Is Holden Caulfield in an insane asylum?
Is Holden Caulfield in an insane asylum?
Holden (despite the confusion of the Harcourt Brace executive) is not crazy; he tells his story from a sanatorium (where he has gone because of a fear that he has t.b.), not a mental hospital.
What does Catcher in the Rye mean to Holden?
The title of The Catcher in the Rye is a reference to “Comin’ Thro the Rye,” a Robert Burns poem and a symbol for the main character’s longing to preserve the innocence of childhood. “If a body catch a body coming through the rye.” Holden describes the scene (and the singer): “The kid was swell.
Why is Holden depressed in The Catcher in the Rye?
His past traumas and current issues have led him to depression. In the beginning, Holden tells readers about the two deaths he experienced. His younger brother, Allie, died of leukemia three years prior, which greatly impacted him emotionally. Depression sets in as he continuously fails at both.
Was Holden depressed?
Holden displays many common traits of a person with PTSD following this loss. He has substantial amounts of guilt and depression and struggles to remember the details of events in his life. Holden’s emotions seem to be highly unbalanced. His rage is extreme and his joy is more manic.
Why did Holden never call Jane?
Salinger shows that Jane is more important as a fantasy figure because Holden’s desire to see her in the present is vastly outweighed by his desire to continue to believe that she is as innocent as she was during their childhood, an thus he decides against calling Jane.
How many times does Holden say depressed?
By J. D. Let’s do some word counting: variations of “depressed” or “depressing” occur 41 times in Catcher in the Rye.
Why does Holden talk to Allie when he is depressed?
He talks to his deceased brother named Allie since he never dealt with his death properly. Holden buried his sadness of his brother’s, who was also his best friend, death causing him to feel like he can talk to his brother.
Why is Holden still a virgin?
In contrast, Holden later claims that he’s still a virgin because he always stops at “No,” so what sets him apart from Stradlater and Co. is his refusal to commit what today we’d classify as sexual assault.
What did Holden do when Allie died?
The night Allie died, Holden slept in the garage and broke his hand while punching out the garage windows. Throughout the novel, Holden is protective of children and innocence. Surely, this is related to his feelings for Allie, whom he could not defend from death.
Why did Holden not attend Allie’s funeral?
Holden missed Allie’s funeral because he was in the hospital, apparently for psychiatric evaluation as well as for attention to his hand. His connection to Holden was intense. The older brother could sense when Allie was in the vicinity, although he credits Allie’s red hair for that.
Why is Holden obsessed with innocence?
The gold ring symbolizes adulthood, which Holden didn’t do anything to stop the children from reaching it. In the novel The Catcher in the Rye, Holden is obsessed in preserving his innocence. He wanted to preserve his innocence to feel the love from his parents that he has been longing for so long.
What is the one thing Holden tells Phoebe he likes?
After remembering the death of this young boy, the only thing Holden can think to tell Phoebe he likes is “Allie.” His mind is increasingly preoccupied with childhood and childhood death; he thinks to call Mr. Antolini when he remembers the teacher picking up James Castle’s broken body in his coat.
Why does Holden call Mr Antolini?
After visiting Phoebe, Holden decides to call Mr. Antolini. He used to be his teacher at Elkton Hills, he says, but he’s now an English instructor at N.Y.U. So Holden calls him up and tells him he’s flunked out of Pencey.
