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The catcher in the rye mental health
The symbolic meanings of A Catcher in the Rye
The symbolic meanings of A Catcher in the Rye
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Throughout the novel, Holden calls himself a ‘madman’ due to his confusion of his society. Holden thinks of himself as a ‘madman’ because there is no one that he relates to. Mr. Antolini was Holden’s encyclopedia but Mr. Antolini’s character was demolished when he patted Holden on his head (Salinger 192).Holden became extremely nervous so he left Mr. Antolini's house. Holden leaving the house results in him having no one to question so he is still confused. However, Holden running away further proves that he isn’t crazy, he got scared; he wasn’t naive to stay and find out if Mr. Antolini would’ve gone further than patting him on the head. Although Holden calls himself a ‘madman,’ he is not. Holden has goals that are virtually impossible to achieve but that does not make him a nutcase. Holden is a teenager who is trying to figure himself out. This phase of his life does not necessarily mean that he is crazy. …show more content…
Every teenager goes through the unfortunate task of figuring themselves out and Holden is one of those teenagers.
Although his actions may contradict his logic, he is just another boy trying to figure himself out. Many teenagers say things they don't mean. They don't have the experience to understand the meaning of their words and how it will affect them later in life. Holden saying that he's a madman does not necessarily mean that he actually is one. Holden is a teenager and teenagers are reckless. They mostly care about themselves but in Holden's case he thinks about others; specifically about kids in a non- pedophilic way. He wants to save them which contradicts the idea that teenagers care more about themselves. Holden wants to stop the inevitable and that may seem crazy but many parents also want the same thing. Holden wants to be a savior, a light in the dark; he wants to be able to save children from what he is going
through. Holden's confusion causes him to think of himself as a madman even though he isn't one. He has ideas and questions that are different from the society he lives in so he feels out of place; he feels like a madman. During the time that this novel was written, questions about society weren’t answered, more so especially about upper class, white society. This book is written post-WWII so Americans, especially white Americans were seen as great and strong so there shouldn’t be any questions in regards to their society and way of life. Although Holden’s questions weren't answered, he still attempted to talk to someone about his uncertainty pertaining to the society he lives in. He attempted to talk to Mr. Antolini. Holden is sane because he attempted to get rid of his confusion. He did not want to continue living in a society that he didn't understand; he wanted to be able to feel like he was a part of it. Holden's questions on society and himself does not make him crazy it makes him inquisitive and interested. In the famous words of Voltaire, a man should be judged by his questions rather than his answers. At this time Holden is one of the few people who are asking questions about his society and he should be judged by those questions. There are many lurking variables for his actions, like sleep deprivation and malnutrition, both which are factors in decision making. So even though his actions may make him seem like a ‘madman,’ Holden is really just another teenager who feels out of place.
Holden struggles with himself mightily and cannot fulfill his responsibilities. One of Holden’s struggles is that he has a bad attitude towards everyone. For example, at the school he goes to, he hates his roommates and his teachers. In addition to not liking anyone, Holden
One of the main motifs seen in the book The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, is the constant idea of madness, madman, and fiend. When the idea of a madman is mentioned, Holden is usually talking to himself. The only other time he brings up the idea of madman, is when he is jealous and begins to think of violent thoughts. Holden begins to think of violent thoughts, and his mind makes him create these madman or crazy thoughts. All of these original thoughts of violence and anger could come from the death of his brother Allie, where all innocence was lost. After this tragic event, Holden started forming and creating crazy thoughts. It is known to many people throughout the book that Holden is crazy. He also can not keep relationships with his friends and family. The only
Holden also has a negative perspective of life that makes things seem worse than they really are. In addition to Holden’s problems he is unable to accept the death of his brother at a young age. Holden’s immaturity, negative mentality, and inability to face reality hold him back from moving into adulthood. Holden’s immaturity causes him many problems throughout the story. Although he is physically mature, he acts more like a child.
Again, this is one of the few people that Holden likes and doesn’t consider a phony like everyone else. He talks highly of her and he sees himself in her in the way that she alternates between behaving like an adult and behaving like a child, the way he says he also does. It bothered him greatly when she asks him if he “got the ax again,” referring to his expulsion. She starts asking him questions about his future and what he likes (if he likes anything at all) and it forces him to wake up. Everyone has been telling Holden to realize his situation and put more effort into schoolwork and relationships and to start caring. Holden’s reality is very simple: he wants to be the catcher in the rye to protect children’s innocence and stop them from growing up because all adults are phonies. Again and again, being told that that isn’t plausible annoys him. He feels betrayed, when his own sister, someone who he thought would understand him, joins everyone else in telling him to put forth more
Holden's idealism is first brought forth when he describes his life at Pency Prep. It is full of phonies, morons and bastards. His roommate, Stradlater, " was at least a pretty friendly guy, It was partly a phony kind of friendly..." (26) and his other roommate, Ackley is "a very nosy bastard" (33). Holden can't stand to be around either one of them for a very long time. Later, he gets into a fight with Stradlater over his date with Jane. Holden is upset because he thinks that Stradlater "gave her the time" and that he doesn't care about her; 'the reason he didn't care was because he was a goddam stupid moron. All morons hate it when you call them a moron' (44). Holden not only sees his roommates as phonies and bastards, but he also sees his headmaster at Pency Prep as a "phony slob" (3). This type of person is exactly what Holden doesn't want to be. He strives to be a mature adult; caring, compassionate, and sensitive.
He is not innocent, but he is also not mature. Holden identifies with children, but they do not identify with him. “I passed by this playground and stopped and watched a couple of very tiny kids on a seesaw. One of them was sort of fat, and I put my hand on the skinny kid's end, to sort of even up the weight, but you could tell they didn't want me around, so I let them alone.”(81) In this example and others, Holden wants to be with the children, because he still sees himself as an innocent child. Although he is always reaching for a cigarette or drink, Holden has a difficult time accepting that he is no longer an innocent child. This is the foundation of Holden’s depression, which J.D salinger revales upfront. has a difficult time accepting he is no longer
Holden is driven crazy by phoniness, an idea under which he lumps insincerity, snobbery, injustice, callousness, and a lot more. He is a prodigious worrier, and someone who is moved to pity quite often. Behrman wrote: "Grown men sometimes find the emblazoned obscenities of life too much for them, and leave this world indecorously, so the fact that a 16-year old boy is overwhelmed should not be surprising" (71). Holden is also labeled as curious and compassionate, a true moral idealist whose attitude comes from an intense hatred of hypocrisy. The novel opens in a doctor's office, where Holden is recuperating from physical illness and a mental breakdown.
We see during the novel that Holden wants to be able to protect innocence in the world, however by the end of the story he lets go of that desire. This is a point of growth for Holden. He finds that it is impossible and unnecessary to keep all the innocence in the world. While with Phoebe Holden says, “I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye...I’m standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff...That’s all I’d do all day. I’d just be the catcher in the rye” (173). In this moment Holden wants to be able to preserve all the youth and innocence in the world. He doesn’t accept that kids have to grow and change and that they can’t stay innocent forever. Later on in the story when Holden is with Phoebe at a carousel again he thinks, “The thing with kids is, if they want to grab for the golden ring, you have to let them do it, and not say anything. If they fall off, they fall off, but it’s bad if you say anything to them.” At the end of the novel Holden realizes and comes to terms with the fact that kids grow and lose their innocence. He moves from his want to be the “catcher in the rye” to...
He believes all adults possess an aura of "phoniness." His disgust with everyone around him reveals his fear of growing up. Holden exhibits insecurity, and to make himself feel better, he exercises the power to condemn people for the way they behave. He believes hypocrisy is evident in every adult he sees...
I believe that Holden Caulfield is mentally disturbed and shows many signs of it throughout the novel. Problems in Holden’s life that have led him to this rest home are the death of his brother Allie, his multiple failures throughout his academic career, and his distress about moving on in life. Holden deals with these problems by drinking and smoking throughout the novel. He also shows depression throughout the novel by being kicked out of multiple schools and being over-critical of people when he describes them. I feel that he is very disturbed and had not been able to deal with his problems before. Unfortunately his feelings such as the loss of Allie ha...
He wants to be safe, but takes chances. It’s a. battle between childhood and adulthood, between innocence and phoniness. This battle is what has made Holden’s world an illusion. what has made him a madman? Holden fears landing from his illusion.
that he is trying to hide his true identity. He does not want people to know who he really is or that he was kicked out of his fourth school. Holden is always using fake names and tries speaking in a tone to persuade someone to think a cretin way. He does this when he talks to women. While he is talking to the psychiatrist he explains peoples reactions to his lies like they really believe him, when it is very possible that he is a horrible liar and they are looking at him with a “what are you talking a bout?” expression. Holden often lies to the point where he is lying to him self.
They often make inappropriate comments,lack emotional control, or have unrealistic expectations for the future. Holden seems to struggle with all these issues. Holden shows his immaturity through him not being able to make decisions on his own. When Holden visits Mr. Spencer, he is told that ‘life is a game that one plays by the rules’. Mr. Spencer better understanding of how the world works because of his age. His message to Holden is to become socially intelligent and look at how his actions affect the world around him. Once again, Holden displays his lack of knowledge by ignoring this priceless advice. He is also unable to make clear, rational decisions. Holden is very impulsive and can only think within the moment. The way in which Holden makes snap decisions insinuates that he is very confused and unable to organise his thoughts in a mature fashion, exposing that his child-like state of mind still dominates the more logical and mature part of his brain. Many teens seem to struggle with romantic relationships as well as
Mr. Antolini?s theory as to what is wrong with Holden is right on, it?s just too bad he was unable to get through to Holden. Due to the fact that Holden has already given up on himself and is unwilling to apply the valuable advice he has been given. He has lost the substantial ability to find happiness in life and therefore can?t find the energy to motivate himself in anything he does. It?s a tragedy that someone as bright as Holden Caulfield is unable to find the strength within himself to persevere in a world of insanity.
In “The Madman,” Nietzsche describes a man going into a town, speaking about his beliefs, and being derided for doing so. However, with further analysis of several elements of the story, a deeper meaning behind the passage becomes clear. Nietzsche argues that morals cannot exist without God, and that atheists must therefore reject morality, and choose what is right and wrong for themselves. Nietzsche does this by using the character of the madman as a mouthpiece to express his own ideas. The first element of the parable that must be examined in order to understand the passage is a symbol, God, which represents morality in the story. The second element to be examined is the madman’s belief that humans have killed God. The implications of this