagonists, Holden and Igby to epitomise non-conformity. The composers allude to the recurring theme of isolation and alienation in both texts. As a result of their non-conformity, the protagonists experience rejection and depression as they search for their selfhood. Similarly, the national ethos of the American Dream is explored as a mere fallacy, and both composers portray this through their protagonist’s wealthy backgrounds and opulent upbringings and yet money doesn’t bring them happiness. Salinger, through literary...
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...Caulfield's “Catcher in the Rye” Fantasy Growing up, we have all experienced a particular desire to achieve something; an ambitious state of mind that gives us meaning to life. Holden Caulfield in The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, has a primary ambition - to become the Catcher in the Rye – the protector of the young and innocent, as stated in his conversation with Phoebe (Salinger, 191). Completely imaginary and a hopeless fantasy, this passage underscores what is prevalent throughout the novel - the issue of Holden's black and white perspective on the dark, phony world of adulthood juxtaposed with the light, innocent, world of childhood. The important passage contributes to Holden's clinical depression as a result of his beloved brother's death, therefore his cynical view of adulthood, and his anxiety about growing up, resulting in the overall angst and alienation palpable throughout the novel, leading to his eventual catharsis. Holden's imagery of “catching” children playing in a field of rye before they fall off a cliff is unrealistic, misheard from a little boy, and it serves merely as an escape route from what he fears most about adulthood – the change and overwhelming complexity. Holden wants everything to be easily understandable and eternally fixed, similar to the Eskimos and Indians in the museum. Opposed to acknowledging that adulthood scares and mystifies him, Holden instead invents a fantasy – that childhood is an idyllic field of rye, while adulthood...
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...Reading Response to "The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger Dear Mr. /Mrs. I have read the book ‘The Catcher in the Rye’ that expresses its content in a total of 214 pages. The book, authored by J. D. Salinger, represents the coming-of-age genre which compares to the traditional period literature such as Mark Twain’s ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.” Indeed, the two texts tend to feature naïve and adolescent runaways as the spectators. Also, they both comment on the problems that existed in their timelines. This reading response seeks to explore the question of freedom and independence as portrayed in the book. "The Catcher in the Rye" begins with the protagonist directly addressing the audience and as the he starts to retell the events that cover three days from the past December. His story begins at Pencey Prep and the disillusioned departure from what could be the last in a number of educational institutions that failed to inspire and support him followed by a painful, and sleep deprived journey through the streets of New York. Interestingly, the author tends to create a harsh atmosphere from the start of the text with the main character being portrayed as lazy and a bit clueless about his future (Lomazoff, 1996). The entire story revolves around a flashback of the three day period with some few references to the present. The thing that separates the text from other literary works is the usage of profanity. There exists a significant measure of colloquialism which...
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...difficult, we all experience change, and end up on the better side. The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, is a story of a young boy Holden Caulfield, who experiences depression but overcomes change throughout the book. Pleasantville, directed by Gary Ross, the story of a “perfect” T.V. show that all the characters wish to live in, and they all experience change by trying to achieve color. The Catcher in the Rye and Pleasantville both show that change can be hard, but is for the good. Although most people fear change for the worst, Change is for the better. In The Catcher in the Rye, Holden, the main character,...
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...The novels the Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger and the perks of being a wallflower by Stephen Chbosky are both coming of age novels. The Catcher in the Rye is set around the 1950s and is narrated by sixteen year old Holden Caulfield. Holden is very judgemental, especially when it comes to people he has categorized as phony. The perk of being a wallflower is set in the 90s and is narrated by Charlie who is a freshman in high school. Charlie is quiet, keeps to himself, and does not enjoy being the center of attention. As most adolescents attempt to find their place in the world they often find mentors to help guide them through conflict. Both Holden and Charlie search for the meaning of their lives, go through conflict, and find someone to help guide them. Both novels are coming of age books because the main characters search for meaning in their life. Holden has trouble staying in one place for too long, for example he has been expelled from four schools. This is because he is constantly searching for his perfect world that has no phonies. While he is trying to find a place with no phonies or adults he says: I’m standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff – I mean if they’re running and they don’t look where they’re going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. That’s all I’d do all day. I’d just be the catcher in the rye and all. (Salinger 173) Holden is describing to his sister Phoebe...
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...In the 1950s, many books were written that conveyed ideas controversial to popular belief. However, of the all the books written, two books stood out more than any others. Catcher in the Rye and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof were read more among anyone ranging from teenager to senior. Even though both began arguments, these two both books were mostly popular because of their rebellious influence. Over time, they have shaped and formed today’s society. From the 1950s to the 2010s, Catcher in the Rye and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof have spurred both controversial and rebellious altercations. Published by J.D. Salinger on July 16th, 1951, the Catcher in the Rye has been popular among people of all ages and races. Meant to be a controversial novel originally...
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...Within Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, evidenced by Holden’s happiness, Holden begins his path to maturity when he accepts the Phoebe is “reaching for maturity” on the carousel, realizing that he needs to mentally heal and mature. Not being able to see everything good happening around us is common in our everyday life. We get used to the privileges, and we tunnel-vision in on the negatives of the world and yearn for escape. Holden, depressed and fantastical, grasps at the hopes for escape in the first three quarters of The Catcher in the Rye. The lack of the carousel symbol within the book before Holden’s change represent how he shied away from his journey to maturity. There are some major reasons as to why he shies away from maturity:...
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...The Catcher In the Rye , a novel by J.D. Salinger, took place in New York city during the late 1940s. Holden, the narrator of the novel got kicked out of his 3erd boarding school, Pency which was located in Pennsylvania. This school was, as Holden described it full of phonies and crooks. He did not care for his roommate Stradlater and he was annoyed by Ackley the guy that lived in the room over. He flunked out of every class, but English witch got him thrown out. He decided to go to New York before he went home for Christmas break and, before his parents find out about what had happened. While in New York Holden was extremely depressed, he got a room at a hotel, bought a prostitute that he did not do anything with, drank, smoked, spent a lot money, went on dates,...
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...The Deep Depression of a College Student Depression, a serious medical condition in which a person feels very sad, hopeless, unimportant, and often is unable to live in a normal way. This definition ties into the main character in J.D. Salinger’s novel, The Catcher in the Rye. The Catcher in the Rye is a novel about a teenage boy, Holden Caulfield, who is suffering from a depression problem. Some people believe he is not suffering from the mental illness of depression. While others believe he is suffering from the mental illness of depression. In The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D Salinger, Holden Caulfield is suffering from the mental illness of depression, which began when he lost his younger brother Allie at a young age. The death of Allie began the mental illness of depression for Holden. “I was only thirteen, and they were gonna have me psychoanalyzed and all, because I broke all the...
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...J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye Life Doesn't Always go as Planned J.D Salinger’s 1951 novel The Catcher in the Rye, takes place in the late 1940s and is mainly about a pessimistic lethargic teenager that abhors almost everything revolving around him. The novel is a first person narrative, Holden Caulfield, is the indecisive teen that tells his story about a horrible weekend he once had and calls it “this madman stuff” (Salinger 1). His story begins at his high school Pency Prep in Agerstown, Pennsylvania which he just got kicked-out of for failing all his classes except English. Holden is supposed to arrive home days later, but he gets in an argument with his roommate Stradlater, and leaves to New York to stay at the Edmont hotel. He begins...
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...Censorship, the removal of words, images, or ideas that are “offensive,” is a hotly debated topic. Can what is seem as insulting to one person be viewed as acceptable by another? We all have our own “line in the sand” that points to where we say, enough is enough. However, is it fair for individuals or groups to determine where that line is for everyone? We don’t think so. Each individual should be able to decide for him/herself whether a book, movie, paper, etc., is appropriate. Our book, The Catcher in the Rye, is about a sixteen year old boy named Holden Caulfield from the 1950’s who is both the main character and narrator. It describes him getting expelled once again from school, his travel to his parents’ house in New York City for punishment, and the nervous breakdowns he experiences with symptoms of unexplained depression, impulsive spending, and unpredictable behavior during his travel (“Banned Books: The Catcher in the Rye”). The book itself has been...
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