Examples Of Adolescence In Catcher In The Rye

Leslie Claro

Mrs. Kehrmeyer

AP English, period 1

06 March 2017 Adolescence Avoidance Youth years are the most difficult and influential years a person could experience, based on what they encounter as a child. The protagonist Holden Caulfield in J.D. Salinger’s novel The Catcher In The Rye is lost in his attempt to avoid adolescence and balances instinct and social acceptability. J.D Salinger expresses Holden’s struggle with adolescence in a cynical and dispirited tone to segway the emotionally unstable situation his protagonist has found himself to be in. Psychoanalytic theory expands on the theory of behavior for Holden as he transitions from childhood onto the verge of adulthood. Holden reminiscences

Freud furthers his theory by inferring that the unconscious state of mind contains “aggressive impulses as well as memories of troubling emotional experiences” (468). As Holden begins to talk about the cause of his experience, he claims to have a “lousy childhood” and how his parents were always occupied. Holden’s point is that he comes from a troubling past thus allowing the audience to follow on where he is coming from. The lack of a good relationship with his parents could have influenced Holden’s transition from child to an adult as he grows into the world and it is important that it is noted. Holden’s psyche has become so compromised with the complexities of dealing with his brother Allie’s death that he breaks all the windows in the garage to let out his angry and sadness. After this traumatic experience Holden goes on to say, “I was only thirteen, and they were going to have me psychoanalyzed and all… I don’t blame them” (39). Holden mentions how at a young age he began to reveal problematic signs of change. Holden is hugely impacted by his brothers death due to the fact of him being only 11 when it happened. The loss of his great brother hurt him in a way that mentally injured Holden’s view of life as he grows

As Holden explores the city, he stated that “I thought of giving old Jane a buzz, to see if she was home yet and all, but I wasn’t in the mood. What I did do, I gave old Sally Hayes a buzz” (105). Clearly Holden likes Jane but is afraid to talk to her and the unconscious state of mind gets the best of him and decides to call up a girl that he doesn’t even really like but is more comfortable with. His mind clearly rationalized to keep him at a safe state of mind and keep his urges to himself. According to Freud's theory, ¨the ego represents reason and good sense [and] operates according to reality principle, the basis for operating in the world by taking into account what is practical and acceptable”. In other words, the ego is the part of the preconscious state in which controls urges that is wrong. In continue to explore the city, Holden finds himself in a really uncomfortable situation when he takes up a prostitute to his hotel room, ¨the trouble was, I just didn't want to do it. I felt more depressed than sexy, if you want to know the truth. She was depressing¨ (96). At first he thought he wanted this but in the end his ego sends out the reality principle to avoid this awkward situation. In order to withdraw from his wrongful urges, he knows it is best to just have a reasonable conversation with the prostitute rather than lie about