Catcher In The Rye Trauma Analysis

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Traumatized In J.D. Salinger novel The Catcher in the Rye the protagonist Holden has induced trauma and has trouble overcoming it. A trauma is a psychologically distressing event that is outside the range of usual human experience, that can’t be overcome for an extended time or for life. As Lance Viceroy tells in her book trauma and survival,” traumatic experience can produce a sometimes indelible effect on the human psyche that can change the nature of an individual’s memory, self-recognition, and relational life.” Holden’s obsession with past reviles his trauma the fact that he cannot deal with that things change overtime. He hates the idea that Jane would've taken her kings out of the back row. He loves the museum things never change…show more content…
This is a sign of trauma as told I this article by Vickroy, “Despite the human capacity to survive and adapt, traumatic experiences can alter people's psychological, biological, and social equilibrium to such a degree that the memory of one particular event comes to taint all other experiences, spoiling appreciation of the present” He is implying that people basically cannot enjoy the things that are happening in the present times because of trauma." People end up living in the past and cannot accept changes. They are caught up one thing that happened to them they couldn’t live life normally. This corresponds with Holden and the way he thinks about Jane. “She wouldn't move any of her kings. What she'd do, when she'd get a king, she wouldn't move it. She'd just leave it in the back row. She'd get them all lined up in the back row. Then she'd never use them. She just liked the way they looked when they were all in the back row." Jane was very conservative shown by the move he thought she was like this in life. When you keep the kings back row it doesn't let anyone enter to win in checkers. In his mind, he saw it, as she would not just put out for any guy easily. He is traumatized with the idea that Jane might have changed and he does not want to talk to her ‘“Jane Gallagher. Jesus.” I couldn’t get her off my mind. I really couldn’t. “I oughta go down and say hello to her, at least.” “Why the hell don’tcha, instead of keep saying it?” Stradlater said. I walked over to the window but you couldn’t see out of it, it was so steamy from all the heat in the can. “I’m not in the mood right now,” I said.” He is not able to go and see her because of his fear of her changing. The steam that is fogging up the window is the fact that he does not really see what is on the other side just like with Jane.

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