Catcher In The Rye - J.D. Salinger The Mysterious Holden

Essay by twitchyHigh School, 11th gradeA-, October 2004

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While reading the book The Catcher in the Rye, one begins to ponder what exactly has gone awry inside the mind of Holden Caulfield. Time and time again, he craves attention and companionship, yet once he has what he desires, or comes within reach of it, he withdraws from the situation. His abstract behavior and absurd actions continually push Holden further and further away from society. Holden has the attitude that everyone in the world, outside his family, is a phony, which does not allow him to really form lasting, meaningful relationships. Holden often feels betrayed, and that is a possible cause of his problems. Although he feels that no one understands him and that everyone is a "phony", Holden's real problem is that he alienates himself from society.

Despite Holden's craving for attention, he continually removes himself immediately from the situation once he loses interest or something doesn't seem right.

One such example of this behavior is when he is with Sunny, the prostitute; he comments "I don't feel very much like myself tonight. I've had a rough night. Honest to God I'll pay you and all, but do you mind very much if we don't do it? Do you mind very much?"(Salinger 96). It is as if he has an ideal way of doing things, but one small change or surprise causes Holden to feel uncomfortable or want to leave. When he wakes up at Mr. Antolini's apartment, he had no idea what to expect "What he was doing was, he was sitting on the floor right next to the couch, in the dark and all, and he was sort of petting

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me or patting me on the goddam head"(192). The smallest things cause Holden to jump to conclusions and he reacts to it...