“Holden Caulfield holds a place in the American psyche akin to Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer: an exquisitely rendered character with whom nearly anyone can identify” (Perle). In the year 1946, the book “Catcher in the Rye” was published. The story is about a boy named Holden Caulfield, who shows many signs indicative of mental disorder throughout the book. A few of these problems are Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and depression. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or more commonly known as PTSD is a condition which only occurs after a person has gone through stress or trauma in their life. There is one instance in the story where Holden may have developed PTSD from, which is death of his younger brother, Allie. After this tragic event, Holden’s parents send him to a private boarding school, worsening the effect. He does not do well in school and his …show more content…
It is a disorder in which a person would display excessive thoughts, which could lead to repetitive behaviors. Few symptoms of this disorder is someone using the same words multiple times, and repeatedly going over similar thoughts and actions (Mayo Clinic). Holden Caulfield clearly suffers from OCD. I understand this condition involves repeated thoughts [obsessing] and the desire to fulfil them immediately [compulsive]. This is clearly seen on the night after Holden is expelled from Pencey. Holden gets this idea he should leave Pencey immediately instead of waiting until Wednesday. He packs his stuff and sells the expensive typewriter for only $20. One night Holden spends all of his money going from one pub to another due to his obsessions. Further proof of Holden’s condition appears in constant references to “if a body, catch a body comin thro the rye”(Salinger). Finally, throughout the story, Holden constantly thinks about Allie, and how great of a person he was, and he constantly uses the word “phony” to describe anyone that he doesn’t