Unlike the similar sequence in the novel, Caulfield is on a Christmas break from school, and, in the story, the interlude with Sally is split into two occurrences. Holden Caulfield Holdens story communicates an important perspective on idealistic world EduBirdie considers academic integrity to be the essential part of the learning process and does not support any violation of the academic standards. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Throughout the novel, Holden acts cynical and negative towards many things. They said that I had to learn to follow directions. You dont like a million things. At the same time as he detests the adult world, he wants to be a part of it, which is why he smokes and drinks and attempts to be with a prostitute. In "The Ocean Full of Bowling Balls", Vincent (D.B.) It's interesting He then asks. He knows what hes doing. Holden Caulfield: A Troubled Character With Signs Of Clinical Afraid to go home to his parents in New York City, he spends a few days alone in Manhattan; he relates his experiences there in vivid and insightful prose. Holden Caulfield in experiencing adolescence in J.D. Holden Caulfield, the 17-year-old narrator and protagonist of the novel, speaks to the reader directly from a mental hospital or sanitarium in southern California. This leads to a number of bad decisions that occur over three days. In some literary works, unseen characters influence and move the narrative forward despite otherwise not serving as main characters. I dont even like to think about it. He doesnt seem to be able to relate to women at all and never asks any questions that would suggest he is interested in them as people. I didnt want her to get the wrong idea. In school, he expresses this to his professor saying, That is all I know about the Egyptians. At that time, D.B. Though it is not clearly stated, it can be inferred from the story that he is in a mental institution. WebHe has grown 6 1/2 inches in just one year. Holden obviously believes that he is more intelligent, more enlightened, or somehow better than all of those around him, but this is not the case. He mocks a past roommate for wanting to make sure his suitcases were visible because it would make both of them appear rich and rolls his eyes about the headmaster of his school acting totally different on parent night than he does with the students during the school day. Salinger, Holden Caulfield Its interesting that this book has been censored in many schools, I suppose people are scared away by all the goddamns. Those suffering from depression often, blame others, push others away, and refuse to help themselves. As in the trauma he might have experienced before he was with Trench. This indicates that he does not share their lifestyle or views on sexuality. They made me see a therapist for a bunch of years after that. He seems to think in strains of associations and will move through them regardless of relevance to the conversation. Why do you think you are frustrated?. Old Medication, New Use: Can Prazosin Curb Drinking? Terms of Use To be honest he I kind of insane. He just keeps falling and falling. By understanding what these clues mean and how they reflect on Holdens character, we can come to a better interpretation of one of literatures most iconic figures. But she never posts any selfies. For instance, many have speculated that Holdens brother, D.B., is actually Vincent. He doesnt want anyone to experience his loss of innocence. He even takes notes while he reads it so he can copy what it says. Youll learn from themif you want to. Press J to jump to the feed. I do not have this exact diagnosis, but a lot of people close to me do, including Tech, and I have noticed that certain traits line up with Catchers main character and most likely contributed to his trouble with education and generally fitting into the world. Thoughts of Allie lying in his grave in the cemetery in the rain, surrounded by dead bodies and tombstones, haunt Holden. After the play, Sally and Holden see, Holden sees all the people and views them all as phony, At the end of the first act we went out with all the other jerks for a cigarette. Life is a game that one plays according to the rules.". The rephrasing might be evidence that Holdens brain moves at a different speed than his mouth does, which is something some hyperverbal NDs have trouble with. When he goes to his old school and sees a curse word scratched on the wall in chalk, he thinks a "pervert" must have snuck in during the night to write it, when it was most likely another kid. CliffsNotes study guides are written by real teachers and professors, so no matter what you're studying, CliffsNotes can ease your homework headaches and help you score high on exams. Holden Caulfield Anyway, I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all. "Because you dont," she said. Salinger, Catcher In The Rye By J.D. Possible Mental Disorders of Holden Caulfield Holden is one of the first "teenagers" in American literature, and his main struggle is the realization that he is leaving childhood and entering an unsure world of adulthood. Pencey is a good school, everyone always says, but it was filled with a bunch of phonies. I cant seem to get very interested in them although your lectures are very interesting (Salinger 7). I want you to be happy. I am also bipolar, and I find that I do not burn out so quickly when I am experiencing a serotonin high, but then eventually crash due to how much Ive been exerting my hypersensitive autistic brain (my serotonin is high during manic episodes). Papers provided by EduBirdie writers usually outdo students' samples. However, when examined by a keen eye, J.D. The book is narrated as if he is speaking directly to the reader about events in the past, so everything is in his voice. He also doesnt give a crap. And I was wonderingwhat psychological "disorder" does Holden (main character) have? She was a very nice, polite little kid. Lonely and tormented by the suspicion that Stradlater may have had sex with Jane, On the train to New York, a woman sits next to. He views many things as phony and he doesnt trust many people. Well, we do. That was the only good part (Salinger 83). In addition to social masking, Holden struggles with executive dysfunction, which is what gets him expelled at the beginning of the book. PDF downloads of all 1699 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. If you want to know the truth, Im a virgin. Holden Caulfield: Egotistical Whiner or Melancholy Boy Genius? Holden, just home from camp, is waiting on the porch with his suitcases as Vincent comes back with Kenneth's unconscious body. Holden is 16 years old as the central story begins, tall at 6 feet 2 1/2 inches, partially gray-haired, and woefully skinny. You can order a unique, plagiarism-free paper written by a professional writer. Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. Literary SEO: Is Holden Caulfield a Christ Figure? | Avidly After Holden drops out of school, his roommate Stradlater brags to him about what a good time he had with Jane Gallagher. The novel's narrator and protagonist, Holden is a high school junior who has flunked out of prep school several times. Fincher and Salinger both utilize numerous strategies so as to feature these difficulties, including setting, the topic of companionship/reliability and imagery. [1] It is possible that Vincent is renamed Curtis, as Seymour was published in 1959, and both Curtis and Vincent are killed in the Pacific during World War II. Holden Caulfield is a character close to my heart, and I see him as an example of a teenager with a misunderstood brain that no one knew what to do with. (LogOut/ The thing with kids is, if they want to grab for the gold ring, you have to let them do it, and not say anything. In fact, when he talks about Stradlaters date with Jane Gallagher, he seems more disgusted than anything else.I couldnt see what was so hot about him.. It was really a bunch of garbage, I thought. He viewed Allie as innocent and didnt believe he shouldve died, I know its only his body and all thats in the cemetery and his souls in Heaven and all that crap, but I couldnt stand it anyway. He has trouble being very intimate unless he knows the girl well and likes her a lot. Fair Use Policy or become aware of any violations, please do not hesitate to contact us via support@edubirdie.com. He is kicked out of a boarding school and told not to return after Christmas break. All rights reserved She didnt answer me. I was with one of them a few weeks back. Holden Caulfield. My mom brought me to a pediatrician as soon as my kindergarten teacher said that I wasnt listening. He is most famous for his appearance as the lead character and narrator of the 1951 novel The Catcher in the Rye. Nobodyd move. Holden Caulfield is gay because of the way he speaks about women, his interests, and his overall demeanor. Seems common for most people to go through that "wahhh I hate my privileged lifestyle and family" phase at that point in their lives now. He is reportedly "killed during one of the landings in the Pacific". By the end of the novel, however, Holden realizes you cant protect anyone and you shouldnt to begin withyou should let them figure it out for themselves. They didnt get sanctioned as severely as Holden expected. It focuses on a fight between two characters named Bobby and Stradlater over Bobby's feelings about Jane Gallagher. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliffI mean if theyre running and they dont look where theyre going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. When J.D. Everyone was in the lounge watching the football game on TV. It made me depressed, just thinking about old Mr. Langhorn with those shoes. The only good thing, I knew she wouldnt let old Phoebe come to my goddam funeral because she was only a little kid. Ill bet I woke up every bastard on the whole floor. He was beyond his years and astute in his observations of people and their motivations. Holden Caulfield WebHolden often behaves as if he has been sent onto Earth to point out the wickedness or phoniness of others, but then makes excuses when he behaves [deviant]the same way as the individuals he deems morons. Holden Caulfield Salingers Catcher in the Rye. Holden Caulfield Character Analysis in The Catcher in the Rye Chapters 25-26, Next I really am. Ive thought Holden is on the spectrum possibly. However, if Stradlater had known that his roommate was gay then he might have been more respectful toward him. WebA brief note about Holdens name: a caul is a membrane that covers the head of a fetus during birth. Thats where youre wrongthats exactly where youre wrong! She is in this Benedict Arnold costume and she looks so great. from your Reading List will also remove any WebI felt that both Holden and Brian were on the spectrum - in modern terms they'd both be classed as autistic, but if we were still using older terminology I'd say that Holden shows is holden caulfield autistic He is consumed with pointing out hypocrisy and phonies because he sees it and thinks about it. And if she doesnt want to do something, she wont do it. Joined: 5 Jul 2004Age: 42Gender: FemalePosts: 5,039, Joined: 7 Nov 2006Age: 30Gender: MalePosts: 398Location: Ann Arbor, MI. He talks about all children (his brother Allie and his sister Phoebe) as if they are perfection personified, even though it becomes clear Phoebe isn't as nice or innocent as Holden thought her to be. I really dont think I could. Why do you always post about them then? I asked her. One kid posted a picture of himself that made him look like a goddam model or something. Holden is my hero. But one question that has continued to intrigue readers is whether or not Holden Caulfield, the books main character, is gay. See ya, doc, I called out. He also has a very negative view of homosexuals and calls them perverts and queers. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Carl was the only kid who went over to help him find the game. WebThe obvious signs that Holden is a troubled and unreliable narrator are manifold: he fails out of four schools; he manifests complete apathy toward his future; he is hospitalized, and visited by a psychoanalyst, for an unspecified complaint; and "Thats a deer shooting hat. I think, even, if I ever die, and they stick me in a cemetery, and I have tombstone and all, itll say Holden Caulfield on it, and then what year I was born and what year I died, and then right under that itll say Fuck you. Im positive, in fact.