Examples Of Maslow's Hierarchy Of Needs In Catcher In The Rye

Holden’s early childhood and adult experiences causes him to seek out pleasure and happiness in order to make him seem less lonely during hard times. Holden is a teenager transitioning from his teenage years to adulthood. Holden just got kicked out of an upper class private school, as he did with most other schools he attended. In fear of facing his parents during break and the hatred he feels towards his classmates, Holden leaves the school early and decides to live independently. Multiple times during his journey he quotes on being sad and depressed due to his current situation with school and family life. Holden’s brother, Allie, died young because of leukemia and Holden often misses him and longs to fill the emptiness and sadness he feels

Maslow created the idea that experiences and feelings directly leads to actions and basic human needs. The simplest example is when you’re hungry, you eat. Or if you are upset you will react in negative ways. Maslow’s psychological theories come from a pyramid of needs. Basic needs, such as air, food and water are placed on bottom while more complex needs, such as self- actualization at the top, or the desire to be the person you want to be. Maslow claims that everyone needs to sustain lower needs before sustaining more complex ones. You can apply Maslow’s theories to Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye or more specifically, Holden. One of the layers in the pyramid is love and belonging followed by esteem and finally self- actualization. Feeling like Holden belongs is something the character struggles with throughout the whole story. However when he finally finds happiness through others such as his sister, he begins to move up slowly on the pyramid. While he narrates the story, Holden looks back on memories and actions. Although while he narrates the story it seems as if Holden is still not mature, a safe assumption is that Holden indeed in fact has matured over the course of his teenage