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Examples Of Depression In Catcher In The Rye

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In the novel The Catcher in The Rye by J.D Salinger the central character Holden Caulfield portrays some very concerning behavior. At only sixteen years old, Holden has experienced many adult like situations.After readers finish this book, it is clear to all that Holden suffers a form of Depression. Depression is defined as a condition of general emotional dejection and withdrawal;sadness greater and more prolonged than that warranted by any objective reason. Always being surrounded by phonies, loss of a sibling and extreme loneliness are factors that lead Holden Caulfield down the deep dark tunnel that is depression. During a large part of The Catcher in the Rye, Holden is alone. The extreme solitude may contribute to his depression. …show more content…

Almost everyone that Holden comes into contact with throughout the story is accused of being a phony. To Holden everyone is either a social climber, money focused, or reputation obsessed. An example of Holden making wrongful judgements is during his date with Sally. When she encounters an old friend he says "Then all of a sudden, she saw some jerk she knew on the other side of the lobby. Some guy in one of those very dark gray flannel suits and one of those checkered vests. Strictly Ivy League. Big deal."He continues to say "He was the kind of a phony that have to give themselves room when they answer somebody's question."( 17.14) This quote shows how Holden incorrectly uses this word to describe others he has little knowledge of. Many times we hear Holden say how lonely he is and how he has no one to talk to, however he rejects each person he meets. He rejects the social norms of adulthood and claims that all that participate are phonies. For Holden the use of the word phony is like a shield. In order to protect himself from being rejected once again he uses this word to reject a possible relationship before they are able to reject him. Although his feelings are not justified, Holden still believes that most people are phonies. He has no faith in human beings, and this a factor in his

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Holden's Use Of Phony In Catcher In The Rye

232 Words | 1 Pages

Why would Holden call others phony when he is a phony himself? Holden’s repetitive use of the word phony throughout the novel begins to show his true colors. Some examples of him calling others phony is the headmaster, the actual school Pencey Prep, Ossenburger, Sally Hayes, Stradlater, also people he did not know. J.D. Salinger reveals Holden’s “phoniness” to the audience through his hypocritical use of the words fake and phony. Holden attends the school Pencey Prep, he says his headmaster as well as the school and everyone in it is a phony, he describes it as “one of the worst schools I ever went to.

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He gives it a very pessimistic and cynical attitude. Since Holden sees everything in such a negative manner, he refers to almost everyone except for his sister, Phoebe, as a phony. He instantly gives everyone he meets the title of a phony. As he is on the topic of an all boys school, he refers to it as “full of phonies” (page 131). Salinger has given Holden such a negative outlook that almost everything that comes out of Holden’s mouth is negative.

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Sympathy is one of the main feelings that reveal our humanity and personal values. However, Holden Caulfield, the main character in J.D. Salinger’s Catcher In The Rye, seems like the type of guy that wouldn’t be able to feel sympathy. He has many faults, including depression, excessive lying, suicidal thoughts, and more that could interfere with compassion. In addition, he tends to cover up his emotions so as to not convey his true feelings. Despite these character faults, he still expresses and shows sympathy many times in the book, to many different characters.

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Why Does Holden Use The Word Phony In Catcher In The Rye

871 Words | 4 Pages

He sees people who are insecure, shallow, and too conventional as “phonies”. Holden also believes that actors are “phonies” because to him they “never act like people”. Holden, therefore contradicts himself and can be considered a phony. Throughout the book he has many interactions with other people in New York and during these interactions he usually has to introduce himself in some way. You would probably think that he would just say who he is, right?

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There are many causes for depression. Some causes are death or a loss of someone close to a person can cause serious grief or sadness. A band named Daughter wrote “Youth” which is a song about getting hurt by or losing someone or something that she had loved in her past. People she has loved often leave which hurts her because she loved them. In the book, Catcher in the Rye, Holden is in the same situation as the writer of the song and people he is often close with leave him.

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He is constantly in denial and thinks that everything else is to blame for his own problems. Holden always has an excuse to justify his action. When he left his old school he said, “One of the biggest reasons I left Elkton Hills was because I was surrounded by phonies. That’s all” (17). Holden is basically saying here that he left his old school not because he is not smart but it was because he could not stand the people there.

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In The Catcher in the Rye, it is observed that the novel is about grief. There are 5 stages of grief: denial, anger, depression, bargaining, and finally acceptance. The Catcher in the Rye shows how Holden goes through the grieving process. By the end of the novel it shows how Holden has reached closure or a way to let go.

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Throughout the book, The Catcher in the Rye, the protagonist, Holden Caulfield, experiences feelings of depression, because he wants somebody, anyone who isn’t a phony, to love him. He tries to make friends by asking people he sees to come have a drink with him, but most of them refuse, because it’s either too late, in the case of Faith Cavendish, or they think he’s too young and easily persuaded, in the case of the blonde girl in the Lavender Room, at the hotel. From these examples, one can conclude that the two main themes in this novel are depression and love. Holden appears to be depressed from page one, since he is talking to a therapist. Ever since his brother, Allie, died in the summer of 1946, Holden has been a crumpled piece of

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”(3.19) Holden says that he can 't stand being around Ackley but invites him to go to the movies. Holden hates phoniness in others, but can 't avoid it himself. No one will ever be able to go through life without being a phony because being phony has been a human instinct. On the other hand, some people say it is possible to grow up without becoming a phony.

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Examples Of Ambition In Catcher In The Rye

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In the novel The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger, the character Holden frequently expresses how sad he is. The cause of his depression varies, starting from Allie’s death to phony classmates to restrictive administration, but all these events and people contribute in Holden feeling worthless. He does, however, have one goal which is to become the catcher in the rye. Although this isn’t an official job title, Holden hopes that he can become a safe haven for children in need of catching. This is a very vulnerable ambition for Holden, because not only is he depressed himself needing aid from others, but connecting a person’s entire purpose of happiness on another person can be very difficult.

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1418 Words | 6 Pages

It is the “phoniness” he wants to blame. Salinger used “phony” this word many times in the book and is one of the most famous word from “The Catcher in the Rye” and it accurately describes the human nature of most adults’. During Holden’s three-day-trip in New York, he has met and encountered with many characters who are pretentious and fake, from Mr. Spencer to Luce and Sally. In society people have to lie or be “phony” just to socialize, or impress someone. Holden is a judgemental person who keeps observing other people’s phoniness but never notices them in himself.

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J.D Salinger’s widely read novel, “The Catcher in the Rye” is an episodic novel that describes in great depth Holden Caulfields three day trip from Pencey Prep, California to New York. During his roam to New York, Holden undergoes many social problems that seem to affect the way Holden behaves and acts. One of the main social issues in the novel is his innocence as he is acclimated to being around adults. In addition, another societal problem Holden faces is sexual confusion as Holden claims he is a sex maniac although, he is still a virgin. Finally, Holden has difficulties with isolation as Holden lives distant from his family and constantly strives to find ways to feel belonged.

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1002 Words | 5 Pages

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1308 Words | 6 Pages

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728 Words | 3 Pages

Boy gone crazy or depressed? Holden is in a deep depression but, does he stay depressed or go crazy? After Holden’s brother (Allie) dies he gets very depressed. Holden wasn 't even able to attend the funeral.

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