Holden Caulfield Angst Analysis

The German derived word, angst, traces its roots from angust or anger. Although novels of the 19th century mentioned ‘angst’, it popularized in 1942 from Sigmund Freud’s English translations where it was used to describe the psychological state of the insecure. Since then, it has developed into a derogatory reference to adolescents, who are typically insecure with strong feelings of anxiety about their life or current situation. Holden Caulfield, a fictional adolescent in J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, is a character full of angst. Because of his cynical behavior and an instinct of alienation, Holden prevents himself from finding his purpose in his environment, and his angst grows with the impossible, perfect “Holden” world. However,