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Holden Caulfield Psychological Analysis

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I n this world, there are many cases in which a person may have a mental disorder that is undetected by the person itself . In the case of Holden Caulfield, the main protagonist in “ The Catcher in The Rye” by J.D Salinger, he suffers from an anxiety disorder that is commonly know as PTSD. This stands for post-traumatic stress disorder in which an individual gets after the result of a traumatic event that occurred to them by either experiencing it or witnessing it themselves. Throughout the book you being to notice that there are many indications of Holden experiencing symptoms in relation to PTSD like hyper arousal and avoidance (“PTSD 1“). Hyper arousal is one the symptoms in which a person can feel stressed and angry, which results in them having an outburst. There was an incident involving Sally Hayes, who was a girl that he went out with that was very attractive but not very intelligent. At the beginning of the date he was already thinking that he loved her and as the date continued he got a crazy idea in which he proposed to her. He stated that they could borrow a car from a guy he knows and how they could go out and spend their time in a cabin . Then they could waste the money that he …show more content…

After Sunny had left , Holden got depressed and started talking to his dead brother Allie. He was feeling guilty for the times he didn't let his brother come with him and Bobby to the lake a shoot items with their BB guns. He then starts imagining himself actually saying yes to him, which makes him even more depressed ( Salinger 98 ).This is showing how Holden gets very strong feeling of depression of his dead brother and how he feels guilt about not paying more attention to his brother when he was still around. Even if talking to his brother gets him more depressed he is still talking and remembering very insignificant but heartbreaking memories to

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Arrested development works in more than one fashion for Holden Caulfield, as not only does he desperately cling to the past, but his five stages of grief are similarly slowly processed—namely denial. J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye follows Holden as he adapts to life alone in the city, and is forced to deal with the consequences of living in the real world. After projecting his issues onto others throughout the novel, only by accepting his own shortcomings does Holden finally start taking steps towards changing his life for the better. Holden’s little brother, Allie, passed away some years before the story takes place, and is one of the biggest factors in his refusal to let go of the past.

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Based on the National Institution of Mental Health and examples from the novel The Catcher in the Rye, the main protagonist Holden Caufield displays multiple signs of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Throughout the novel, Holden shows many of the symptoms such as avoidance, and hyperarousal. Those who experience symptoms such as the ones mentioned, they most likely have Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD much like Holden did. J.D Salinger portrayed PTSD through Holden and how he, and like so many others suffer from this mental disorder.

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Holden Caulfield Ptsd Essay

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The Red Hat Holden Caulfield is the main character in The Catcher in the Rye, a novel written by J.D. Salinger. The novel is a flashback of Holden’s life when he was seventeen years old, when he was kicked out of Pency Prep. Holden tells his story from a rest home in California where he is seeking the help he needs after his mental deterioration caused by his younger brother Allie’s death. After reading The Catcher in the Rye and having an understanding of Holden’s deterioration, the conjecture that Holden has PTSD can easily be argued. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, can be acquired at any age, by anyone.

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Catcher In The Rye Holden's Journey Analysis

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In the novel “The Catcher in the Rye”, the protagonist Holden Caulfield demonstrates his unusual behaviour. The narrator introduces the story of an emotionally damaged teenager whose suspicions and personal issues prevent him from being “normal” in a society full of phonies that he does not seem to get along with. It becomes clear that Holden has clouded judgement as he rides an emotional rollercoaster of mood swings with the people he likes, and dislikes. Therefore, it becomes obvious that some of his personal flaws include his distrust, depression, and unreasonable attitudes and thoughts are based on his underlying emotional problems. Holden Caulfield has a variety psychological problems, such as his skepticism, depressive behaviour, and

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Catcher In The Rye Grief Analysis

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Holden Caulfield Mental Analysis

934 Words | 4 Pages

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728 Words | 3 Pages

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366 Words | 2 Pages

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