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. He doesnt want anyone to experience his loss of innocence. Holden starts off by telling us that he has been kicked out of another school, Pencey Prep. WebHolden Caulfield is gay because of the way he speaks about women, his interests, and his overall demeanor. "Yes I do. I told him that my mother felt pretty bad and I didnt want to upset her by talking about it. He is consumed with pointing out hypocrisy and phonies because he sees it and thinks about it. Youll learn from themif you want to. Somebodyd written "Fuck you" on the wall. They never asked me what I thought of the directions, of course, because they were lousy. The day that old Principal Haas told me I had to leave I went back to my room and played Fortnite for hours. 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.. 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. He was singing that song, If a body catch a body coming through the rye. He had a pretty little voice, too. My Dad always was sore as hell. It took me quite a while to get to sleepI wasnt even tiredbut finally I did. In chapter twenty, Holden is feeling very lonesome so he calls a friend to have a few drinks with. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Joined: 8 Mar 2008Age: 35Gender: FemalePosts: 10, This is my favorite book, and coincidentally, my college class just reviewed it as a young adult novel. This was the reason he was unwilling to allow filming of the book or use of the character by other writers.[2]. A fantasy Holden has is to run away and live in the forest with Sally, I know this guy down in Greenwich Village that we can borrow his car for a couple of weeks What we could do is, tomorrow morning we could drive up to Massachusetts and Vermont, and all around there, see Well stay in these cabin camps and stuff like that till the dough runs out. He is both an antihero, a protagonist with qualities at odds with the stereotypically "heroic" image, and an everyman, whose experiences are to some degree "universal," at least in his respective culture. Removing #book# Society and his own body are telling him that it is time for him to change. And besides, I dont think I could ever do it with somebody that sits in a stupid movie all day long. The hat reminds him of Allie and he feels safe in the hat. Well, what do you think? I really am. 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. Our writers will provide you with an essay sample written from scratch: any topic, any deadline, any instructions. The dorm was empty. I was only thirteen, and they were going to have me psychoanalyzed and all, because I broke all the windows in the garage. To Holden, Pencey and the other prep schools that he has attended represent all that is artificial ("phony" is one of Holden's favorite words to describe this artificiality) and all that is despicable about any institution controlled by adults. Funny thing was, they were always talking about how much they annoyed the hell out of each other. 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). But can you tell me more what you were feeling at that moment, he would always say. I really dont. (including. Holden Caulfield. Everyone just started, but no one else went. However, his ability to function in social situations such as parties and other highly social areas [71] contradicts what most people refer to as an Aspie trait, so it cant be AS. He has a hard time getting started on his essay until it is too late and then bluffs his way through it, an experience that I have witnessed ADHD friends having frequently. Essay Service Examples Literature Holden Caulfield. He states, The worst part was, the jerk had one of those very phony, Ivy League voices, one of those very tired, snobby voices. I care about you deeply, Holden. This fall I think youre riding forits a special kind of fall, a horrible kind. And all she could talk about was how much those other two girls in the picture were gossiping and being mean to each other. Holden just seemed annoying to me. 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. See ya, doc, I called out. PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. Its the 49ers-th time theyve The friend doesnt like the immature conversation they are having, so he decides to leave. When people think something is important to them, they just assume that its so goddam important to everyone else. 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. In some literary works, unseen characters influence and move the narrative forward despite otherwise not serving as main characters. God, I love it when a kids nice and polite when you tighten their skate for them or something. 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. The novel's narrator and protagonist, Holden is a high school junior who has flunked out of prep school several times. A second reason why Holdens sexuality matters is because of how people treat him differently depending on whether or not they think he is gay. Still trying to answer Phoebes question, Mr. Antolini elaborates on his ideas, telling. If they fall off, they fall off, but its bad if you say anything to them. Download. I think its a parallel showing the otherside of sociopath. The fact that Holden seems to be analyzing and categorizing everyone else he speaks to, such as his description of Stradlater as what might be the first example of a Chad jock and of Ackley as an abhorrent, socially unaware loser that Holden is glad he is not, contributes to this. As Caulfield narrates his story from a 17-year-old perspective from a year before, he is depicted as a stable, Holden Caulfield was a seemingly unsolvable anomaly. In New York City, he calls Sally Hayes, a friend of his, and schedules a date with her. Thats good. Can Humans Detect Text by AI Chatbot GPT? Posted on 26/01/2012 Anyone whos read The Catcher in the Rye probably thought, at one point or another, that Holden Caulfeld is flat out bipolar. He just keeps falling and falling. I love you both so much! Boy did that guy like to hear himself talk. I decided to take a look at that post on her profile. 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 was a very peculiar guy (Salinger 10). Thoughts of Allie lying in his grave in the cemetery in the rain, surrounded by dead bodies and tombstones, haunt Holden. Later in the book, Holden hires an obviously gay cab driver named Ernie. I think he's definitely on the spectrum! However, when examined by a keen eye, J.D. Omissions? He was a handsome kid and all. This shows a lot about Holdens own mental disorders and the mindset he is perpetuating. Also, the meeting with Carl Luce is considerably briefer in the story than in the novel. My students love how organized the handouts are and enjoy tracking the themes as a class., Requesting a new guide requires a free LitCharts account. [citation needed]. She and I kind of have a friends with benefits thing, but I think she wants to be FBO. He writes about clinical adolescent psychology. Dont say that. Why the hell do you have to say that?" Autistic people tend to see rules and lines in places they might not necessarily be. He often wears the hat when feeling awkward, embarrassed, or uneasy. Its a phony. As Mr. Antolini holds forth with his advice. 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. You'll also get updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes. His interactions with the prostitute Sunny are comic as well as touching, partly because they are both adolescents trying to be adults. Especially my roommate. He has the potential to be the first realistic teenage homosexual character in English literature, which would give him a special significance. Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. I now remember hearing other students at my high school discussing how their English teacher said he was schizophrenic. "I shoot people in this hat.". He carried the weight of the world on his shoulders. The books title is of great importance. 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. Joined: 12 Nov 2007Age: 65Gender: MalePosts: 7,015. 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. Itd be entirely different. The 2 Most Psychologically Incisive Films of 2022, The Surprising Role of Empathy in Traumatic Bonding. Attached: 220px-Rye_catcher.jpg (220x346, 33K) April 2, It is the title that summarizes the book in a few words and in this case, it is The Catcher in the rye. Papers provided by EduBirdie writers usually outdo students' samples. Privacy Policy I got up close so I could hear what he was singing. I decided to untag myself from that picture. The problems that Holden and Mark face are distance, selling out and character. Something went wrong, thoughI dont even remember what any more. On the train back to New York, I checked my Instagram and thought about posting some crap about Pencey, but remembered that my mother and father followed me, and I didnt want them to know I had gotten kicked out. In particular I thought it was really interesting to watch Holden "mask" trying to learn social cues. Terms of Use, Holden Caulfield: A Troubled Character With Signs Of Clinical Depression., Holden Caulfield: A Troubled Character With Signs Of Clinical Depression [Internet]. By any chance, do you happen to know where they go, the ducks, when it gets all frozen over? Part of Holden's collapse is due to his inability to come to terms with death. Some people see him as a whiny proto-emo, some see him as just a stupid teenage boy, and some see him as a misunderstood anti-hero. Well, we do. To be honest he I kind of insane. 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. WebHe is consumed with pointing out hypocrisy and phonies because he sees it and thinks about it. After a night of drinking, Holden decides to sit out in the freezing cold with no jacket on and he almost dies, Anyway, I kept worrying that I was getting pneumonia, with all those hunks of ice in my hair, and that I was going to die (Salinger 83). From here on out, Holden was never the same. He is from New York Life is a game that one plays according to the rules.". But assume then your girlfriend disappears one day and leaving you with an untouchable smoothie all alone. He seems best at the rites of passage (smoking and drinking) that are themselves artificial if not self-destructive. A third reason why Holdens sexuality matters is that it impacts his relationships with other characters in the novel, particularly Stradlater and Phoebe. The plot of the book, with Holden running away, having frequent crying spells, freezing in the middle of tasks, and generally losing his grip on his emotions, could be explained as him encountering burnout and fatigue from masking and not knowing how to cope. It could also be a result of him overcorrecting by reiterating himself because he has grown up with people misunderstanding what he is saying, leading him to say the same thing in multiple ways before people ask him to. Especially in English class. Salingers The Catcher in the Rye was published in 1951, it was an instant success. "Thats a deer shooting hat. The main character, Holden Caulfield (or Holden Cauliflower, as I affectionately call him) is a bit controversial and a bit polarizing. Gladwaller's relationship with his younger sister can be seen as a parallel to Caulfield's relationship with Phoebe. Holden even has a fantasy about pretending to be mute and living in the woods so he no longer has to meet peoples expectations. My mom brought me to a pediatrician as soon as my kindergarten teacher said that I wasnt listening. I also assumed Brian had autism but as the show progressed I felt his odd behavior was more mental health related. Now that I know more about neurodivergence, I feel confident in headcanoning Holden as ND, specifically as an ADHD-autist. 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. I said no, there wouldnt be marvelous places to go to after I went to college and all. In addition to social masking, Holden struggles with executive dysfunction, which is what gets him expelled at the beginning of the book. It was the third school I had flunked out of, and my Dad was going to be sore as hell. Growing Up Twitbook: Top 10 Predictions Of Life in 2024! 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. WebHolden Caulfield is a troubled character who shows clear signs of clinical depression. Those that call him the "phony" don't truly understand his motives. I mean, I just have a Finsta. Shes really pretty, but sometimes I cant stand listening to her talk. ", "Because you dont. What brought me to this blog was me randomly thinking of Holden today and connecting the dots that maybe he is autistic WebHolden is a highly layered character, and to make a distinction as black and white as him being good or bad diminishes his humanity. Thats all Id do all day. I was sort of crying. I could hear them screaming from three floors up. Since Aspergers syndrome is ruled out, and is within the highly functioning part of the Autistic Spectrum, anything lower such as LFA (Lowly Functioning Autism) can be ruled out. Several early pieces featuring Holden Caulfield formed the basis of parts of Catcher In The Rye, but were rewritten for the novel. 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. Whenever Brian showed up or was mentioned on screen I immediately thought he was autistic. Ever. He probably does this because the words feel good in his mouth or head or because they are words he has learned to say in certain situations, in other words, scripting. ., Thats the queerest thing I ever heard, [Phoebe] said. After Holden drops out of school, his roommate Stradlater brags to him about what a good time he had with Jane Gallagher. Try it sometime, I said. These characters might have been in the protagonists life before the book began, or they may have barely been mentioned, but they still have a profound impact on the story. All rights reserved There was this one time, however, that he told me something I really remember. [W]hile I was sitting down, I saw something that drove me crazy. As an ADHD-autist myself, I have to agree. "The Last and Best of the Peter Pans" relates the story of Vincent's draft questionnaire being hidden by his mother. 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. "Okay.". The beginning of the book is pretty good. WebIhab Hassan, in J. I dont know why. Here's an excerpt from my "diagnosis" of Holden. Some people love the sound of their own voice. About Wrong Planet Joined: 19 Apr 2007Gender: FemalePosts: 649, oh no no no--you have it all wrong. WebA brief note about Holdens name: a caul is a membrane that covers the head of a fetus during birth. It just didnt make any sense to me. I thought how Phoebe and all the other little kids would see it, and how theyd wonder what the hell it meant, and then finally some dirty kid would tell themI hardly even had the guts to rub it off the wall with my hand, if you want to know the truth. He is out of shape because he smokes too much. Returning to the bar after his phone conversation with Sally. Holden later refers to Sally as the queen of all phonies (Salinger 63) and calls her snotty, She was still being snotty on account of her ankles when she was skating (Salinger 70). [Ackley] took another look at my hat []. 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?) One time the weather app on his phone jammed and he was screaming and yelling for about a hundred hours. Asperger/HFA people CAN have social conversations, I had thought, because they learn how to say the right things in a somewhat timely manner-almost like actors. The novel recounts Holden's week in New York City during Christmas break, circa 1948/49, following his expulsion from Pencey Prep, a preparatory school in Pennsylvania based loosely on Salinger's alma mater Valley Forge Military Academy. WebHolden Caulfield is teen angst bull-crap with a pickax. Kenneth decides to go swimming and is knocked out by a wave. I couldnt wait to get out of Pencey. The story was reportedly sold to a magazine, only to be taken back by Salinger before publication. It would also fit in with the theme of the 1970s/80s being different from our time and socially acceptable and perfectly okay things today were looked at as taboo/bad (Wendy being a lesbian for example). Salinger's various stories (and one novel) featuring a character named Holden Caulfield do not share a cohesive timeline, and details about "Holden Caulfield" and his family are often inconsistent or completely contradictory from one story to another. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. EVerything is internal, his thoughts Aspergers is a term that is insulting. But I didnt feel like it most of the time. Holden had a traumatic experience as a child, the loss of his brother, Allie. Salinger's novel The Catcher in the Rye. Our, "Sooo much more helpful thanSparkNotes. The other notable feature of the story is that his sister Viola gets her first, and only, mention in the Caulfield saga. After being beaten up by Maurice, Holden lies on the floor and thinks, What it did feel like, though, was committing suicide. Holden also denies his own interests, namely film and literature, making it seem like he has a poor sense of himself. This includes pretending he is interested in different things than he actually is. Ultimately, it is up to the reader to decide what they believe based on the information presented. This fiction reveals more truth about the world than an individuals reality can often supply. Holden Caulfield is much more than a whiner--he sees the underbelly of a person and he is a saint--the world troubles him, and he's right, it sure is troubling. A sensitive, rebellious 16-year-old, Caulfield is expelled from prep school.