The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger: Society and Its Problematic Education System

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Holden’s family problems, his hypocritical attitude, and his admiration of innocence demonstrate that society expects too much from teenagers because society doesn’t consider each individuals home life. It also shows that schools are not empathetic for students’ problems, even if they affect their school work and education. Every single school Holden attended expelled him, despite this his parents did not choose to notice the reason behind his expulsions, poor mental health. His parents solution was to simply enroll him into a new school after each expulsion. The novel The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, expresses the idea that society has built a very problematic education system, where students are put under so much pressure that when they cannot live up to the unrealistic expectations they become extremely stressed and even develop mental disorders. The reader observes this through Holden’s family problems, his hypocritical attitude, and his admiration of innocence. Dysfunctional families are very common and not always as extreme as people expect them to be, however even seemingly irrelevant problems can have severe effects on a growing childs mind, often resulting in disorders such as anxiety. The stigma against mental health in society prevents people from learning about how parents and school affect child development, which results in adolescents and adults with poor mental health unable to function normally in society. Holden’s mental disorders are likely a result from his bad childhood, his brothers death and no sort of therapist or counsler to talk to him about his emotions and how to deal with them;“I was only thirteen and they were going to have me psychoanalyzed and all, because I broke all the windows in the ... ... middle of paper ... ...chool and life. Holden is a teenager and this is an example of his characters immaturity and perspective, and shows his stubborn personality. Society placing too much pressure upon teenagers, family problems, and the school system, are the main reasons that Holden has a hypocritical attitude, and admires and fixates on innocence, which makes his character an ideal example of a teenager in American society with ignored issues, such as mental illnesses, and is important to recognize for the safety and well-being of teenagers, children, and students in American society. To ensure the well-being of teenagers and the future generations, they cannot be pressured as excessively as they are, because it does not guarantee that teenagers are leading mentally stable and enjoyable lives. Works Cited Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 1951. Print.

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