Holden Caulfield Ptsd Essay
The Red Hat Holden Caulfield is the main character in The Catcher in the Rye, a novel written by J.D. Salinger. The novel is a flashback of Holden’s life when he was seventeen years old, when he was kicked out of Pency Prep. Holden tells his story from a rest home in California where he is seeking the help he needs after his mental deterioration caused by his younger brother Allie’s death. After reading The Catcher in the Rye and having an understanding of Holden’s deterioration, the conjecture that Holden has PTSD can easily be argued. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, can be acquired at any age, by anyone. When a person is in danger or experiences fear, the body sends split-second reactions that are meant to protect one from …show more content…
In order to be diagnosed, one would have to see a doctor that is experienced in mental illnesses such as a psychologist or psychiatrist. To make a proper diagnosis, the doctor must talk to the patient who has the symptoms and they must have four specific symptoms for at least one month (“PTSD” 3). There are a variety of treatments for PTSD, because different people react to the treatment in different ways: so a treatment that works for one person will not necessarily work for the next. These types of treatments would include psychotherapy, medications, or cognitive behavioral therapy which includes exposure therapy, cognitive restructuring, and stress inoculation (“PTSD” 5). It was likely Holden was receiving one of these treatments in the rest …show more content…
He explained the day his brother died by saying, “I was only thirteen, and 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…” (Salinger 38). Holden never talked about losing his brother, he expressed his emotions by breaking all the windows in the garage and trying to break the windows on their station wagon, but failed because he had already broken his hand. After that night, Holden continued on with his life basically shutting all his feelings out, and being mad at the world for being unfair and taking his innocent little brother away from
How Does Holden Present Depression In Catcher In The Rye
481 Words | 2 PagesThe catcher in the rye tells the story of Holden Caufield, a teenage boy who recently got kicked out from his fourth school. Holden decides to leave the school before he is scheduled to and wanders around New York. Holden shows many symptoms of depression throughout the novel such as, disengaging from activities, not doing his school work and having no interests or hobbies. Holden shows little to no change throughout the novel and does not develop as a character. Holden’s flight reaction is something that stays with him throughout the book.
Mental Illness Seen In Holden Caulfield
496 Words | 2 PagesPREWRITING Taylor Owen Research Paper Mr Williams 5/15/23 Mental Illness Seen in Holden Caulfield: The Catcher in the Rye Analysis Holden Caulfield’s thoughts and behavior in “The Catcher in the Rye” exemplify symptoms commonly associated with depression, anxiety and PTSD. Firstly, he struggles with an intense feeling of sadness and loss, indicating feelings of depression. Holden also frequently worries about his future and the uncertainties of life, which can be seen as symptoms of anxiety. Additionally, his experiences with death, specifically the passing of his younger brother, Allie, and witnessing a suicide, contribute to the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder .
How Does Holden Caulfield Influence The Catcher In The Rye
1891 Words | 8 PagesWhether it is his brother D.B. leaving him in a time where he was needed most, his younger brother Allie dying, or an older man possibly harassing Holden possibly copious times during his childhood, Holden is inevitably bound to succumb to these events and their impact on all dimensions and components of his life just like all humans. This concept does not just apply to this book; it applies to life in general. This is a world where the past shapes everything that everyone does; where people must learn from their mistakes, and this applies to all aspects of life, whether it is a government choosing to not enforce racial barriers after a brutal civil war, a college student remembering to save his/her essay after losing all of his/her information in a previous report, or a fictional human being, like Holden Caulfield carrying the lessons and effects of everything in his
Holden Caulfield Psychology
330 Words | 2 PagesWhile it is clear that teenagers typically suffer from mood swings and unsettling behavior, this is not the case for Holden Caulfield in The Catcher in the Rye. J.D Salinger portrays his protagonist, Holden, as a cynical and unstable character whose issues may seem dismal; however, his actions and recurring thoughts prove to be much graver than expected and correspond to many of the signs of a psychological disorder described in the article “What’s Normal and What’s Not”. Often, Holden does appear to be dealing and coping with his issues like any other teenager. For example his cynical judgements, listless attitude, and need for independence can very well be perceived as normal rebellious behaviors seen in adolescents.
Examples Of Phd In Catcher In The Rye
698 Words | 3 PagesThroughout Catcher in the Rye Holden’s actions, behavior, and thoughts match that of a few certain personality disorders. The most prominent and well sourced disorder is PTSD, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. The definition of PTSD according to MAYO clinic is ,”Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that's triggered by a terrifying event — either experiencing it or witnessing it.” Although I have found that this definition could vary a bit depending on which book or website is read, but he does match the Criterion D the most.
The Mental Health Of Holden Caulfield
407 Words | 2 PagesHolden Caulfield, captures the American reality of teens through anxiety and mental health in the book The Catcher In The Rye. Caufield is afraid of adulthood and the responsibilities that come with growing up. He suffers from depression and anxiety. These mental health issues were likely a cause from the death of his little brother, his witnessing the death of his classmate, and the violence and unhealthy environment in the all boys boarding school. Holden Caufield’s mental health challenges reflect a reality in America that most teens are dealing with some level of stress and anxiety and how those shape their behavior as they become young adults.
Grief And Death In Catcher In The Rye
581 Words | 3 PagesWhile in New York he visits many places from his childhood and reminisces about how things have changed. At last he takes his little sister ,Phoebe, to the carousel and talks about how sometimes you just have to let kids fall and get back up on their own. Holden overtime learns to work through his grief but still has room to grow. J.D Salinger uses the motif of windows and the symbol Allie’s baseball mitt to show how it is hard to deal with grief and death.
Holden Caulfield Grief Essay
1118 Words | 5 PagesArrested development works in more than one fashion for Holden Caulfield, as not only does he desperately cling to the past, but his five stages of grief are similarly slowly processed—namely denial. J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye follows Holden as he adapts to life alone in the city, and is forced to deal with the consequences of living in the real world. After projecting his issues onto others throughout the novel, only by accepting his own shortcomings does Holden finally start taking steps towards changing his life for the better. Holden’s little brother, Allie, passed away some years before the story takes place, and is one of the biggest factors in his refusal to let go of the past.
Catcher In The Rye Grief Analysis
656 Words | 3 PagesHolden recalls the time he spent the night in his garage: “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. It was very stupid I have to admit, but I hardly didn’t even know I was doing it, and you didn’t know Allie (Salinger, 39).” His denial is represented when he does not admit why he did what he did to the garage. Holden
Theme Of Alienation In Catcher In The Rye
1095 Words | 5 Pages“I have a feeling that you’re riding for some kind of a terrible, terrible fall. But I don’t honestly know what kind…It may be kind where, at the age of thirty, you sit in some bar hating everybody who comes in looking as if he might have played football in college. Then again, you may pick up just enough education to hate people who say, “It’s a between he and I. ‘ Or you may end up in some business office, throwing paper clips at the nearest stenographer. I just don’t know…
Holden Caulfield Grief
809 Words | 4 PagesStricken Catcher in the rye is a novel by J.D. Salinger about boy named Holden Caulfield. Holden over the course of days He goes from completely unethical person to downright unbearable. He starts out at Pencey the school that he was currently frequenting until they gave him the axe. He then left Pencey”sleep tight, ya morons!” with about three days left of down time (he left Pencey early.).
Stubbornness In Catcher In The Rye
1493 Words | 6 PagesThe Catcher in the Rye In the novel The Catcher in the Rye J.D Salinger writes about a teenager struggling to find his place within the existence of the reality of others. Salinger creates shocking events that lay out the foundation of the the main character Holden Caulfield’s life in the novel. Salinger uses Holden’s characteristics throughout the novel such as Holden’s stubbornness to establish a much bigger theme in the book along with many other symbols.
Catcher In The Rye Identity Analysis
991 Words | 4 PagesThe Catcher in the Rye is a fictional novel written by S.D Salinger. Sixteen year old Holden Caulfield has flunked out of the prestigious, all-boys Pencey Prep boarding school in Connecticut. But, Holden did not fail every class, except for English, for nothing. Holden wants to leave Pencey. He is tired of feeling rejected by the phonies and the fakes at Pencey, so Holden leaves and goes to New York.
An Alternate Ending to The Catcher in the Rye
1400 Words | 6 PagesRationale The catcher in the rye Title: What if the story ended different? Type of text: Alternative ending to the text
Coming Of Age Theme In Catcher In The Rye
1571 Words | 7 PagesThe Catcher in the Rye tells the story of Holden Caulfield who is a teenager growing up in the 1950’s in New York, has been expelled from school once again for poor achievement. In order to deal with his failure, Holden decides to leave school a few days before the end of the term and escapes to New York before returning to his home for the punishment. Written entirely in first person, the book describes Holden’s experiences and thoughts over the few days he takes for himself. During these few days Holden describes a nervous breakdown he experiences with symptoms of unexplained depression, impulsive spending, and unpredictable behavior. The strongest theme in The Catcher in the Rye is the main character Holden Caulfield 's fascination
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