The Catcher in the Rye
The Catcher in the Rye
Christina Grimaldi
Mr. Denn
English
9 March 2013
In the novel Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, Holden Caulfield is depressed teenager filled with angst. His depression is not only evident in his words, but his actions as well. He has never really lived a normal life, for his little brother died when he was just a young boy. He is vulnerable, and he has been in many situations no other person should ever have to experience. Throughout the story, Holden displays his depression and loneliness; he is trapped in a world where he feels he does not belong.
Holden endures an incredible amount of distress at a very young age. The death of his younger brother, ...
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talking to Allie. "Every time I'd get to the end of a block I'd make believe I was talking to my brother Allie. I'd say to him, `Allie, don't let me disappear. Allie, don't let me disappear. Allie, don't 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 fear of disappearing off of the sidewalk relates to his isolation of the world around him. When he says he is afraid of disappearing, he may really mean he is afraid of dying. He has dealt with death his whole life, but he is so frightened by the thought of dying, he refers to it as disappearing. After Allie's death, Holden feels isolated from the rest of the world; like he didn't fit in. He never really expressed himself in the ways he needed to, which led to an unusual childhood.
Holden was never the school type, he felt as though he never fit in anywhere. He failed out of numerous schools, including Pencey, where he talked to ...
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the person who did it. He continues to think about it as he walks through the school, only to find another "fuck you" written on the wall. Thinking about all the children going out in the hallways seeing the graffiti, and wondering what it meant makes him feel depressed. Again, he is disappointed when he sees yet more profanity on the wall of the mummy's tomb in the Museum of Natural History. He was enjoying himself in the tomb; he thought it was very peaceful. After he sees what is written on the wall he gets so frustrated he leaves. Whenever Holden gives something a chance or begins to like someone, he always gets disappointed and depressed, and he feels even lonelier than before. ...
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"The Catcher in the Rye." Essayworld.com. May 21, 2013. Accessed December 23, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/The-Catcher-in-the-Rye/102697.
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