Preview

Holden Caulfield's Insanity In Catcher In The Rye

Better Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1630 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Holden Caulfield's Insanity In Catcher In The Rye
Whether it be the bards that soaked up the noise and appeased the doldrums of ancient life, or the juggernauts and giants whose etchings are in cave clay walls, there has been a myriad of means in which humans convey quests and narratives. Although, these mediums may drastically there are countless fundamental traits that withstand in the dynamic realm of literature. J.D Salinger’s realistic fiction novel Catcher in the Rye follows the titular character Holden Caulfield and his inevitable fall from sanity. Holden is an adolescent who was recently kicked out of Pencey Prep, an elite private school, as a result of his inability to apply himself. Instead of going back home on the wealthiest side of New York City, he explores the underbelly of …show more content…
When Holden describes Jane as having her checkers in the back row, he is projecting the Madonna-Whore complex onto her because,it represents her virginity, by employing this mindset he is preserving the “pure” image of Jane that Stradlater tainted. In addition, Holden utilizes this defense mechanism to employ a thinly-veiled perspective of childhood by avoiding any overtly sexual descriptions of Jane, something Straddler and his other peers obviously engage in.The barriers towards sexuality in Catcher In The Rye deviates from the antiquated quest narrative,because traditionally sex is glorified,but holden does everything in his mean to either purify or avoid it .In his article, “Kings In The Backrow”, Strauch and Salinger compares Holden to another iconic literary character, Huckleberry Finn, which shows the idea of the restriction of sexual thoughts: “The Catcher suffers in comparison with Huck Finn. If Holden displays a superiority over Huck in certain traits of character, his neurotic psychology, intensified by sexual conflicts from which Huck was free and aggravated by a vulgar, dehumanized society, leads the boy to the psychoanalytical couch in a thoroughly pessimistic novel, whereas Huck Finn ends on a resolute note of

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    According to Canadian Mental Health Association (2012), “loss of interest in taking part in activities” is a sign of depressive illness.…

    • 1008 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Within The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, Holden’s childhood and past are depicted containing happiness, hope, and optimism(shown in yellow containing Jane ,with the game of checkers, Allie,and Phoebe). Holden thus clings to his childhood as a source of his happiness, as he views his current reality(depicted in purple) with cynicism and pessimism. (represented by the piano for his pessimism towards “phony” musicians, and by Sally’s “phony” conversation with George) Holden, however, isolates himself from his past for fear of tainting it(represented the the cracking glass case turning purple in response to Holden’s touch) because he wants to preserve the happiness which he draws from his childhood(represented by the containment of his…

    • 621 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Ever since its publication in 1951, the quality of J. D. Salinger’s novel, The Catcher in the Rye, has been a controversy. The story has been praised for its enlightening views on society, but criticized for its use of slang and sexual content. Nevertheless, the story is worth both reading and teaching, for the story still relates to the lives of today’s teenagers, introduces a unique writing style to its readers, and teaches its readers an important lesson about phoniness. Throughout the novel, the main character, Holden Caulfield, attempts to catch innocent children before they fall off the cliff and die or before they lose their innocence and become a corrupt and phony adult. While doing so, he suffers isolation…

    • 1244 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Phoebe Caulfield Catcher

    • 2282 Words
    • 10 Pages

    Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye reveals a teenager’s dramatic struggle against death and growing up. The book is composed of stories after the protagonist Holden Caulfield’s expulsion from a private school. He leaves school early to explore New York before returning home, interacting with teachers, prostitutes, nuns, an ex-girlfriend and his sister along the way. We characterize Holden as an innocent child that possesses an ideal fantasy of becoming a catcher in the rye, protecting an unsophisticated world of love, passion and justice. It seems Holden, a “guardian” towards childhood and innocence is the hero or “catcher” without any questions. Throughout the entire book, however,…

    • 2282 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    In J.D. Salinger’s novel The Catcher in the Rye, the main character, Holden Caulfield’s apparent madness and irrational behavior plays an important role. The decisions that Holden makes at the time seem un-normal and irrational to characters in the novel, but to the reader they seem wise and reasonable.…

    • 358 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    With it’s aggressive cynicism, J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye broke stereotypes of what tones writers could exhibit through narration. The Catcher in the Rye is the story of young Holden Caulfield angst-ridden struggle with growing up and dealing with “phonies”. Holden is the protagonist and narrator of this story, Holden’s narration proves to be unreliable through his compulsive lying, inconsistent memory, and his cynical perception of reality.…

    • 577 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Holden Caulfield, the novel’s protagonist, is a pivotal character in The Catcher in the Rye. Holden is characterized as an innocent, apathetic, naive teen who is seeking knowledge of life and the meaning of becoming an adult. Holden’s struggle with seeing the genuine nature of people is something that acts as a barrier for him throughout the novel. Holden is troubled and burdened throughout the story, which causes him to have a warped view on an array of subjects. Holden passes strict judgement on everyone, as he struggles to transition from adolescence to adulthood. Holden appears to be stunned when he sees how different the life of an adult is comparison to that of children. His views on topics such as, life, his future, and sex. Holden approaches each of these subjects with strict views, and feels dejected when he realizes there are more multiple perspectives to these topics.…

    • 554 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the book The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, the main character, Holden Caulfield, has strange tendencies that could be diagnosed as a mental disorder or multiple disorders. Thinking like a psychiatrist, this book has plenty to dissect. Reading a classic, such as Catcher, can really draw the reader into the story and make them feel like they are a part of that world. Holden Caulfield’s world has a lot going on.…

    • 948 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    When I the word authentic comes to my mind, I think of something that is legit or original such as a brand of clothing or shoes. However, when the words authentic teen character comes to mind, I think of someone who represents the stereotypical teen of that generation in which he/she lives in. In the book The Catcher In The Rye, Holden Caulfield, a teenage boy that gets kicked out of Pencey High School, is introduced to us. After he gets kicked out of the high school, Holden makes a journey back to return to his family, who lives in New York. From the last day in his dorm, to the day that he gets home, he exhibits characteristics that prove to us that he is indeed a real teen character. These characteristics don't have to be from a modern…

    • 1024 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Holden Caulfield Phony

    • 1558 Words
    • 7 Pages

    The Catcher in the Rye written by J.D. Salinger is a reflection of his own life being shown through a teenage boy, Holden Caulfield. Like Salinger in the novel Holden jumps from prep school to prep school not finishing each time, however excels in English classes. Holden’s life in the novel shook the nation with controversy and curiosity. Illustrated in the text it conveys extreme depression, sexual tension, love, and lewd language. Holden attempts to see the “phony” world through a new light, however fails due to the type of person he is, his troubled background, sexual confusion, family issues, and fallacious world we all live in.…

    • 1558 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    The fantasy of “The Catcher In The Rye” is extremely important. Holden does not have a particularly easy life, but he just makes it a lot harder on himself than it has to be. He wants to stay young, but also has the conflict of trying to be seen as an adult. He can not have both, but that is what he wishes. He wishes that he could be a ladies…

    • 1092 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In this novel, Holden Caulfield gets kicked out of his school and stays in New York for a couple of days before returning home. During his travels Holden does not maintain any relationships and he associates most adults with being phony. He is constantly trying to protect himself and his sister Phoebe from being exposed to the harsh adult world. In The Catcher in the Rye, J. D. Salinger uses rhetorical devices to explain Holden’s struggles and establish the theme of preserving his own innocence and the innocence of those around him.…

    • 1112 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In today’s society, the youth struggles to find their place and identity in the world they live in. This often leads to seeking personal isolation rather than human interaction, as an attempt to free themselves from being emotionally overwhelmed. In the novel The Catcher in the Rye, J.D Salinger explores the idea of alienation through the voice of the conflicted narrator, Holden Caulfield. Holden is a profoundly troubled teenager who has completely alienated himself from the society and his surroundings. Although his voice portrays intelligence and sensitivity, Holden is hostile with the hypocrisy and “phoniness” that he observes in the world around him.…

    • 103 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    “You could tell they didn't want me around”, Holden constantly displays his lack of self-confidence through bringing himself down in J.D Salinger’s the Catcher in the Rye, which follows seventeen year old, angsty teen, Holden Caulfield as he tells the in depth story of a trip to New York after flunking out of Pencey School. Holden’s loneliness and isolation highlights his inability to recognize his traumatizing past and lack of closure due to his brother’s recent death, establishing his depression and furthering his apathetic attitude towards school, aspirations, and his future entirely.…

    • 892 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In the book The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, Holden is unable to have any type of sexual intercourse or sexual contact with females because he is afraid of loosing his innocence. One can come to this conclusion using all of the facts and details about Holden’s strong belief in staying pure and innocent from the book. Details in the book show signs that Holden’s belief of protecting innocence dwindles his attempts at any type of sexual intercourse with girls/women. Specifically Sunny, the prostitute and Jane Gallagher, Holden’s childhood romance.…

    • 371 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays