Holden Caulfield

Words: 509
Pages: 3
Open Document
“It’s easy to blame others for your situation. It’s much more productive to search your own past and find what caused your faults.” In the novel written by J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, the main character, Holden Caulfield, has had a traumatic childhood. As he has gotten older, he has not done much maturing. Like many teenagers, he makes irresponsible decisions. Some might say that he has the right to blame others, due to his history of traumatic events. It can be assumed that at points in his life he was sexually abused. Going through something as traumatic as that can have a huge effect on someone. For example, Holden has made the choices multiple times to not put forth an effort in school. He also has a problem with trusting adults …show more content…
At the age of 16, Holden has been kicked out of now, four schools. At his last school, Pencey, all classes except for English. As a reader, it does not explain why he does not try to the rest of his classes. Although, when Holden talks about his brother, at one point he mentioned how his now deceased brother, Allie, was in school. Allie’s teachers would write letters to their mother to read. They talked about how much the enjoyed have Allie in class. Holden said, “But it wasn’t just that he was the most intelligent member in the family. He was also the nicest, in lots of ways.” Holden obviously thought very highly of his brother. The relationship between siblings is often the longest relationship a person may have throughout their lives. This being said, losing this type of bond may take longer to heal. According to the Children’s Grief Education, one of the six most common symptoms of grief is difficulty concentrating. This could be the reason behind why Holden has gotten kicked out of four schools. Although, having problems concentrating does not have to lead to getting kicked out of four schools. Dealing with death, in general, is very difficult, but one can not let it consume their everyday lives. He can not live the rest of his life not concentrating in the areas that he needs to get through the rest of life. Some could
Show More

Related Documents: Holden Caulfield

Essay On Holden Caulfield

There are also people that help with the reader’s greater understanding of Holden such as; his siblings Phoebe and Allie, also characters like Old Spencer. In The Cather in the Rye by S.D. Salinger there are certain symbols and characters that are very important to our understanding of our main character Holden Caulfield. One symbol that stands out very clearly in the novel that helps with the readers understanding of Holden is the Museum of Natural History. Since his childhood visits, the museum has…

Words 751 - Pages 4

Holden Caulfield Conformity

assimilation, becoming defined by their “cookie-cutter” cultural conformity. J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye was published in 1951, with the United States’s economy booming as a result of the war and consumerism on the rise. The novel chronicles Holden Caulfield, cynical sixteen year old and private school degenerate, and the depletion of his emotional resources as he roams New York City in search of the authenticity he believed he was deprived of in private school. In Holden’s contempt for conformity…

Words 1067 - Pages 5

Holden Caulfield Relationships

Do relationships really have an influence on a person's choices and actions? Holden Caulfield of The Catcher In The Rye and Chris Mccandless of Into The Wild both encounter many relationships during their adventures to find themselves that have helped them understand society and help give them a nudge in the right direction. Through their journeys their parents have been a burden on them always seeming to be in the way of everything. Their siblings however have been very trustworthy and reliable…

Words 1277 - Pages 6

Holden Caulfield Journal

that covers three days of the life of Holden Caulfield. He has been told that he just flunked out of prep school, he then begins his trip back home, where he must confront his parents. He has also considered whether he should go west and have a new life, rather than going home at all. Earlier when he was leaving Pency, Ackley, a boy who lived in the next room, came over to visit him. Ackley has assorted personal habits which make him non-attractive. But Holden tolerates him. Then there’s Stradlater…

Words 1125 - Pages 5

Holden Caulfield Phony

In J.D. In “The Catcher in the Rye”, Holden Caulfield is not just a naive and rambunctious teenager, but overall an unreliable narrator of the novel. This idea is represented through Holden’s perspective on life, as well as his mental illness. This belief is shared by literary critic and author Susan K. Mitchell, as she explains that Holden’s view on society being “phony” would make Holden a phony as well. She writes that “Holden is an unreliable narrator not only because he is a self-proclaimed…

Words 306 - Pages 2

Holden Caulfield Eulogy

beloved Holden, our family is greatly comforted by the support from throughout the community and beyond. For those of you who do not know me, my name is Phoebe Caulfield and I was blessed to be brought into this world with a brother like Holden. He taught me how to be responsible, to be vulnerable and share my true emotions, and most of all he taught me how to be a better daughter, sister, and friend, and so it brings me deep sadness to be standing here reminiscing on the life of our dear Holden Caulfield…

Words 546 - Pages 3

Holden Caulfield Symbols

boarding school, seventeen year old Holden Caulfield explores the city of New York in search of finding his purpose in life. The novel uses symbolism many times, three significant symbols are Holden's dream job of being the Catcher in The Rye, the ducks in the Central Park Lagoon and the Museum of Natural History. The duck's disappearance from the central park lagoon symbolizes Allie disappearing from Holden's life. While he’s riding a cab in New York, Holden asks the driver, “well you know the ducks…

Words 650 - Pages 3

Holden Caulfield Isolation

In the novel, Holden Caulfield is an isolated, depressed, 16 year old boy struggling with the reality of growing up. The novel takes place in the late 1940s, where the protagonist Holden narrates a series of past events from a sanatorium. Holden is sick with tuberculosis as a result of a lack of sleep and malnutrition as he prowls New York City looking to find his footing. Caulfield’s depression, isolation, and struggle with becoming an adult are all a result of the significant…

Words 1125 - Pages 5

Holden Caulfield Symbolism

to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff…” In J.D. Salinger's well-written novel, a sixteen-year-old boy named Holden Caulfield experiences a unique type of fall affecting how he values life. This specific quote explains Holden's motives as he values childhood innocence to protect and watch over children. Reason being is due to Holden experiencing the phoniness of adulthood. Overall, J.D. Salinger’s theme was that no matter how long a teenager may try to protect their childhood…

Words 847 - Pages 4

Characteristics Of Holden Caulfield

Holden Caulfield is a sixteen year old who’s currently not enrolled in high school. I’ve been spending time with him for quite sometime now and I’ve learned many things about how unique he is. The most noticeable thing that I’ve learned about holden is that he is very judgemental about everything and everybody he comes into contact with. As he meets new people he analysis them in a way that I’ve never seen before. He criticises then in ways like boring people who are insecure and above all people…

Words 316 - Pages 2