From J.D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye comes forth the timeless protagonist,
Holden Caulfield. To some, the perplexing anomalies of his character remain a
captivating mystery, but to others, such as psychoanalysts, Holden Caulfield is an open
book. By carefully observing his social quirks and inward thoughts, psychoanalysts can
make a conclusion about his psyche. Specifically, through his lack of social contact,
occasional mood swings, and paranoia among other things, anyone looking through a
psychoanalytic lens could conclude that Holden Caulfield is schizophrenic.
The psychoanalytic lens is one of many ways to observe a work of literature. By
using this lens, psychoanalysts observe the special behaviors of a character to further
explain or justify the character’s actions. A psychoanalyst usually links behaviors to
symptoms of a kind of disease and diagnoses the character. In Holden’s case, things like
an inability to socialize, substance abuse, and paranoia are symptoms that link him to a
diagnosis of schizophrenia.
Holden Caulfield, growing from 16 to 17 years old, is on the cusp of adulthood
(Salinger 9). This makes Holden more likely to have schizophrenia. Schizophrenia,
before modern science, was referred to as adolescent insanity because it is most likely to
appear in young adults and teens (Abramovitz 14). Aside from his behavioral
characteristics, his age even places him as a likely candidate for schizophrenia.
The most distinguishing characteristic of all types of schizophrenia is an inability
to distinguish reality from fantasy (Abramovitz 12). This is manifest in Holden’s dogged
insistence on a stark dichotomy of the world. In reality, society is dominate...
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...l have to spend time in a hospital or psychiatric center in order to
come to terms with his disease. Medication is often helpful and needs to be taken daily.
Holden must relearn the skills of everyday living in order to compensate for his
unsociability. Rehabilitation is best achieved through the reduction of stress in everyday
life. Unfortunately there is no permanent cure for schizophrenia, but, in an optimal case,
Holden can reenter society even with his mental illness.
Works Cited
Abramovitz, Melissa. Diseases and Disorders: Schizophrenia. San Diego: Lucent Books,
2002. Print.
Colman, Andrew M. Oxford Dictionary of Psychology. New York: Oxford University
Press, 2001. Print.
Laing, Ronald D. The Divided Self. New York: Pantheon Books, 1969. Print.
Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little Brown and Company, 1951. Print.
Salinger, J.D. The Catcher in the Rye. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 1951. Print.
Salinger, J.D. The Catcher in the Rye. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 1991. Print.
Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1991. Print.
The symptoms an individual could show and experience if they were diagnosed with having an anti-social personality disorder include, but are not limited to, the inability to function in a regular society, fear of interacting with any normal inhabitant of said society, the distancing of oneself from the society he/she has an inability to inte...
Salinger, J.D. The Catcher in the Rye. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 1991. Print.
S.N. Behrman, in his review for The New Yorker, also took a sharp look at Holden's personality. Behrman found Caulfield to be very self-critical, as he often refers to himself as a terrible liar, a madman, and a moron. Holden is driven crazy by phoniness, an idea under which he lumps insincerity, snobbery, injustice, callousness, and a lot more. He is a prodigious worrier, and someone who is moved to pity quite often. Behrman wrote: "Grown men sometimes find the emblazoned obscenities of life too much for them, and leave this world indecorously, so the fact that a 16-year old boy is overwhelmed should not be surprising" (71). Holden is also labeled as curious and compassionate, a true moral idealist whose attitude comes from an intense hatred of hypocrisy. The novel opens in a doctor's office, where Holden is recuperating from physical illness and a mental breakdown. In Holden's fight with Stradlater, his roommate, he reveals his moral ideals: he fears his roommate's sexual motives, and he values children for their sincerity and innocence, seeking to protect them from the phony adult society. Jane Gallagher and Allie, the younger brother of Holden who died at age 11, represent his everlasting symbols of goodness (Davis 317).
Salinger, J. D.. The Catcher in the Rye. [1st ed. Boston: Little, Brown, 19511945. Print.
Holden Caulfield offers the reader an interesting view on dealing with teen problems and adult life through the eyes of a teenager suffering from depression. Depression and the death of his brother Allie play a significant role in Holden's personality, especially his sensitivity to people around him and the emotional response he has in certain situations. He is self-conscious of himself, but at the same time struggles for independence and individuality. He longs to keep his childhood, staying away from the adult world. However, Holden's story ends with saying "I sort of miss everybody I told about," implying that he has, at last, grown up and matured, and these experiences he has narrated are just boyhood memories.
Emotional symptoms can be harder to detect sometimes, especially ones like hopelessness, and sadness. He indicates sadness by saying, “Then I went over and laid down on Ely's bed. Boy, did I feel rotten. I felt so damn lonesome” (48). Holden, even though he says he does not need anybody, he really wants and needs that social interaction, with people like Ackley. He views phony people and social outcasts to have no life, when in reality,
Salinger, J. D.. The Catcher in the Rye. [1st ed. Boston: Little, Brown, 19511945. Print.
appear to be useful in reducing overwhelming symptoms of arousal (such as sleep disturbances and an exaggerated startle reflex), intrusive thoughts, and avoidance; reducing accompanying conditions such as depression and panic; and improving impulse control and related behavioral problems. The incomparable solution for Holden would be a combination of the two, psychotherapy and medication. One should not rely on just medication, because then the risk of addiction increases. If medication and psychotherapy and being used, the person will become more able to cope with the situations that the person may face, on their own.
gets beat up, goes through a breakdown, and gets very sick. Another trait Holden has is
At the time of his arrival, Holden appeared very tired and run-down. He was wearing woolen slacks and a warm jacket but appeared to be suffering from an intense chill. His walk was slow and his gait guarded, as if he expected an attack at any moment. He appeared lucid but seemed unsure of his location. His tiredness and confusion, however, did not mask his above average intelligence. This became especially apparent to the nurses assigned to his care, one of whom reported that Holden's penetrating gaze made her feel as if he was judging her character. The patient has also displayed a penchant for sarcastic comments, especially regarding "phonies." At this time, we remain unsure of whom he is referring to when he uses this terminology.
Throughout the novel Holden resembles characteristics of an adult. An example of Holden being an adult is staying in a hotel by himself, underage and often goes out to drink. He goes to clubs to drink his problems away. In the
of disruptive mood swings on different ends of the spectrum. This is a very serious illness that is