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Mental Deterioration In Catcher In The Rye

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The words “mental breakdown” instill discomfort and fear in the human heart, but what is more chill inducing is just how easily such a mental state can consume someone. Humans like to believe they are the masters of their world, yet the fragility of their measly and overly complex minds leads to a quick recession. It is not long before small stresses such as societal pressures, school, work, and jobs create a large crack in a person’s perception of life. Just a few minute burdens can make a tremendous effect. In The Catcher in the Rye, J. D. Salinger exemplifies how loneliness, the transition from childhood to adulthood and mental illness lead to mental deterioration through Holden Caufield.
Jerome David Salinger, also called Sonny by his …show more content…

After traveling for a while, Steinbeck begins to falter and says, “I succumbed utterly to my desolation... and went to bed and wrote long letters home, passing my loneliness around” (Steinbeck 60). It is simply a matter of time before Steinbeck feels loneliness creep in. Much like Holden, he also looks to others – and the occasional drink – to fill the void. People of all ages feel the effects of mental strain, but a teenager going through a major life transition may lack the experience it takes to handle an additional …show more content…

Mr. Antolini, a former teacher and familiar face, accepts the restless boy into his home. Seeing the effects of his distress, Mr. Antolini warns, “I have a feeling you’re riding for some kind of a terrible, terrible fall” (Salinger 186). Holden’s warped view of societal change is leading to his unhealthy demise. One analyst best describes him as “…someone cracking up and breaking down under the pressure of a society” (Brookeman 69 in Hochman & Mueller, “The Catcher in the Rye”). As Holden internalizes the pressures of the transition, he slowly begins to believe he may not fit in anywhere, which rips his mind

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In the novel “Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger, the main character, Holden acts very immature. He shows this through running away from home as well as Pency Prep, his school, in which he failed most of his classes. Holden changes his mind very quickly, and is incredibly fast to judge. He also shows immaturity by acting like a blind woman on the street. When people come to contact with problems, they face them head-on.

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He was the one that finally picked up that boy that jumped out the window I told you about, James Castle” (Salinger 174), that he holds admiration for Mr. Antolini not only as a teacher and a friend, but as someone who is brave enough to reach out towards James Castle when no one else would do it. The close relationship strengthens Mr. Antolini’s purpose in helping Holden to overcome his obstacle. His advice for Holden is “The whole arrangement’s designed for men who, at some time or other in their lives, were looking for something their own environment couldn’t supply with” (Salinger 187) and then he later follow up the statement with, “Among other things, you’ll find that you're not the first person who was ever confused and frightened and even sickened by human behavior. You’re by no mens

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