...Catcher in the Rye essay After reading “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D Salinger, it is clear that the main character, Holden is a “phony” himself and his negative attitude reveals his psychological problems. In the story, whenever Holden sees a person he doesn’t like that makes themselves out to be something they’re not, he calls them phonies. He strongly dislikes phonies and despises any type of interaction with them. Holden continues this negative attitude towards everything in his life revealing some of his issues and keeping him from growing up. Holden encounters many phonies throughout his travels from boarding school to boarding school. He claims most of his “friends” to be phonies because of their lying but he has yet to realize that the biggest phony amongst them is staring at him in the mirror. On his train ride to New York, after being kicked out of Pencey, Holden meets the mother of one of his acquaintances from Pencey, Ernest Morrow. According to the story, When Mrs. Morrow asks Holden his name, he tells her his name is Rudolf Schmidt. Holden had no reason to lie to her, he just felt the need to. He has never met her before and probably will not see her ever again and still feels like he need to lie to her. As the conversation continues, Mrs. Morrow questions why Holden is leaving for break so early, Holden states “I have to have this operation…I have this tiny tumor on my brain” (58). Instead of explaining to her that he had gotten kicked out of Pencey due to...
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...explains how he hates phonies. As you read on into the book you find out that Holden is actually a huge phony as well. Only a phony would say that they hate phonies when their entire attitude shows that they are one themselves. Holden acts this way to hide inner pain and other feelings. (61 words) As the book progresses Holden acts older and older. He doesn’t...
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...• We know Holden’s in California and that he’s using a flashback to talk about something significant in his life before he gets “run-down”, which might be interpreted as a mental or emotional breakdown. • Holden hates artificiality. But does he like Selma only because she rejects her father’s power? Or does he like her because she’s kind of plain but still pretty? We know Holden was invited to leave school due to his awful academic performance. To add on, because he was the manager we can infer that he doesn’t actually have the talent to be on the team. He says “goddam” in a way that makes it sound more important and yet his importance is jeopardized when he leaves the equipment on the subway. He changes the topic so fast that as a reader we are able to see how...
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...seek assurance that everything will be okay in the phony world. Throughout the text, Holden tries multiple times to protect others and becomes frustrated when he cannot. His bizarre actions and thoughts leave the readers in a state of perplexity when trying to figure out what is wrong with him. Does he feel too much? Or does he feel too little? The problem with Holden lies in the fact that he cannot accept change, for anything that is different in his mind is perceived with a negative connotation because he enjoys permanence and cannot connect or adapt to anyone in society, teaching the readers that...
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...Throughout the novel Holden expresses his criticism towards people by calling them a “phony”. By doing this he is unknowingly annihilating his chances of intimacy with others; even those who attempt to make some sort of connection with him. By pushing those people away, he isolates himself even further; which eventually becomes too much for Holden and leads to his mental breakdown. For example, during chapter 17 Holden and Sally Hayes go out on a date to watch a play called The Lunts. After the play they go out for smokes where everyone except Holden discusses the play. Sally then sees someone she knows and converses with him, causing Holden to automatically label him a phony. Holden goes on to say that“ he and old Sally started talking about a lot of people they both knew. It was the phoniest conversation you...
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...In the novel Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, I believe Holden suffers from several psychological mood disorders, because of this, Holden’s decisions and thoughts affect himself, and everyone around him. He seems to think that all adults around him are considered phonies, and he continues to push them away to protect himself. Holden is deemed to be an outsider to everyone else; Salinger captures the whole story of an undeveloped teenager living in the big scary world. Because of his perception of the world, Holden uses isolation as a way to protect himself. We will cover the possibility of separation being a mental disorder, how Holden would rather spend his life solitary and how characters in other stories deal with isolation, and how Holden discerns the world around him. Throughout the story, Holden seems to have a negative perspective of the world around him. This is caused by a mood disorder such as Post-traumatic stress disorder or Borderline personality disorder. At the beginning of the novel, Holden experiences a traumatic event of the loss of his brother Allie. In the story Catcher in the Rye, Holden struggles to cope with Allie’s death. I was only thirteen, and they were going to have...
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...In the novel The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, Mr. Antolini (an English teacher) tells the protagonist, Holden Caulfield, "I have a feeling that you're riding for some kind of terrible, terrible fall" (pg. 168). This quote is terribly reflective of and true to Holden's experiences that he accounts in the novel. The entire novel is essentially Holden's account of the time between leaving Pencey Preparatory School and his institutionalization (which is revealed at the end of the novel). We can only assume that Holden has been sent to see "this one psychoanalyst guy" (pg. 192) because of his gradual mental breakdown or "fall" that is apparent throughout his narrative. This essay will recognize and trace the multiple signs, explanations and testaments of Holden's declining mental state. It is important to include Holden's past in this account and analysis of Holden's mental decline because Holden's past affects everything he does and contributes to his feelings of loneliness, depression and confusion. A supporting argument for this can be found by looking at causes for "mental breakdowns." Some common causes* of mental breakdowns that apply to Holden's particular case are: unresolved grief (as far as we know, Holden never received closure about his brother Allie's death or the suicide of a fellow student, James Castle.), academic problems (Holden failed out of three separate private schools), social stress (Holden tries and fails to connect to several characters such as...
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...However, Holden gives out a very paradoxical message, because his actions do not always reflect his thoughts. This paradox can be exemplified when Holden illustrates to Sally the perfectly conformed life that they could live stereotypically based on the gender roles in society at the time (Catcher 147-148). Holden explains that they can “[ride] to work in cabs and Madison Avenue buses, and [read] newspapers, and [play] bridge all the time, and [go] to moves and [see] a lot of stupid shorts and coming attractions and newsreels” (Catcher 148). As exemplified in the quote, Holden’s internal conflict is never truly resolved due to the lack of a solid resolution. He struggles maintain the unique exterior façade he has created to mask the truly normal problems he faces in his life. Holden does not fit the societal definition of the high-class teenager many assume him to be. Presumably, he is articling his story in a mental health home subsequent to his time in New York. Holden at many times embodies the opposite of his societal...
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...The reader can see this when Holden converses with the nun- ““What have you read this year? I would be very interested to know”. He answers, “Well most of the time we were on the Anglo Saxons .Bewodd and old Grendel and Lord Randol and all those things”(Salinger 123).This scene in the book shows that Holden is relaxed and happy, due to the fact that he has a mind-set that allows for happiness. He does not need to act “phony” or “fake”, thus making him happy. The emphasis of the quote is on the fact that there is no hesitance when Holden talks, similar to that of a kid who would have no second thoughts while saying anything. Both Holden and a child represent a sense of...
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...the materialistic, conformist society he saw developing after WW2. The first extract I chose is from chapter 22 of Catcher in the Rye where Phoebe accuses Holden of hating everything and everyone. Holden reveals here his fantasy of becoming ‘The Catcher in the Rye’ protecting children from falling into the adult world. This links with chapter 31 of Huckleberry Finn where Huck decides to write a letter to Tom Sawyer to tell Miss Watson where Jim is. He soon realises that Miss Watson would sell Jim either way. He resolves to “steal Jim out of slavery.” The theme of rejection is evident in both extracts because Huck rejects conforming to the values of a society filled with hatred a racism and Holden rejects adulthood and conforming to a ‘phony’ society. This leads to both protagonists rejecting situations they see as restricting. “The...
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...himself, the “dumb one”, after describing the positive attributes of his siblings and what makes them special. This lack of confidence is evident based on the harsh and uncalled for scorn Holden gives himself, after what was perceived at first to the reader as him being positive. Holden's lack of confidence is caused by Allie's death, which ultimately leads Holden to have a mental breakdown.At Pencey Preparation he also shows his lack of confidence in himself. Holden declares, "Aah, go back to sleep. I'm not gonna join one anyway. The kind of luck I have, I'd probably join one with all the wrong kind of monks in it. All stupid bastards. Or just bastards." (Salinger 50). Holden has a lack of reliance in his ideas. Holden doubt's that he would even be able to locate a monastery without ‘jerks’ in it. Holden does not have confidence in his ability to judge character. Afterwards, Holden experiences self-doubt again. Holden confesses, “I thought of giving old Jane a buzz, to see if she was home yet and all, but I wasn't in the mood.” (Salinger 104). Holden, whenever the topic of getting in touch with Jane is brought up, says he's ‘not in the mood’. By analyzing this text readers can see that Holden's confidence is low when it comes to contacting Jane, someone he really cares about, opposed to contacting someone like Sally. The lack of confidence and self-doubt expressed by Holden makes...
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...exhibits stay the same and that people instead change. “Nobody’d be different. The only thing that would be different would be you” (121). Yet Holden never really healed properly from his brother’s death, and the repetition of his thoughts and actions shows through many situations how it affects him. This character is relatable to readers these days. Especially those who are adolescents and stuck in this complicated state of mind. This book is also relatable to people of all ages because it covers different points of views. Many will connect to the character, seeing life differently and how growing up can and does change you. Holden Caulfield wants to be the catcher in the rye, to catch the kids that are growing up to become the phonies he doesn’t like. Though he’s on the edge, he resists going over and growing...
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...things on impulse or because as he said 'he got such a bang out of it'. He has a brother, D.B. who is a writer in Hollywood, a little sister named Phoebe and another brother Allie, who has already died before the story even began. In the beginning of the story Holden narrates that he'll be leaving his school, Pencey Prep (a school full of Phonies from Holden’s point of view), because he flunked out in the four out of five subjects he was taking, the only subject he didn't fail was English. Holden tells the readers that he had come back to Agerstown, Pennsylvania though he was traveling with his team for a fencing contest, he lost all of the foils in a New York Subway, and so the match was cancelled instead. Holden even mentioned that on the way home his mates treated him to silence and he found this very amusing. Though there was a football game going on, Holden didn't go down and watch it, instead he went to visit his old history teacher, Mr. Spencer. Mr. Spencer is a very old man who wants to help Caulfield in his studies (since Holden has also been expelled in a few other schools as well) and at some point Mr. Spencer even read out Holden's examination paper and the little note that Holden had written in the end saying that if Mr. Spencer would like to flunk him then he'd be all right with it, Holden explained to the readers that the purpose of this note was not to irritate Mr. Spencer but so that Mr. Spencer would not feel bad about failing him. After this, Holden leaves...
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...relationships like self-isolation, our psychological health and propaganda. “The Cather in the Rye” explores these themes in a Dark, cynical but somewhat compassionate tone, accompanied with moments of humor. “The Dark Knight” is similar and explores the themes in a dark and disturbing tone, with the addition of action. “The Catcher in the Rye” demonstrates the theme of hatred with Holden’s hate towards the adult world around him, however as a consequence this causes personal, social and mental isolation from the world and an inability to create meaningful relationships. This is the main factor for Holden’s isolation from the world, and is symbolized throughout the novel with Holden’s red hunting hat. The majority of the people he encounters are deemed as ‘phonies’ for Holden as they do not follow with his view of the world, this generalization further prevent him from making relationships and reflects upon his immaturity. The last page of the novel and more importantly the quote, “All I know is I sort of miss everybody I told about”, through the use of colloquial language shows us Holden’s realization of his isolation as well as his longing to re-create relationships with previous acquaintances. “The Dark Knight” displays the effect of hate in relationships similarly to “The catcher in the Rye”. It is show here through the character Joker, who hates the actions of the government. His...
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...In “Catcher in the Rye” Holden hypocritically points out the phonies and wickedness around him throughout the novel. Holden thinks everyone is phony, because adulthood creates a “phony” world in his eyes. Holden idolizes Phoebe, because he believes she is the only one besides Allie, his younger brother, who is not fake. Hopeless, lonely, bad and beat are Holden's labels. Depression, longing, emptiness, anger and cynicism were his true emotions and attitudes. He doesn't have a filter, because he would talk badly about others. (“Her son was doubtless the biggest bastard that ever went to Pencey, in the whole crumby history of the school. He was always going down the corridor, after he'd had a shower, snapping his soggy old wet towel at people's asses… I told her. I didn't feel like giving her my whole life history. Rudolf Schmidt was the name of the janitor of our dorm.”) (Holden 30) This demonstrates that although he had these thoughts, he lied to his mother, which showed the phoniness within himself. Holden expresses this hypocrisy by complaining about others while doing similar actions, and sinking in his childhood after his brother died, which is the emotional scaring we see as a trend in the novel. In the “Catcher In The Rye” we know that Holden came from a mental hospital, we then understand that he mentally...
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