English 11H Peter Straubinger

Godinho – Sentence Outline Period 7

A Portrait of the Artist as a Madman

Topic: A (primarily psychological) character analysis of Holden Caulfield, protagonist of

J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye.

Question: What facets of Holden’s character and psyche set him so far apart from his

peers? Is it possible that Holden fits today’s criteria for a form of mental illness?

I. INTRODUCTION

A. Holden Caulfield feels isolated from the world which surrounds him, and

struggles with the issue of conformity.

B. In order to form a clear picture of Holden’s psyche and thus better understand

how it influences his character, there are a few specific items which must be considered.

1. The theme of isolation is present throughout the book, and is one of the

main conflicts which Holden must confront.

2. Holden’s involved internal monologues illustrate significant portions of

the novel’s story, as well as exploring issues which affect Holden or which he feels

strongly about. Thus, an understanding of Holden’s thought processes is necessary to

understanding his character.

3. In tandem with Holden’s mental activity are his physical actions.

Holden is often prone to compulsive, symbolic gestures, which are either obvious in their

own rights or explained by Holden’s narration. It would be impossible to perform a valid

character analysis without exploring the significance of some of Holden’s more

prominent actions.

4. Finally, Holden’s past is arguably the single most significant influencing

factor on his situation during the novel’s plot. Holden carries demons, convictions and

fears which all play out in his journey through New York. Without an understanding of

Holden’s past, his actions would seem far more random and absurd.

II. Isolation is one of the most prominent themes of The Catcher in the Rye; the

protagonist simultaneously resents his isolation and shrouds himself in it, leading to

numerous conflicts.

A. Many of Holden’s conflicts, especially earlier in the novel, play out between

him and peers of a similar age. This is most likely due to the fact that Holden, when

taking steps to isolate himself, angers those around him, and is simultaneously angered.

1. The fight between Holden and Stradlater early in the book gives the

reader the first large glimpse of Holden’s character; fearful, idealistic, compulsive, and at

once melancholy and flippant.

2. Holden’s interactions with the other students at Pencey Prep, while

usually not as dramatic as the fight with Stradlater, still manage to display a great deal

about his character. Whether by talking to Ackley or simply observing the living quarters
of his schoolmates, a clearer sense of Holden’s isolation from his peers can be divined.

B. Not only does Holden conflict with his peers, but he often finds himself at odds

with society as a whole.

1. Holden relates how he was often at odds with the teachers at Pencey

Prep, due to both his attitude and his lackluster academic performance.

2. Holden’s conflict in the hotel with Maurice, an oafish, scamming pimp,

forms a distinct representation of the injustice present throughout society which vexes

Holden so greatly.

3. Holden’s bizarre interaction with Mr. Antolini, a former teacher of his,

is a clear representation of the dilemmas which he faces in terms of conforming to

society. While Holden initially seeks guidance from Mr. Antolini, a smart, understanding,

and young adult, he later leaves distressed and confused when he catches Mr. Antolini

making what he interprets as a “flitty pass” on him, stroking his hair as he slept.

C. Often, Holden’s greatest dilemmas come about as a result of the opposite

gender; namely, the fact that he must balance his own sexual drive with his proud

intolerance of any falsehoods in society. As a result, his interactions with females are

often confusing and unfulfilling.

1. Holden idolizes an old friend and semi-romantic interest of his named

Jane Gallagher. Jane remains in his memory as a symbolic standard of purity and

innocent love, which forms part of the basis for Holden’s continual disappointment with

attempts at romance.

2. Holden’s confusion becomes most apparent in his dealings with Sally

Hayes, an attractive girl whom he occasionally dates but has no real affection for. Holden
seems to turn back and forth in his attitude towards Sally, going from what he professes

to be love to a deep loathing. It is again Holden’s inability to tolerate falsehood which has

isolated him here.

3. Holden displays his desire for meaningful relationships when, entering

his hotel, he decides to hire a prostitute on a whim. At first, his decision is made out of

lust, but when the prostitute finally arrives, Holden decides that he would just like to talk.

It is this desire for a meaningful, “true” relationship that confuses Holden when in

functions alongside his sexual drive.

D. Arguably the most oft-revisited theme in the book is Holden’s condemnation of

falsehood in the world around him, or as he calls is, “Phoniness”. There is no limit to

what he will label as phony. Entire groups of people will be dismissed by Holden , based

on some artificial standard created in response to their profession, attitude, or another

arbitrary trait. Holden condemns these “phonies” because it is his means of self-defense

from a large, frightening world; as long as he can write off society as “phony”, he will

have an excuse not to submit himself to the ambiguity and confusion of the adult world.

III. Holden’s effectiveness as a character stems from his humanity; though his actions

may seem bizarre, there is always the narrative voice of the protagonist explaining his

motivation, rethinking some deed he undertook, or otherwise embellishing, specifying

and explaining the story. Given that the reader spends so much time “in Holden’s head”,

it is a given that his thoughts are extremely important to understanding the character.

A. Holden carries a great degree of distrust and suspicion towards many of the

people he meets. Perhaps as a part of his aversion to falseness, he begins to overreact,

expecting some level of deceit from nearly everyone.

1. Even with something as simple as asking his roommate Stradlater to

“give his regards” to Jane Gallagher, Holden distrusts Stradlater, convinced that there is

no possibility of someone like Stradlater giving regards to somebody. It is profound when

one considers how this suspicion has pervaded even the smallest event in Holden’s life.

2. Holden’s awkward departure from Mr. Antolini’s company shows the

boy far more confused and distrustful than usual. Though the act that prompted his

exodus (Mr. Antolini stroking his head) appeared rather innocuous, it is enough to

frighten Holden away from someone whom past events indicate he respects quite deeply,

a very rare trait in the protagonist.

3. During his date with Sally Hayes, Holden goes into one of the more

involved of his internal anti-phoniness monologues. Attending a theater show for the

date, Holden spares no one in damning them as utterly false and pandering. The other

theater attendees, his date, and even the performing “Lundts” are all irrevocably phony,

for a wealth of reasons including their pretentious manner of speech, small mannerisms,

and acting style.

4. Holden also displays his fierce distrust in a rare incident of aggression

near the novel’s outset. Chatting with Stradlater, Holden hears that his roommate took

Jane Gallagher out for a date the week prior. Holden immediately grows suspicious, even

more so when Stradlater begins to banter about getting Jane into the back of the car.

Holden presses Stradlater, asking repeatedly if he gave her “the time”. Soon after, he

lunges at Stradlater, prompting a brief exchange of blows from which Holden emerges

soundly defeated. What makes this even so intriguing is that Holden, a self-described
pacifist, was driven to attack Stradlater. It was due to Holden’s perception that Stradlater

was sullying the perfect image of Jane, which was subsequently driven past the point of

reason by his intense, pervasive suspicion.

B. When considering what motivates Holden to do so many of the strange things

which he does, a compulsion to preserve purity in the world presents itself as one of the

most obvious driving forces. This pseudo-messianic desire manifests itself throughout the

novel, as Holden takes solace in attempting to “defend” innocence.

1. Near the novel’s opening, there is a small incident which is nevertheless

profound in demonstrating Holden’s reverence for purity. Clutching a snowball and

leaning out of the window of his dorm room, he considers various places to throw it.

Eyeing the entire landscape in front of him, he eventually decides that the snow looks far

too beautiful to damage, and drops his snowball. There is a strong element of

foreshadowing here, as Holden’s desire to protect innocence presents itself later in far

less inconsequential circumstances.

2. Another event which could at first seem unimportant is in fact another

strong affirmation of Holden’s protective mentality. As Holden describes Jane Gallagher

with obvious fondness, he recalls the games of checkers that the two would play with a

wistful, almost longing air. In particular, he remembers how Jane would, rather than using

her kings, allow them to sit aligned on the back row of the board. Upon inquiring, Holden

was told that it was because she liked the way the kings looked when lined up neatly.

This is symbolic of the persona that Holden later associates with Jane; purity and

innocence, carefully guarded from the harsh outside world.

3. Holden’s drive for innocence becomes more obvious later in the book,
when the challenges that the world places in front of him grow more imposing. While

visiting his sister’s school, Holden happens upon the words “Fuck you” graffitied on one

of the walls. Enraged and distressed, he rubs it out, only to find a second instance of the

words within a stairwell. This time, they have been carved in, and Holden cannot remove

them. He is overcome with a sense of hopelessness as he begins to see his objective as

futile in the face of society’s harshness.

4. The clearest affirmation of Holden’s innocence-revering mentality is

found within the same passage from which the book gets its title. Holden attempts to

explain to his younger sister, Phoebe, his true aspiration in life. Holden says that he

would simply like to be the “Catcher in the Rye”, a duty which consisted of standing at

the edge of a cliff, in a large field of rye, and rescuing children who play in the field

before they can plunge off the cliff’s edge. The metaphor within Holden’s dream is

obvious, with his desire clearly to stop the “fall” of children from youthful innocence to

the adult world.

C. In addition to Holden’s conscious thoughts, his atypical emotional reactions are

a major motivation as far as the character’s nature is concerned.

1. Holden is prone to radical mood shifts, occasionally swinging from

ecstatic giddiness to an ornery, dour demeanor (as seen with Sally Hayes).

2. Secondly, Holden possesses an uncommonly well-attuned sense of

empathy. Though he can often be critical to the point of near cruelty, he appears to have a

very large capacity for sensing the plight of others, regardless of whether or not they are

complete strangers.

3. Lastly, Holden appears to be not only more observant, but subsequently

more sensitive than the average person. He is often prone to becoming quite emotionally

invested in something which one of his peers would likely have completely ignored.

a. One recurring question of Holden’s is in regards to the ducks

which swim in Central Park’s pond; he wants to know where they go during the winter,

when the lake is frozen over. The question tugs at him throughout the novel, and he will

occasionally ask strangers their opinions on the subject. Unfortunately, in a clear

demonstration of Holden’s eccentric sensitivities, he receives little in the way of a

conscious answer.

b. Holden’s “Catcher in the Rye” idea comes first from a young

child, who is walking down the street and singing to himself. Holden hears the child

singing “When a body catch a body goin’ through the rye…”, and this small event sets in

motion the train of thought which finally leads to the “Catcher in the Rye” proper.

IV. Though understanding what occurs in Holden’s mind is of course important to

understanding the character, analysis of his actions is no less necessary in order to truly

grasp the ins-and-outs of his psyche.

A. Holden is extremely impulsive. His thought process seems to often lead him

into committing to decisions he has not fully contemplated, and thus his impulsivity gives

a relatively faithful view of some of his subconscious processes.

1. Holden purchases the prostitute, Sunny, largely on a whim. Though he

thought initially that the meeting would be “traditional”, he instead attempts to engage

Sunny in conversation, showing that Holden, when making a split decision, chooses the

friend rather than the lover.

 2. The novel’s climax is where Holden teeters on the precipice of what

was his largest decision thus far; whether or not to leave his home and family, and move

out west. Interestingly, he does very little reflection on what he is doing as he begins to

ready himself to leave. Instead, he busies himself with thoughts about Phoebe and Allie,

most likely to avoid the distress of coming to terms with his reasons for leaving.

B. Holden often loathes himself for his own cowardice. Throughout the novel,

there are times at which he wishes to be more reckless and courageous, to avoid being

tossed about at the whim of the outside world.

C. Lastly, Holden seems to have a tendency to avoid communication with others.

However, what is most interesting is that rather than simply isolating himself outright and

neglecting human contact, his solution is to lie. He engages people in discussion,

fulfilling his immediate need for conversation, companionship and (to a certain degree)

acceptance, while he is able to remain separate in his mind from the society he has such

distaste for. He uses his manufactured personae as a cloak to obscure himself, with

sarcasm also applied liberally.

V. For Holden’s character to truly come to life, it is essential that one absorbs and

understands his past. It is likely that nothing within the novel itself affects Holden as

deeply as the events which he recalls within the story.

A. Holden’s younger brother, Allie, died of leukemia a few years before the story

takes place. Even though Allie is not alive, he is one of The Catcher in the Rye’s most

important characters.

1. Allie represents innocence, the type of which Holden is so determined

to preserve. However, unlike Jane Gallagher, Allie’s death preserved his innocence
forever; he will never be exposed to the outside world, and therefore never have to

experience the fall that maturing entails.

2. Allie’s baseball glove is very important to Holden, in a largely totemic

manner. It is adorned with poetry, which Allie would read when he was standing in the

outfield. Holden seems to carry it along with the burden of Allie’s memory.

3. Though he was the younger sibling, Allie was idolized by Holden. Not

in a submissive, worshipping manner, but rather Holden felt such profound love and

respect for Allie that the child’s death exacted an incalculable change on him.

a. Following Allie’s death, Holden recalls how he smashed all of

the windows in his garage, and permanently damaged his right hands attempting to smash

the car’s windows. Obviously, this was a result of Holden’s grief and frustration.

b. Later, Holden describes his feelings at Allie’s funeral, in a

lengthy internal monologue. He is angry and alone, and as he watches the funeralgoers

depart in a sudden rainstorm, he laments the fact that Allie is left to lie underground,

unable to move or speak or experience the joys of life.

4. Allie almost embodies a “guardian angel” for Holden; in the midst of

his nervous breakdown, Holden is praying to Allie to stop him from simply “falling”

forever.

B. D.B., Holden’s older brother, is at the opposite end of the spectrum from Allie.

D.B. is a writer in Hollywood, an entire city which Holden regards as “phony”. D.B. is at

once a sellout in Holden’s eyes, and a somewhat mysterious, distant figure.

VI. Holden Caulfield does, in fact, fit a substantial amount of the diagnostic criteria for
mental illness.

A. It is possible that Holden has borderline personality disorder, a behavioral

disorder which is personified, among other things, by an extreme black-and-white

mentality.

B. Some form of paranoid schizophrenia is also a possibility, though somewhat

less likely. Holden seems to be vulnerable to fear, distrust, and arguably unreasonable

levels of suspicion.

C. Most likely, Holden is affected by some form of depressive disorder, in

addition to one or both of the above ailments. His frequent feelings of hopelessness,

sadness and despair seem to be typical of depressive patients.

VII. CONCLUDIFICATE

A. Holden Caulfield’s isolation is not a simple matter of teenage angst or

restlessness; it is a complex tapestry of pride, fear, and love which drives him forward

through the novel’s plot. His unconventional modes of thought, his eclectic actions, and

his tremendously weighty past, combined with his isolation from the outside world, serve

to come together in crafting a character with an uncommon level of life and intricacy.

Thesis: In J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield, the troubled,

unconventional narrator/protagonist, struggles with alienation and the falsehood that he

sees throughout society. Holden’s reasons for isolation are mainly psychological, and the

complexity of his character makes for a very complicated inner conflict.