What causes a sixteen year old to become institutionalized for extreme depression after reluctantly deciding not to commit suicide? In the novel The Catcher in the Rye, published in 1951,J.D. Salinger, addresses varies topics in which can lead a teenager to such drastic measures. Holden Caulfield was lead to being unhappy because of the type of person he is, the different aspects of society which he can’t tolerate, his phoney atmosphere at school, he is confused about sex, and due to his family issues. One of the forces that has driven Holden to such unhappiness was the type of person he is. Holden has a distinct personality that causes him to be more likely to be questionative. To truly understand the type of person Holden is, one can reflect …show more content…
Throughout the story, the three women Holden liked and encountered was Sally Hayes, Jane Gallagher, and a prostitute named Sunny. Holden is afraid to express himself when it comes to having sex, almost as if he is protecting his innocence. Like most guys, Holden has an idea of having sex; however, it is different from the reality of having sex. Holden is very inexperienced, however, “In [his] mind, [he is] probably the biggest sex maniac you ever saw” even though he is afraid to even speak with a female (62). Holden enjoys the company of his lady friends, but is lacking in commitment. Holden asked Sally to run away with him; however, Sally answered,” "You can't just do something like that." Jane Gallagher is a girl that Holden has a crush on. The book stated, “Jane was different. We’d get into a godd*m movie or something, and right away we’d start holding hands, and we wouldn’t quit till the movie was over. And without a changing the position or making a big deal of it. You never even worried, with Jane, whether your hand was sweaty or not. All you knew was, you were happy. You really were.”(79) It is clear that if he were to have sex, it would be better with Sunny or Sally, girls in which he can not validity back up his emotions for. At Holden’s age he appears to still only have little crushes. Holden does not have an extreme lust to be with woman. Sunny, the prostitute, was paid to have sex with him; however, Holden chicken out and only wanted to talk due to him being “under the