Holden Caulfield, a troubled 16-year-old teen, has recently been expelled from his fourth school. Despite his troubles, Holden deeply cares for his younger sister and mourns the loss of his deceased younger brother. Additionally, Holden tends to isolate himself and lacks social connections. Recently, he has been filled with anger towards his roommates and has avoided confronting his parents about his struggles. He has also endured physical harm, being beaten up, and has even contemplated suicide. To cope, Holden has resorted to self-abuse through smoking, drinking, and inconsistent eating habits.
According to my sessions with Holden, his recent behavior seems to be a manifestation of clinical depression, which I believe is caused by the death of his brother Allie and his resistance to maturing. Some may perceive this as typical adolescent conduct. As mentioned by the U. S. National Library of Medicine, clinical depression is a mental condition that impacts a person’s body, mood, thoughts, and behavior. Common signs consist of social isolation, insomnia and queasiness, thoughts of self-harm, and a feeling of powerlessness, all of which Holden displays.
The text reveals that Holden isolates himself socially and struggles to form relationships. Social isolation, a common symptom of depression, can lead to loneliness and create feelings of unhappiness and emptiness. Holden displayed these characteristics as he attempted to reconnect with old friends. After being alone in New York for a while, he considers calling Jane Gallagher, whom he had a crush on, to find out when her vacation starts and meet up. However, he dismisses the idea because he “didn’t feel like it” (Salinger, 59). This inability to communicate with people he cares about demonstrates the beginning of his social isolation and loneliness. Another example is when Holden plans a date with Sally Hayes, someone he had previously dated. As the date begins, he confesses that he feels like he is in love with her (Salinger, 124).
By the end of the date, however, Holden begins to push his date away by expressing his hatred towards her (Salinger, 133). When I confronted him about this, he claimed that he didn’t understand why he acted that way and referred to himself as a madman (Salinger, 134). This claim further showcases his tendency to distance himself from others and his dissatisfaction with himself. Holden’s impulsive actions highlight his immaturity and inability to handle his emotions in a rational manner. Another example of his desire for isolation is evident when he wears the red hunting hat. He pushes Ackley away when Ackley suggests that the hat is meant for shooting deer. In response, Holden takes off the hat, examines it with one eye, and boldly states that he shoots people while wearing it (Salinger, 22). Additionally, as Holden leaves Pencey, he puts on his red hunting hat with the peak turned backwards, as is his preference, and yells at the top of his lungs, “Sleep tight, ya morons!” (Salinger, 52). Both of these instances highlight Holden’s use of the hat as a means to set himself apart from his peers and society as a whole. These acts of isolating oneself socially are clear symptoms of Holden’s depression. Furthermore, Holden also displays physical characteristics that impact his mental well-being.
Those who experience depression often face difficulties in their sleeping, eating, and substance use habits which can have negative effects on their wellbeing. After being expelled from Pencey and discovering that Jane Gallagher went on a date with his roommate Stradlater, Holden finds it challenging to sleep due to feeling suddenly lonely (Salinger, 52). His eating patterns are also disrupted, which is a significant indication of depression. Since leaving Pencey, Holden has not eaten at all except for a Swiss cheese sandwich and a malted (Salinger, 135). Towards the end of the novel, Holden visits a coffee shop to have a doughnut but becomes so sick that he struggles to swallow it (Salinger, 196). Holden recognizes that his depression is impacting his ability to eat and admits that when he is feeling depressed, swallowing becomes extremely difficult (Salinger, 196). Lastly, in order to cope with overwhelming emotions, Holden frequently smokes and drinks, displaying how he mistreats his body as a result of his depression.
The most significant and hazardous indication of depression is having thoughts of suicide, which becomes evident in Holden’s experience in New York. After his fight with Stradlater, Holden starts feeling extremely lonely and admits that he almost wishes he was dead. (Salinger, 48) From the beginning, it is evident that Holden questions the value of life, and as time passes, suicide becomes a more concrete option for him.
According to the text, Holden experienced a traumatic incident involving a dispute with a prostitute’s employer, which led to him contemplating suicide and having thoughts of jumping out the window. Holden also imagined millions of people attending his funeral while shivering outside. These extreme thoughts indicate severe depression as Holden’s delusional perspective often distorts his perception of his circumstances and life events.
Holden, still affected by the death of his sister Allie, reveals that he frequently engages in conversations with her during moments of depression. As an illustration, Holden recounts a memory from the past when Allie expressed a desire to go shooting with Holden and his friend Bobby. However, Holden, being young at the time, declined the invitation. When feeling miserable, Holden distorts reality and imagines himself responding differently by saying, “Okay. Go home and get your bike and meet me in front of Bobby’s house.” (Salinger, 99) Moreover, Holden constructs a fantasy world as a coping mechanism for his feelings of helplessness and his yearning to shield children from facing the flaws of reality as they grow up. In a confession to his sister Phoebe, Holden describes envisioning a scenario where numerous children are engrossed in a game in a vast field of rye, with nobody around except for him. He visualizes standing on the brink of an absurd cliff with the obligation of preventing anyone from falling over it while they run.
That is the entirety of my daily routine. My sole aspiration is to assume the role of the catcher in the rye, despite its absurdity. It’s the only thing I truly desire despite its lunacy.” (Salinger, 173) By assuming this role, Holden aims to take charge and protect all the vulnerable children from experiencing the hardships that come with adulthood. As each child approaches the metaphorical cliff of maturity, Holden desires to intercept them and prevent them from enduring traumas like his brother’s death.
Despite perceiving it as “crazy” and unattainable, Holden views this as a further indication of hopelessness that reinforces his depression. While there are numerous factors in Holden’s life that seem to trigger his depression, such as social isolation, physical abuse, and suicidal thoughts, I am optimistic about Holden’s prospects for recovery. Throughout the narrative, Holden frequently alludes to the ducks in Central Park, suggesting his belief in the transient nature of things; he understands that the ducks leave and return.
Therefore, it is clear that he acknowledges the presence of his problems but also recognizes their potential to be resolved. In addition, recent accounts from Holden provide further evidence of a possibility for improvement. Specifically, Holden expresses that he feels a sense of longing for various individuals, including old acquaintances like Stradlater and Ackley. (Salinger, 214) This remark from Holden emphasizes his suitability as a strong candidate for group therapy, as he acknowledges that opening up to others can lead to a sense of missing them all. (Salinger, 214) Consequently, through consistent participation in group therapy sessions, Holden is likely to be on the path towards recovery.
