Holden Caulfield Sympathy

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The novel ‘The Catcher in the Rye’, by J.D. Salinger, evokes sympathy from the audience through the first-person point of view of Holden Caufield, the protagonist. Through Holden’s recount, we find out that it’s just after the 2nd World War in New York, his brother has passed and that he has flunked out of school again. This gives the audience insight into a teenager’s mind and displays the different struggles they go through, from being depressed, growing up and trying to connect in a world full of phonies, while trying to navigate life.

Throughout the text we see signs of Holden being depressed, having PTSD and being suicidal, even with these feelings Holden never really reaches out for support. Holden experiences a lot through his short journey after Pencey, which creates an emotional connection with the reader. At the start of the book the audience is able to catch on that Holden is struggling especially when he’s in his room by himself after everyone has left, he “felt so lonesome” and “almost wished [he] was dead”. Highlighting the lows Holden was experiencing makes the reader feel commiserated towards him as he feels there isn’t much for him to live for. Digging deeper into the book, the root problem for these emotions Holden experiences is …show more content…
Just after Allie died, Holdens parents “were going to have [him] psychoanalyzed because [he] broke all the windows in the garage” in a fit of rage and grief due to the shocking loss. This profoundly affects Holden
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