Post Traumatic Stress Disorder In Holden Caulfield

The Catcher in the Rye tells the story of Holden Caulfield, a teenage boy struggling with important issues of adolescence, while having numerous ordeals in the great city of New York. It was written by J.D. Salinger in 1951, mainly targeted at young adults. Ever since, it has been taught at schools all over the world, and Holden is considered an important symbol for teenage rebellion. However, there is a chance that Holden’s symptoms go beyond those of an average teenager, and come closer to those of one who is suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. Throughout most of the novel, his supposed PTSD is conspicuous. One very important moment, though, is when Phoebe tells him, “You don’t like anything that’s happening” (Salinger 169). If that hadn’t been clear enough at this particular point of the novel, his sister blatantly points out his lack of interest in life, a common sign amongst PTSD survivors. He says that it made him very depressed, and as he tries to argue against it, you can feel the anger
In chapter 25, for example, he says, “After I came out of the place where the mummies were, I had to go to the bathroom. I sort of had diarrhea, if you want to know the truth. I didn't mind the diarrhea part too much, but something else happened. When I was coming out of the can, right before I got to the door, I sort of passed out” (Salinger 204). This is not the only moment in the book where Holden complains about dizziness. In other parts, he mentions sudden aches and sweating, as well. Be that as it may, this scene strongly shows how this disease can affect a person not only emotionally, but also physically. When suffering from PTSD, as well as a number of other mental diseases, a person’s physical state may be affected, unexplainable by anything other than their illness. Holden’s symptoms kept showing up until he eventually passed out, not being able to handle them