The Catcher In The Rye Holden analysis

A detailed Summary of The Catcher In The Rye Holden analysis


Holden Caulfield can be analyzed through his thoughts, actions and circumstances which surround his everyday life. Holden acts like a careless teenager. Holden has been to several prep-schools, all of which he got kicked out of for failing classes. After being kicked out of the latest, Pency Prep, he went off to New York on his own. Holden seems to have a motivation problem which apparently affects his reasoning. The basis of his reasoning comes from his thoughts. Holden thinks the world is full of a bunch of phonies. All his toughs about people he meets are negative. The only good thoughts he has are about his sister Phoebe and his dead brother Alley. Holden, perhaps, wishes that everyone, including himself, should be like his brother and sister. That is to be intelligent, real and loving. Holden's problem is with his heart. It was broken when his brother died. Now Holden goes around the world as his fake self, wearing his mask. Holden is look


Salinger is trying to show the reader the confusion anger and frustration of loosing a loved one, and how it can effect a persons life. Salinger is saying that a person needs reciprocal love to be happy and healthy. Holden is miserable because he lost his brother whom he loved very much. When Alley died Holden smashed up the windows in the garage so bad that even years later he still cant make a good fist. Maybe Holden's ability to love was taken away along with his brother. Without Holden having a healthy relationship with love going back and forth he becomes an emotionless heap of flesh with no direction or motivation. The author is illustrating his version of hell. Hell to the author is being surrounded by phonies and not being able to care. This tragedy is Holden's life; a life of lies and deception, a life of cold, dark thoughts, a life in hell.

The theme of alienation is demonstrated by Holden. He alienates himself from the world becaus

Some common words found in the essay are:
Phoebe Alley, Alley Holden, Maybe Holden's, Prep York, Holden Caulfield, holden alienates, died holden, love afraid, love holden,

Approximate Word count = 640
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

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