Also, the meeting with Carl Luce is considerably briefer in the story than in the novel. Joined: 12 Nov 2007Age: 65Gender: MalePosts: 7,015. The ducks are migrating and he wants to know where they are going. What I really felt like, though, was committing suicide. I don't remember anything they said about it other than that they claimed he was hallucinating a voice saying "F*** you" or something. In New York City, he calls Sally Hayes, a friend of his, and schedules a date with her. They also looked like he had worn them for about sixty years. Thats good. Joined: 19 Apr 2007Gender: FemalePosts: 649, oh no no no--you have it all wrong. Fair Use Policy or become aware of any violations, please do not hesitate to contact us via support@edubirdie.com. And I was wonderingwhat psychological "disorder" does Holden (main character) have? Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. Where are you going? "I'm Crazy" is closely related to the first chapter of The Catcher in the Rye. Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. Despite his limited experience, his attitude toward women is actually admirable and mature. He is attracted to the trappings of adulthood: booze, cigarettes, the idea of sex, and a kind of independence. character) might have been the same person, but simply renamed in a later work. Since the book's publication, Holden has become an icon for teenage rebellion and angst, and is considered among the most important characters of 20th-century American literature. I also assumed Brian had autism but as the show progressed I felt his odd behavior was more mental health related. 2023 Course Hero, Inc. All rights reserved. He tells her when he leaves Pencey that he would like to sleep with her in the same bed. Ultimately, it is up to the reader to decide what they believe based on the information presented. Holden Caulfield. Id just be the catcher in the rye and all. Old Medication, New Use: Can Prazosin Curb Drinking? Holdens most obvious and unique trait is his speech, both inside and outside of his head. The cars zoomed by, brakes screeched all over the place, his parents paid no attention to him, and he kept on walking next to the curb and singing If a body catch a body coming through the rye. It made me feel better. The bullies that pushed James to his death were merely expelled from school and let off the hook. This is not a personality disorder. Throughout the book, we get to see how Caulfield develops and emerges into adulthood and his feelings towards it. Holden just seemed annoying to me. The day that old Principal Haas told me I had to leave I went back to my room and played Fortnite for hours. When I was all set to go, when I had my bags and all, I stood for a while next to the stairs and took a last look down the goddam corridor. Instead, he goes to speak to Phoebe. I have 26 followers and I dont post that much. Depression is a serious issue and if it goes untreated for long enough, it can lead to one taking their life, Depression is a key risk factor for suicide (Suicide). In the meantime, do not be a phony, and stay gold. Holden also says things like where do the ducks go in the winter? which seems completely obvious to me and I didnt understand until the 8th time I read this book that it is symbolic. It has been suggested that Salinger himself related so closely to Holden that he was protective of the character. I do. It's all scripted and fake when he speaks. I didnt know what the point was. Salinger himself is a reclose and has never surfaced since the book. In "The Ocean Full of Bowling Balls", Vincent (D.B.) >In the late 1970s two FBI agents expand criminal science by delving into the psychology of murder and getting uneasily close to all-too-real monsters. This essay is available online and was probably used by another student. Holden, just home from camp, is waiting on the porch with his suitcases as Vincent comes back with Kenneth's unconscious body. WebLast Updated: Jan 24, 2023 Article History Table of Contents Holden Caulfield, fictional character, the teenaged protagonist and narrator of J.D. He never had a girlfriend. This was the 1940s, when ADHD was unheard of and autism was new, so adults in Holdens life assumed he was a bad kid and punished him. Psychology Today 2023 Sussex Publishers, LLC. It is the title that summarizes the book in a few words and in this case, it is The Catcher in the rye. The experiences and thoughts of Holden Caulfield accurately represent those of real-world depression patients. He mainly shows signs attributed to depression. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Holden-Caulfield, National Public Radio - Holden Caulfield: Giving Voice to Generations. It was the third school I had flunked out of, and my Dad was going to be sore as hell. I agree he most definitely is ND. PDF downloads of all 1699 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. He thought he had to be the catcher, the protector of all young children so that they didn't fall off the side of the cliff. The main character, Holden Caulfield (or Holden Cauliflower, as I affectionately call him) is a bit controversial and a bit polarizing. She said she had to meet her friend. "My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." I thought it was a nice touch that he seemed to absorb or mimic the mannerisms and vocabulary of whoever they interviewed/ or who he spent the most time with at given points. I was only thirteen, and they were going to have me psychoanalyzed and all, because I broke all the windows in the garage. Sometimes when this happens, he calls on his dead brother, Allie, for help. Depression is usually masked and Holden is shown to do this. I felt more depressed than sexy, if you want to know the truth. Game, my ass. But assume then your girlfriend disappears one day and leaving you with an untouchable smoothie all alone. One thing Holden constantly brings up is the ducks in Central Park. While taking the elevator back to his hotel room. I mean, I just have a Finsta. Throughout the novel, The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. [Ackley] took another look at my hat []. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Design a site like this with WordPress.com, Open Letter to a Recently Diagnosed AutisticAdult, Why School and Holden Caulfield Failed EachOther. The dorm was empty. He is alternately depressed, confused, angry, anxious, They said that I had to learn to follow directions. That reminds me of my therapist back from a few years ago. The friend doesnt like the immature conversation they are having, so he decides to leave. WebIf Holden were just autistic, he might have returned home toward the familiar immediately, but as an ADHD-autist, his novelty-seeking brain led him through several new Since he ends up in a hospital at the end and consistently has those fainting fits towards the end of the book, I guess that that has something to do with it. In addition, Ernie the taxi driver seems to be able to understand Caulfield on a deeper level than most people because he senses that Holden is also gay. Instant PDF downloads. But Im glad he didnt. You dont see what I mean at all. That little lake? Holden's fears and desires are understandable, but his solution (avoiding reality) is impossible. When Sally compliments him and calls his hair lovely, he doesnt believe what she is saying and thinks, Lovely my ass (Salinger 67). I hear that youre frustrated. "You dont like anything thats happening.". Especially my roommate. The darkest form of Holdens social disconnect is when he hints that he has been a victim of sexual violence before, which is more likely to happen with autistic kids because of a lack of a sense of danger. I couldnt wait to get out of Pencey. But he despises the compromises, loss of innocence, absence of integrity, and loss of authenticity in the grown-up world. I felt like jumping out the window. Refine any search. WebHolden Caulfield character explanations intentions communication concepts 03 Share This fall I think youre riding forits a special kind of fall, a horrible kind. EVerything is internal, his thoughts Depression affects all aspects of life, Depression is technically a mental disorder, but it also affects your physical health and well-being (The Effects of Depression) and can lead to serious problems for a person. This is one of my favorites. The other notable feature of the story is that his sister Viola gets her first, and only, mention in the Caulfield saga. Holden also exhibits this behavior. Yes! Holden has some interesting rules in his head about the world around him, such as every Catholic he meets wanting to find out if he is also Catholic above all else. 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. He is only hypercritical of adults, who he sees as phonies and sell-outs. I had pills too. In a dialogue between Holden and his sister Phoebe, he confesses his fear of people thinking he is queer: He is very attached to his younger sister, Phoebe. He is very untrustworthy of people. I really dont think I could. If you get on the side where all the hot-shots are, then its a game, all rightIll admit that. You can order a unique, plagiarism-free paper written by a professional writer. I dont care. You ought to go to a boys school sometime. But I rubbed it out anyway, finally. I said. "Up home we wear a hat like that to shoot deer in, for Chrissake," he said. He just keeps falling and falling. So in order to cope with their emotions, they turn to alcohol and other forms of substance abuse, Among individuals with recurring major depression, roughly 16.5 percent have an alcohol use disorder and 18 percent have a drug use disorder (Substance Abuse and Depression). Salinger: The Normalcy Of Holden Caulfield, Explanation Behind The Sporadic Actions Of Holden Caulfield, Evaluation Of Holden Caulfield in Catcher In The Rye By J.D. Its full of phonies, and all you do is study so that you can learn enough to be smart enough to be able to buy a goddam Cadillac some day, and you have to keep making believe you give a damn if the football team loses, and all you do is talk about girls and liquor and sex all day, and everybody sticks together in these dirty little goddam cliques.. None of Salingers works to date have clarified exactly how many Caulfied children there were or who (aside from the Kenneth/Allie My English teacher in fourth grade wanted us to memorize the goddam Declaration of Independence and we had to listen to every goddam kid get up and recite it from memory. Holden Caulfield would probably have two hemorrhages if he heard someone say this, but its true that even for thoughtful and otherwise independent people it simply feels good sometimes to know youre doing the exact same thing as 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's interesting Thats important. He states, The worst part was, the jerk had one of those very phony, Ivy League voices, one of those very tired, snobby voices. Salinger, Catcher In The Rye By J.D. Sometimes he seems very comfortable around homosexuals, while other times he clearly rejects them. The community od ppl in the autistic spectrum have been fighting against that word for years now. During this three-day period, Holden makes many bad decisions. 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. It makes me depressed to think about it. Thats the whole trouble. Advertising on Wrong Planet. Why the hell do you say that? Good, he told me. Joined: 5 Jul 2004Age: 42Gender: FemalePosts: 5,039, Joined: 7 Nov 2006Age: 30Gender: MalePosts: 398Location: Ann Arbor, MI. You should have seen all of the comments on his post. The hat reminds him of Allie and he feels safe in the hat. He kept asking me about my feelings and I was happy to tell him. Tips For Efficiency: Worldly Repository of Knowledge, Reasons Why Holden Caulaulfields Sexuality matters. I remember being a teenager and begging my father to read Catcher in the Rye because I didnt know how else to explain what was happening to me. Instead Nancy dug into her denial and whisked him away. But they are pretty catty. I said. 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. Holden is constantly running away from his problems, like being expelled, and avoids them. WebHolden Caulfield is a typical anti-hero from the 20th century who features as the main character from the novel, Catcher In The Rye by J.D Salinger. Everyone was in the lounge watching the football game on TV. -Graham S. The timeline below shows where the character Holden Caulfield appears in, It is several months into 1950, and 16-year-old, that he and his date decided to leave the football game early. I gotta run now, though. I think you need to let yourself get closer to others. He stood as soon as he said that. Youre by no means alone on that scoreMany, many men have been just as troubled morally and spiritually as you are right now. Salinger 's novel, Catcher in the Rye, is an excellent example of a psychologically sensitive portrayal of a child with autism spectrum 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. He then asks. When they stop at a red light, Ernie starts caressing the steering wheel lovingly. WebThe character of Holden Caulfield in J.D. Holden is my hero. Papers provided by EduBirdie writers usually outdo students' samples. They got out of break a little earlier so I could see that she was hanging out at the skating rink with these two other girls. His general health is poor. The trouble was, I couldnt concentrate too hot. Holdens depression has led him to contemplate suicide. 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. Interestingly, Holden also struggles with his own authenticity. Terms of Use, Holden Caulfield: A Troubled Character With Signs Of Clinical Depression., Holden Caulfield: A Troubled Character With Signs Of Clinical Depression [Internet]. -sorry if I went off-topic, Joined: 10 Apr 2008Age: 32Gender: FemalePosts: 272, Thanks for all the replies. In particular I thought it was really interesting to watch Holden "mask" trying to learn social cues. Theres a word I really hate. Although J.D. It made me even more depressed when she said that. If Holden were just autistic, he might have returned home toward the familiar immediately, but as an ADHD-autist, his novelty-seeking brain led him through several new experiences instead. He decides to head back to New York City, where he is from, but he doesnt go home. He has the potential to be the first realistic teenage homosexual character in English literature, which would give him a special significance. He was crying and crying. Its possible, he does seem to display signs of neurodivergence. "I do! That was the same day that he told me how much he cared about me. Except Carl really needed them to focus his parents told him. I said no, there wouldnt be marvelous places to go to after I went to college and all. I slept in the garage the night he died, and I broke all the goddam windows with my fist, just for the hell of itIt was a very stupid thing to do, Ill admit, but I hardly didnt even know I was doing it, and you didnt know Allie. Struggling with distance learning? [170]. Holden acts this way to hide his own insecurities. He gets creeped out by Mr. Antolini stroking his head, but the narration implies that this type of behavior has been a pattern, and that is why Holden knows it is wrong. After this, a noticeable change in his behavior occurs. ., Thats the queerest thing I ever heard, [Phoebe] said. Press J to jump to the feed. He was just singing for the hell of it, you could tell. I sort of closed one eye, like I was taking aim at it. He has a strong connection with certain males throughout the novel. Another mistake is not owning up to his being expelled from his parents and instead, running away. He is consumed with pointing out hypocrisy and phonies because he sees it and thinks about it. LitCharts Teacher Editions. She added some heart emojis. Is he gay or straight? WebHolden Caulfield Character Analysis. Salingers little window into the life of a certain adolescent, is an untapped well, brimming with educational merit beyond what those ignorant institutions are capable of appreciating. Holdens psychological situation and his personality traits seem to branch out and touch a lot of different known psychological disorders. She is hysterical, old Pheobe. She was depressing. "Because you dont," she said. I think you feel sad about your own childhood.. The way Holden treats sexuality is reflective of the time period in which the novel was written, when society was just beginning to accept alternative lifestyles. Expulsion from Pencey Prep. Holden Caulfield (identified as "Holden Morrisey Caulfield" in the story "Slight Rebellion Off Madison" , and "Holden V. Caulfield" in The Catcher In The Rye) is a fictional character in the works of author J. D. Salinger. On edge because of the play and because of Sallys question about Christmas Eve. He even has a memory of getting frustrated in class because he kept changing topics during a speech and his classmates kept shouting digression at him. Have you ever heard of a hostile attribution bias?. In his confusion, he sees this behavior as a weakness that may even call for psychotherapy. Wed have to go downstairs in elevators with suitcases and stuff. In addition, some believe there isn't much a difference between sociopath and psychopath; they are the same disorder expressed differently. She had a horrible face, but she was a great dancer. Also, the event that probably destroyed all faith and trust he had in society and people were when James Castle from Elkton Hills, jumped to his death. For instance, many have speculated that Holdens brother, D.B., is actually Vincent. To those whom have read the book, you can see that he has some Aspie traits like social awkwardness. There is some ambiguity here because Holden is both alive and a high school student in Catcher, which was written and published after the war, so it is not possible for him to have been a soldier during the 1940s and a high school student in the early 50s. Have no time to work on your essay? From his outlook on the world to his actions, and even his past, it is very easy to see that he It drove me damn near crazy. I care about you deeply, Holden. Web3. Yes, I do think he's an aspie--red hunting cap, inappropriate comments, mimicing adults in order to make conversation, analyzes everything, repetitive (keeps asking the same questions over and over--where do the ducks go in the winter?) Depression has a huge impact on ones mental state. Get the help you need from a therapist near youa FREE service from Psychology Today. Dont say that. It was a lie, of course, but the thing is, I meant it when I said it. After Holden drops out of school, his roommate Stradlater brags to him about what a good time he had with Jane Gallagher. The man falling isnt permitted to feel or hear himself hit bottom. I think you care deeply about many people, especially children. Lately, a lot of people on this sub have even been comparing his mannerisms to Connor from the video game Detroit Become Human. His general health is poor. When I read Holdens point of view, I felt that I had some things in common with him. Thoughts of Allie lying in his grave in the cemetery in the rain, surrounded by dead bodies and tombstones, haunt Holden. It was late, but I decided to text Sally. The man falling isnt permitted to feel or hear himself hit bottom. Holden Caulfield tells his story with surprising honesty from a hospital in California in a cynical and jaded language. All rights reserved, Holden Caulfield and Preserving Innocence in Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield's Journey from Depression to Happiness, Holden Caulfield as the Main Character of the Book Catcher in the Rye, The Challenges of Holden Caulfield and Mark Zuckerberg, Analysis Of Holden Caulfield As A Typical Teenager In The Catcher In The Rye By J.D. If you want to know the truth, Im a virgin. And besides, I dont think I could ever do it with somebody that sits in a stupid movie all day long. We will write an essay sample crafted to your needs. From here on out, Holden was never the same. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. Holden Caulfield is so very dear to my heart. But can you tell me more what you were feeling at that moment, he would always say. I just finished reading the book, Catcher in the Rye. (LogOut/ He also favors certain words, including preceding almost every name he mentions with old and saying goddamn an eyebrow-raising two hundred thirty-seven times. WebHe has grown 6 1/2 inches in just one year. Teachers and parents! Then, when the dough runs out, I could get a job somewhere and we could live somewhere with a brook and all and, later on, we could get married or something (Salinger 71). He was beyond his years and astute in his observations of people and their motivations. He was probably just getting up because our session ended. It focuses on a fight between two characters named Bobby and Stradlater over Bobby's feelings about Jane Gallagher. Near the beginning as well as the end of the novel, he feels that he will disappear or fall into an abyss when he steps off a curb to cross a street. What Holden probably didn't realize in the novel was that his idea of those who are innocent is not very accurate. When people think something is important to them, they just assume that its so goddam important to everyone else. Still trying to answer Phoebes question, Mr. Antolini elaborates on his ideas, telling. Those reading this will probably recognize Catcher in the Rye as one of those books you had to read in high school, one of those classics. There can be high functioning on the autism spectrum though. Sometimes people can seem callous or unemotional. Holden is actually questioning what happens when children become adults (or when they are forced into the winter or adult world) this concern can apply to other children or Holdens feelings about himself. Another symptom attributed to depression is a loss of interest in many things, People typically exhibit multiple of the following behaviors and symptoms Loss of interest or pleasure in most or all normal activities, such as sex, hobbies or sports, (Depression (Major Depressive Disorder)). That's what i suspect too especially over season 2. I now remember hearing other students at my high school discussing how their English teacher said he was schizophrenic. Because they do it too, and I dont want them to think I dont like them she told me. At one point, Holden begins picturing his funeral, I kept picturing her not knowing what to do with all my suits and athletic equipment and all. He is most famous for his appearance as the lead character and narrator of the 1951 novel The Catcher in the Rye. He does lie, but most of his lies are random and outrageous, such as when he tells two different strangers that he is twelve and forty, despite being seventeen, suggesting impulsivity. Holden does the same. Joined: 10 Oct 2006Age: 43Gender: FemalePosts: 1,054. For example, in The Catcher in the Rye, Allie was the brother of the main character, Holden Caulfield. He claims to see through the insincerity and inauthenticity of adult society, branding people around him phonies even people who perhaps dont deserve He is the most relatable fictional character I have ever come across. One of his favorite insults is phony, and he is always going off about other people at his school posturing and protecting their images. Do you know what that means?. Im crazy. 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. I think its a parallel showing the otherside of sociopath. I was sort of crying. So, Holdens main problem is he cant let his image of innocence he sees in children be shattered because he is nostalgic and uncertain about his own future. It affects the ability to make decisions as it clouds judgment, Another symptom attributed to depression is a diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness, nearly every day (Depression Symptoms). Imagine that you are living in the middle of the 1950s and you are located in the middle of New York City, ordering a smoothie from a store with your girlfriend. She and I kind of have a friends with benefits thing, but I think she wants to be FBO. I could hardly see straight (Salinger 80). Holden Caulfield is one of the most enduring characters in 20th-century American fiction. He was consumed with nuns eating dry toast and how this is saintly and how can he reconcile with the rest of us slobs eating regular food--steak and potatoes. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. In chapter twenty, Holden is feeling very lonesome so he calls a friend to have a few drinks with. None of them played football, and they didnt give a damn about our schools team until they got here at Pencey. Everyone just started, but no one else went. He is from New York And who can forget phony? I cant stand all of the phonies on their profiles with all of their pictures of themselves and all of the comments about how good they look and how they just went to these great places. His life was complicated by the death of his younger brother, and the negative reaction that it invoked from his parents. Throughout the novel, Holden acts cynical and negative towards many things. Holden Caulfield in experiencing adolescence in J.D. He was very eccentric in many ways and Holden is, most likely, parts of him. The fact that he lies about his age specifically might also mean he feels disconnected from his chronological age, which is another ND trait. I couldnt wait to get out of Pencey. I decided to take a look at that post on her profile.