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How Does Holden Present Depression In Catcher In The Rye

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Holden Caulfield In J.D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye, the character Holden shows the symptoms of depression. Holden is kicked out of boarding school multiple times and is unable to make meaningful connections with others because he thinks they are all phonies. Holden’s negative attitude and inability to deal with his brother’s death cause many of his problems. Holden Caulfield is extremely lonely, often thinks about suicide, and drinks excessively. First, Holden is extremely lonesome. Holden lacks friendships typically because he judges people before he gets to know them. He looks for negative reasons to not befriend people because he does not want to open himself up. Holden believes most people are phonies. When Holden gets off the train …show more content…

After being turned by Faith Cavendish, Holden takes a tax cab to Ernie’s bar and “orders a scotch and soda, which is [his] favorite drink, next to frozen daiquiris” (85). Holden is a well-experienced drinker of alcohol. Holden believes that drinking will make him feel better when really it just prevents him from dealing with his pain. Later on in Holden’s week in New York, he makes plans with his old acquaintance Sally Hayes. Holden takes Sally to see a play, ice-skating in central park, and finally to dinner. At the end of his date with Sally, Holden begins to wish to run away and have a life with Sally because even though she is someone who stands for everything he hates, she listens to him. He becomes hysterical. After this fiasco, Holden calls up an old friend from the Whooten School, Carl Luce, to have drinks. Holden and Carl have drinks together and Holden starts peppering Carl with questions about sex and his sex life. Since Holden last knew Carl, he has grown up and is no longer the sex-crazed fiend he once was. After Carl leaves, “[Holden] kept sitting there getting drunk” (149). Holden is unable to make meaningful connecti0ns with people so he numbs his pain with

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