The Catcher in the Rye – Critical Essay
In the prescribed novel, ‘The Catcher in the Rye’ written by J. D. Salinger, elaborates on the consecutive complexities of Holden Caulfield’s teenage life. Holden’s youngest brothers’ recent death attributes to his depressive complexities. In correlation with a diminishing school life, these complexities are seen to influence Holden’s mental health. In spite of the fact that, Holden’s future is investigated to be hopeful. The altered structure in the 1st and last pages of the novel, examines past and present tense demonstrating that Holden is actually telling a story rather than living through it. This allows expansion for Holden’s hopeful future, as it embodies the reader to realise Holden is getting the help he requires. Furthermore, encouraging Holden’s future remain hopeful rather than being caught up in the complexities of teenage life.
Holden Caulfield connects and gets caught into depressive complexities throughout his teenage life. These being in some of the most drastic ways possible, such as the recent death of Holden’s youngest brother, Allie, who died of leukemia. At the time of death, Holden was only thirteen, making him susceptible and vulnerable to mental health issues such as depression. Holden amplifies the fact that his family was concerned for his mental health in the quote, “they were going to have me psychoanalyzed and all, because I broke all the windows in the garage. I don't blame them. I really don't. I slept in the garage the night he died, and I broke all the goddam windows with my fist, just for the hell of it. I even tried to break all the windows on the station wagon we had that summer.” With evidence to smashing all the garage windows the night of Allies death, Holden lashing out in fury shows that his immediate reactions are engraved in anger, rather than sadness, possibly encouraging issues for the hopeful future? “He’s dead now. He got leukemia and died when we were up in Maine, on July 18, 1946. You'd have liked him. He was two years younger than I was” explores how Allie was such a positive aspect in Holden’s life, and due to his passing has contributed to his depressive complexities. Furthermore, encouraging conceivable mental health issues for the future. “It was a very stupid thing to do, I'll admit, but I hardly didn't even know I was doing it, and you didn't know Allie.” Examines Holden being protective over his brother, contributing to his apparent subconscious rampage. The examined quotes prominent tone is quite harsh, very direct and confronting for the reader, making it somewhat hard to relate to Holden’s character. Repetition of continuously mentioning Allie, in the quotes forcefully emboldens that Holden is caught in grievous depressive teenage complexities.
Holden Caulfield, encounters further teenage complexities throughout his schooling life. Repeatedly facing expulsion, having to move schools continuously, along with failing a high majority of class...
