ipl-logo

Holden's Depression In Catcher In The Rye

1087 Words5 Pages

There are many causes for depression. Some causes are death or a loss of someone close to a person can cause serious grief or sadness. A band named Daughter wrote “Youth” which is a song about getting hurt by or losing someone or something that she had loved in her past. People she has loved often leave which hurts her because she loved them. In the book, Catcher in the Rye, Holden is in the same situation as the writer of the song and people he is often close with leave him. The song has lyrics that express feelings of regret, sorrow, and the loss of love just like Holden goes through depression and talks about his friends and family he misses a lot. Holden does not have any close friends and has lost his best friends. He experiences a lot …show more content…

He feels as if everyone is left. Holden has given up on trying to date people to fill the void that is so empty in his heart. Holden pushes away most people in his life “'Cause most of [Holden’s] feelings, they are dead and they are gone” because of the people who were never actually there. Most of the people Holden tries to call are recently met friends that he most likely met after the death of his brother. The songwriter has been hurt so many times that she no longer wants to feel anything, so therefore does not allow herself to care about anything or anyone anymore. She has lost hope, not only in love, but also in herself. To her, there is no longer love in the world, no joy or happiness. Holden does the same thing yet he’s still trying to contact people, although he is hurt. The people he tries to connect with do not accept him and no one helps. His mind is “Collecting names of the lovers that went wrong” and the people that he has tried to connect with. The songwriter is remembering all the lovers she could have been happy with, but she is not happy because her heart is still broken and she can not forget that someone. Holden was star struck by Jane but really was close a friend and nothing more. Holden always remembers the people he could of dated, been friends with, and was friends with. Holden is full of sorrow caused by all the people who have left him open to the undeniable pain from the people leaving

Show More
Related

  • Mental Illness Seen In Holden Caulfield

    496 Words  | 2 Pages

    Moreover, Holden struggles with feelings of disconnection and

    Read More

  • Examples Of Modern Day Catcher In The Rye

    919 Words  | 4 Pages

    The absence of these things is another similarity in the lives of Holden and Dylan. Holden talks about his depression and lack of caring often throughout the book, “After old Sunny was gone, I sat in the chair for a while and smoked a couple of cigarettes. It was getting daylight outside. Boy, I felt miserable. I felt so depressed, you can't imagine.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Responsibility In Catcher In The Rye

    111 Words  | 1 Pages

    Throughout the novel, Holden has a difficult teenage life, he is not responsible and can not face consequences that follow his irresponsibility. Holden can not let go of his childhood, and he has a tough time because he has to behave like an adult, now that he is 16. Holden is obsessed with his dead brother Allie, and his younger sister Phoebe because they are better than he is. Throughout the novel, Holden had many opportunities to get advice from the others that want to help. He refuses to go home and tell his parents he got kicked out of another school because he does not want to face the

    Read More

  • Catcher In The Rye Grief Analysis

    656 Words  | 3 Pages

    Throughout the book, Holden is struggling to get by. The death of his brother Allie has left him in a tough spot. Holden doesn’t exactly know how to deal with this. The different stages of grief are represented through Holden. Holden shows denial and anger when he flashbacks to one of his memories after his brother’s death.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Holden Being Depressed In Catcher In The Rye

    728 Words  | 3 Pages

    (Salinger 23) This shows that Mrs Morrow is allowing herself to be deceived. She 's letting herself think Holden is a soft and sensitive person and it shows that Holden is putting on a

    Read More

  • Holden Caulfield Lies In Catcher In The Rye

    1378 Words  | 6 Pages

    The only motivator that Holden has to continue living is his younger sister, Phoebe, who is extraordinarily intelligent for her age. After he gets kicked out of Pencey, Holden is lost in life. He speaks to many people, seeking advice and comfort, but they are not able to help him find a human connection. Holden’s depression increases throughout the novel, almost to the point of suicide. He criticizes many people and ideas, labeling them as ‘phony’.

    Read More

  • Flashbacks In Holden Caulfield's Life

    220 Words  | 1 Pages

    Holden Caulfield experiences flashbacks to the traumatic events that have occurred in his life. Holden is constantly reminded of his younger brother Allie who passed away when he was 11 years old. “So what I did, I wrote about… did, and he had very red hair,” (Salinger 38). The reader can see that Holden is constantly thinking of Allie, and that Allie was one of the people in Holden’s life that made him happy. Holden’s ability to remember the vivid details of Allie and his life prove that these traumatic events, occurring upon those who brought him joy, will always be with him.

    Read More

  • Holden's Loss In Catcher In The Rye

    744 Words  | 3 Pages

    Growing up and dealing with the stresses of entering the adult world could be the hardest past of one’s life, especially without the right guidance. In The Catcher in the Rye, author J. D. Salinger shows how Holden struggles during this time. On top of his brother Allie’s death, Holden’s inability to fit in causes him to unravel throughout the book as the novel progresses. As Holden narrates his point of view, we could truly understand why Holden’s mental state worsens. Throughout the novel, Holden has moments that lead to his inevitable breakdown because of his different struggles with Phoebe, and his inability to get along with others.

    Read More

  • Holden Caulfield Rejection

    1158 Words  | 5 Pages

    This leaves Holden feeling unwanted and out of place. He feels a wave of depression and loneliness wash over him that is so strong that it drives him to leave Pencey all together and take to the streets of New York to try to mend his broken

    Read More

  • Holden Caulfield's Song

    316 Words  | 2 Pages

    The struggle Holden has to express his feelings to Jane can be communicated in this song with the lyrics, “When you were here before, couldn't look you in the eye. You're just like an angel, your skin makes me cry. You float like a feather, in a beautiful world. And I wish I was special, you're so * *

    Read More

  • Teenage Depression In Catcher In The Rye

    999 Words  | 4 Pages

    Teen depression is a real clinical issue that affects the emotions and behavior of a teen. This mental struggle has many serious symptoms to it. This problem is usually not temporary and needs long term treatment by medication and psychotherapy. In the novel Catcher In The Rye, we follow the story of a teenager named Holden and his two day adventure after failing school again. Throughout the story he displays many of the symptoms associated with teen depression.

    Read More

  • Catcher In The Rye Depression Essay

    649 Words  | 3 Pages

    People start to believe that without the presence of their loved one “they don’t want to walk [the] earth” because there is no meaning to life without them(Solo). They feel as if they can no longer experience happiness without their loved one. Holden reaches this point because he feels as if there is no reason for him to live if he doesn’t have Allie to experience life with him. This causes him to start fantasizing about not only his death, but the death of many others when he states that “if there’s another war, [he’s] going to sit right the hell on top of [the atomic bomb]”(141). Holden is taking out his anger on himself as well of society which leads to the assumption that he blames others for the death of his brother.

    Read More

  • The Theme Of Isolation In Catcher In The Rye

    1615 Words  | 7 Pages

    In the novel The Catcher In The Rye written by J. D. Salinger shows that Holden goes through his journey and is depressed because of his isolation from

    Read More

  • Holden Caulfield Loneliness

    1039 Words  | 5 Pages

    These few lines from the book are a clear indication of Holdens loneliness. Holden didnt have a good explanation as to why he started crying out of blue, only to say himself that he was depressed and

    Read More

  • Psychoanalytic Reading Of The Catcher In The Rye

    1308 Words  | 6 Pages

    Holden is now lost in his own fantasy world not wanting to grow up from his childhood life, due to the tragedy of Allies death. Freud’s theory would examine the depth of the unconscious state and its primary root source attached to incomprehensible pain by noting, “the preconscious state holds information we’ve stored from past experience... This information can be retrieved from memory and brought into awareness at any time” (Freud 469). Because Holden never stops thinking of his brother he is trapped in his own world and can’t find an escape to his mood disorder of depression and his emotion of tribulant grief. However, Holden acknowledges that he is lost, “they were going to have me psychoanalyzed and all…I don’t blame them” (Salinger 38).

    Read More

More about Holden's Depression In Catcher In The Rye

Open Document