The Role Of Madness In Catcher In The Rye

Everyone is considered insane to a certain degree. Whether one defines it as mentally unstable or as someone that is being viewed wrong, there is no truly sane person. The Catcher in the Rye presents a conflict that leaves the reader pondering over the idea whether the main character, Holden Caulfield, is mad. They base his madness off of his behaviors and personality. Even though he could be considered insane, there is a reason behind his strange choice in actions. This misunderstood madness places an important role throughout the novel.

Holden describes himself as a “madman” multiple times throughout the text. His erotic behaviors throughout the novel make it believable that he is, but there is a reasonable explanation behind all of his

actions. Unlike other kids at his age, Holden is very awkward in carrying conversations. He is unable to stick to one topic without getting off track and has had difficulty finding a good set of friends. Along with that, he differs from the norm whenever he crosses the street and talks out loud to his dead brother. “Every time I came to the end of a block and stepped off the goddam curb…I started sweating like a bastard…Every time I’d get to the end of the block I’d make believe I was talking to my brother Allie. I’d say to him, ‘Allie, don’t you let me disappear. Allie, don’t you let me disappear…Please, Allie.’ And then when I’d reach the other side of the street without disappearing, I’d thank him” (Salinger 198). Holden’s younger brother, Allie, passed away a few years earlier from Leukemia. The grief he goes through thoroughly impacted him. Dealing with this event in his teenage years when his hormones are all over the place makes it even harder to accept the idea of a loved one’s death. His sadness brings bitter views on almost every subject throughout the text making it even more difficult to find a set of welcoming friends. He can’t clearly think straight and concentrate without jumping from subject to subject. He may seem mad for talking to his dead brother but it brings comfort into his life to feel that Allie is still looking out for him. Coping with grief at a young age is a true challenge. It’s because of this challenge of trying to overcome life’s tragedies that he is misunderstood as insane.
The madness presented in the novel makes it clear to see what the most important in Holden’s life. Holden would describe almost everyone he met as a “phony”. He did not appreciate the alliances and friendships he had formed with various people. Holden was not able to control the depression he had in his mind and let it affect all he had in his life. His loneliness and idea of being unneeded pushed him to want to move away from everyone where he didn’t have to encounter or communicate with anyone unwanted. The idea of escaping reality and start a new life out where no one knew him sounded like a marvelous plan. But before he could go through with it, he wanted to say goodbye to the girl he cared for his most: his little sister Phoebe. Spending that last day with her before he was supposed to leave caused a change in the idea of leaving everyone. “Boy, it began to rain… In buckets… everybody went over and stood right under the roof of the carrousel… but I stuck around on the bench for quite a while. I got pretty soaking wet… I didn’t care... I felt so damn happy, if you want to know the truth” (Salinger 212-213). He overcame his depression when he was with the ones he cared the most. It was easier to understand the importance they had on his life. It wasn’t until later that he realized how much he missed the friends he would always complain about. The madness brought clearness in realizing what is most important in his life.
Deciding whether Holden should be view as mad is truly based on perspective of his behaviors. The way he was coping with the tragedy he had to go through at a young age is misconstrued as madness. Even though it might have brought up confusion in the novel, the madness played an important part in helping Holden come to realization what he should not push away from in life.