Undracheeveng and Cacher in the Rie

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Not everyone works up to his or her full potential, they underachieve. An underachiever is “ a person whose performance is significantly below what which would be predicted by educators” (Griffin). Through the psychoanalytic lens, the protagonist of J.D. Salinger’s novel Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caufield. The psychoanalytic lens is a way to observe the subconscious mind though actions, emotions, beliefs, habits and symptoms. In J.D. Salinger’s novel Catcher in the Rye, the protagonist, Holden Caulfield demonstrated signs of underachieving that result from the loss of his brother, the competition with his siblings, and his survivors guilt as viewed through the psychoanalytic lens.

Holden Caufield, the protagonist of this novel, demonstrates numerous examples of underachieving. The Journal of School Psychology states that “a student may also be considered to be underachieving based on the educators evaluation of her learning potential in relationship with the quality of work She does on class assignments” (Griffin). Holden demonstrates exactly this. In the beginning of novel, Catcher in the Rye, Holden sets out to his history teacher’s house. During his encounter with his teacher, Mr. Spencer, they discuss Holden’s final paper. Whilst looking over Holden’s’ paper, which is only one paragraph, Mr. Spencer reads the comment that Holden wrote on the bottom of the page; “Dear Mr. Spencer. That is all I know about the Egyptians. I can’t seem to get very interested in them although your lectures are very interesting” (Salinger 12). The paragraph that Holden had written was an intellectually written paragraph. Holden has the potential to be a very good student but as the comment that he left on his paper shows, he is not putti...

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...m to and Allie would not be mad. Moreover, Holden needs someone to talk to, such as a therapist. Holden went through many hard times and never really got a chance to let all of his feelings out which would calm him and make him feel more at ease. If Holden follows these measures it will be extenuating and potentially cease his underachieving.

Holden Caufield is the consummate underachiever in the novel Catcher in the Rye. Throughout the novel there are numerous examples of Holden underachieving. Through the psychoanalytic lens his underachievement can be attributed to the loss of his beloved brother Allie, the competition amongst his siblings, and his survivors guilt. Holden will need to think of Allie’s desires, realize that Allie would not be mad, and let all of his feelings out though a therapist in order to help deal with his underachievement issue.

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