How Does Holden's Life Affect The Catcher In The Rye

There is something interesting about seeing the world through someone else’s eyes. The intriguing novels, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, by Mark Haddon, and The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, both capture the lives of adolescent boys experiencing reality through their afflictions and personal struggles while growing up. Haddon and Salinger equally perceive the authentic lifestyle through which average teenagers mature. First person narration enhances the readers understanding of the characters from both novels and provides them with insight to their thoughts and emotions, allowing one to empathize with them. Due to the insight given through this form of narration, one is able to discover who the characters truly are,

Holden’s depression directly relates to his family, specifically his brother, Allie. “I slept in the garage the night he dies, and I broke all the goddam windows with my fist…” (Salinger 39). Holden experiences much pain when his brother dies, leaving him constantly wondering about him and what might happen to him. From a general perspective, Holden would seem in need of psychoanalysis, however, death is never easy to cope with, especially at his age. Holden’s parents hold more of a negative influence on his life. “Lawyers are all right, I guess – but it doesn’t appeal to me…all you do is make a lot of dough and play golf and play bridge and buy car and drink martinis and look like a hot-shot” (Salinger 172). Holden has a pessimistic view of his parents, as he sees them as selfish and only caring about possessions since his father is a lawyer. The reader is able to understand why Holden may be led to depression, partially due to the lack of care he receives from them. Both, Holden and Christopher’s families, among numerous others, struggle to get along, and at times, have considerable negative sway on their emotional

One cannot possibly learn everything there is to know about someone during a single encounter. It is more educational to see both Christopher and Holden through their raw thoughts to paint the most accurate picture. It becomes clear who each individual is and how they use their unique personalities to face every challenge they come across. Solely through the relationships they have with those around them and their life experiences, are Christopher and Holden able to be the maturing adolescents they are. Art is open to be interpreted with distinct thoughts, but only the artist knows the true meaning behind it. Everyone is entitled to his or her opinion, respectively. However, one cannot be accurately made without all the details necessary in order to do so. This is the same with people. Everyone has their own wars to fight; their own battle scars from each, and it is unjust to judge them without knowing the hardships that one has had to endure. Beauty is in the eye of the