Holden was kicked out of several schools, and he was left on his own at Pencey. Holden did not fit in well, and he cannot get along with anyone. Holden is affected very much by previous events in his life, and this continues to define who Holden is today. Holden, miserable after his brother Allie’s death, is in deep depression.
They include having many failures, not having any close friends, and the loss of his younger brother Allie. Since his many failures at school, Holden has been in a downward spiral that will eventually lead to his mental break down. Not being able to talk to any close friends makes Holden’s depression much worse. Holden thinks that he should be dead instead of his brother Allie which does not help with his depression. If Holden’s parents had let him go to a school near his apartment he might have been able to establish a few long term relationships.
John Baylon Mrs. Hobbs Classical Literature 10 September 2015 Summer Compare & Contrast Essay Although J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher In the Rye and John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath differ in storyline, both novels convey a similar idea that the corruption of society influences the innocence of the individual and family. Within J.D. Salinger’s novel, the reader views the life of a sixteen year old troubled teen, Holden Caulfield. After the loss of his younger brother, Allie, from leukemia and being expelled from Pency Prep, Holden decides to leave and wander in New York.
The more he thinks about his decision and makes connections to his own life; he realizes that leaving that man sobbing in the elevator was a very selfish thing to do. The man needed help, and he could have at least offered a shoulder to cry on. He did not know what horrible thing could have happened that made the man cry. He is now filled with guilt and sorrow for the mistake he made. He tries to seek help and reassurance that what he did was not wrong, but no matter how many times he heard that he did the right thing, deep down, he knew it was wrong and that would never change.
After a fight with his roommate, Stradlater, Holden leaves school two days early to explore New York before returning home, interacting with teachers, prostitutes, nuns, an old girlfriend, and his sister along the way. J.D. Salinger's classic The Catcher in the Rye illustrates a teenager's dramatic struggle against death and growing up. Holden Caulfield’s problem derive from the death of his brother, begin neglected by his parents and finding comfort only begin around people. Holden Canfield’s root of his problem was caused by death of his brother Allie.
It also reflects his compunction for neglect of his education. Although Holden himself does not have any qualms about ruining his education, others around him, like Frome, express regret that what could have been, will never be. Mr.Antolini sees Holden “dying nobly…for some highly unworthy cause.” (Salinger, page 188) He says
The novel “Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger is a story about a character Holden Caulfield. Holden Caulfield is a 16 year old that has become an iconic character for his teenage angst and the rejection of what society has become. I believe that Salinger's main focus was to show the massive changes, both social and economic, that the United States had gone through following World War II. After World War II the United States was in a period of great affluence.
Christian Smith 9/27/08 The Catcher in the Rye Holden Caufield has been dealing with various problems which have consequently led to his mental downfall. Holden’s inability to cope with reality, fear of growing up, and helplessness of dealing with sexuality has all played a critical role in his emotional breakdown. Holden’s inability to cope with reality may have been caused by the death of his younger brother Allie. Allie’s death made him view things in another light. Holden cannot think straight.
Rationale The catcher in the rye Title: What if the story ended different? Type of text: Alternative ending to the text Purpose: To show how a small change in choice could affect holden’s life The Catcher in the Rye is about Holden Caulfield, a 16-year-old boy from New York. The novel starts with Holden, writing in his book, hinting that he is in some sort of mental facility .Even though he comes from a wealthy family,because of his loss of interest in studies,and low grades, he gets expelled from all schools he has studied in .Holden leaves his final school, Pency Prep and decides that he will stay in New York City until his parents learn of his expulsion and “cool down” .Most of the novel is dedicated to Holden’s time in the city, Holden lives in a hotel room for a few days during his stay .Holden then starts meeting with people that he used know, some strangers and goes to places with. From his conversations, he
His depression seems to escalate throughout the novel. For example, many nights he has trouble sleeping, he also is quite the alcoholic and a heavy smoker, he doesn’t feed his body with the proper nutrients and he talks of committing suicide at various points in the novel. Holden feels he has been alienated his whole life and that after losing his brother Allie, there was really no place for him anywhere. Holden Caulfield is a complex character that is in need of some real therapy because the problems he faces are not those of a normal boy his age, but are more serious in that he’s really hurting himself and he is not nearly aware of these circumstances. Holden’s signs of depression are evident throughout the novel.