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Holden Mental Effect

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"People are always ruining things for you" (Salinger 87). The past could affect a person in many ways including physically and mentally. In The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger the past has a major effect on Holden. Events like the death of a loved one (Allie), James Castle suicide, and the careless parents leads Holden to suffer from depression, anxiety, and impacts he's personality and behavior. Holden was deeply hurt when he lost his younger brother Allie. Allie died at the age of eleven because of leukemia. Holden was very connected to Allie; he was more like an older brother to him than Holden was to Allie because Allie was very smart, nice, special, and knew what to do unlike Holden. Holden was very hurt to the point he broke all the windows in the garage and was hospitalized. In the present time, Holden becomes isolated from the society around him. He doesn’t allow himself to get too close to anyone. In the book Holden says he talks to Allie when he's depressed and tells Allie to come along with him. Holden wants to protect himself from change and growing up so he …show more content…

"He was dead, and his teeth, and blood, were all over the place, and nobody would even go near him" (170). Seeing his classmate on the floor with blood all over him at a young age created a very disturbed psychological state for Holden. The thought of James wearing Holden's turtleneck when he died affected even way more. Holden mentions James Castle when he talks about how Mr.Antolini was the only brave one to go up to James body after his death while everyone else just stood there. Facing death like this as a child lead Holden to have an obsession with mortality and death. Holden thinks there is no purpose in life and he doesn't know rather he should live life or avoid it at

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