Understanding Holden Caulfield Through the Symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder a traumatic event, while 8% of those exposed developed post-traumatic stress disorder (“Blog”). PTSD symptoms can be divided into three groups: intrusive, avoidant, and hyperarousal (“post-traumatic stress disorder”). Psychological trauma of this type often appears after the death of a loved one. Holden Caulfield, the protagonist of The Catcher in the Rye, is gravely affected after the deaths of his younger brother and a school friend. In JD Salinger's story, it is clearly shown that the terrible events Holden Caulfield was exposed to throughout his life led him to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. Holden exhibits intrusive symptoms of PTSD, particularly flashbacks. Say no to plagiarism. Get a custom essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayIntroaspirationAt the beginning of the novel, Holden introduces the reader to his younger brother, Allie: “My brother Allie had this left-handed outfielder's glove. . He was left-handed. […] He is dead now. He contracted leukemia and died while we were in Maine, July 18, 1946” (Salinger 43). Holden's story about Allie is a flashback to when Allie was alive and well. This shows that Holden does not want to believe that Allie died and instead chooses to focus on the positive memories. Holden is in denial. Another flashback Holden has during the novel occurs when he becomes depressed. “I felt so depressed, you can’t imagine. What I did, I started talking, a little out loud, to Allie. I do this sometimes when I'm very depressed” (Salinger 110). Holden still talks to Allie like he's alive, remembering a better time. Later in the novel, when Phoebe tells Holden to think of something he really enjoys, Holden can only think of an old memory, recalling the time his friend committed suicide while wearing her sweater . He remembers it well, thinking, "There was this boy I knew in Elkton Hills named James Castle, who wouldn't take back something he said about this very vain boy, Phil Stable." […] Finally, what he did, instead of taking back what he had said, he jumped out of the window” (Salinger 188). This event has a significant effect on Holden; James Castle, someone Holden considers a friend, appears dead on the sidewalk wearing one of Holden's sweaters, which is now covered in blood. This traumatic moment is forever ingrained in Holden's head, and it comes back to him when he tries to recall pleasant memories. These events show how flashbacks, a symptom of PTSD, affect Holden on a regular basis. How does Caulfield display common symptoms of PTSD in the novel? Holden also displays avoidance symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. Strong feelings of guilt, depression and worry, and difficulty remembering events are symptoms of avoidance that Holden Caulfield experiences due to PTSD. A great example of Holden having trouble remembering events and worrying excessively occurs when Stradlater comes home from his date. “Some things are hard to remember. I think now of the moment when Stradlater returned from his meeting with Jane. […] I was probably still looking out the window, but I swear I don't remember. I was so worried, that's why."(Salinger 45). Holden's anxiety is well above normal levels for a healthy person, as it affects his daily habits, such as going to the bathroom. One instance where Holden feels strong guilt is when he starts talking to Allie as if he were there with him. Holden does this when he's feeling really down, and it's always about the day he didn't let Allie go with him and his friend Bobby. An example is when Holden says, "So every once in a while now, when I get really depressed, I keep telling him, 'Okay. Go home, take your bike and meet me in front of Bobby's house. Hurry up’” (Salinger 110). The fact that Holden often remembers this moment shows his feelings of guilt towards Allie. Holden also has strong feelings of depression as well as suicidal thoughts. When Holden tries to fall asleep in his hotel room, he writes: “But what I really wanted to do was kill myself. I wanted to jump out of the window” (Salinger 116-117). The only factor stopping Holden from jumping is that people will have to see his dead body on the sidewalk, and he doesn't want to put other people through the same situation he went through when James Castle committed suicide, which always a traumatic effect. on him. His PTSD-related symptoms of hyperarousal are even more intense than Holden's avoidance symptoms. Most prevalent at the end of the novel, Holden Caulfield experiences all of the symptoms of hyperarousal present in post-traumatic stress disorder, namely outbursts of anger, difficulty sleeping, and nervousness. Most alarming is what happens immediately after Allie's death. Holden flies into a fit of rage and remembers, "I was only thirteen and they were going to psychoanalyze me and everything, because I broke all the windows in the garage." I don't blame them. Really not” (Salinger 44). Holden's reaction to his brother's death is far beyond what is normal during a time of grief, especially for a thirteen-year-old boy. When Holden says that he doesn't blame his parents for having him psychoanalyzed, this shows that Holden recognizes that something is wrong with him and that he knows that his reaction is abnormal. An example of when Holden has trouble sleeping occurs when Holden is at the hotel in New York. “It was still quite early. I don't know what time it was, but it wasn't too late. The only thing I hate doing is going to bed when I’m not even tired” (Salinger 74). Before arriving at his hotel in New York, Holden was awake all day and active, which would make a normal person exhausted. Additionally, once Holden has been in his hotel room for a while, he decides to go out and visit several clubs, as well as go dancing, before returning to his hotel room and trying to sleep. A situation where Holden is nervous occurs when he visits Mr. Antolini's apartment. Holden finally manages to fall asleep, only to be woken up by something strange: “I woke up suddenly. I don't know what time it was or anything, but I woke up. I felt something on my head, a guy's hand. […] Boy, I bet I jumped about a thousand feet” (Salinger 211). Holden is upset and leaves Mr. Antolini's apartment immediately after this incident occurs. He does not give Mr. Antolini a chance to explain himself and is paranoid, assuming the worst of the situation. Although many critics believe that Holden Caulfield suffers from a mental illness such as PTSD, some commentators have argued otherwise. One of the most common objections to the claim that Holden suffers from a mental illness is that the emotions he feels are normal for a person..

Essay / Understanding Holden Caulfield Through the Symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder a traumatic event, while 8% of those exposed developed post-traumatic stress disorder (“Blog”). PTSD symptoms can be divided into three groups: intrusive, avoidant, and hyperarousal (“post-traumatic stress disorder”). Psychological trauma of this type often appears after the death of a loved one. Holden Caulfield, the protagonist of The Catcher in the Rye, is gravely affected after the deaths of his younger brother and a school friend. In JD Salinger's story, it is clearly shown that the terrible events Holden Caulfield was exposed to throughout his life led him to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. Holden exhibits intrusive symptoms of PTSD, particularly flashbacks. Say no to plagiarism. Get a custom essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayIntroaspirationAt the beginning of the novel, Holden introduces the reader to his younger brother, Allie: “My brother Allie had this left-handed outfielder's glove. . He was left-handed. […] He is dead now. He contracted leukemia and died while we were in Maine, July 18, 1946” (Salinger 43). Holden's story about Allie is a flashback to when Allie was alive and well. This shows that Holden does not want to believe that Allie died and instead chooses to focus on the positive memories. Holden is in denial. Another flashback Holden has during the novel occurs when he becomes depressed. “I felt so depressed, you can’t imagine. What I did, I started talking, a little out loud, to Allie. I do this sometimes when I'm very depressed” (Salinger 110). Holden still talks to Allie like he's alive, remembering a better time. Later in the novel, when Phoebe tells Holden to think of something he really enjoys, Holden can only think of an old memory, recalling the time his friend committed suicide while wearing her sweater . He remembers it well, thinking, "There was this boy I knew in Elkton Hills named James Castle, who wouldn't take back something he said about this very vain boy, Phil Stable." […] Finally, what he did, instead of taking back what he had said, he jumped out of the window” (Salinger 188). This event has a significant effect on Holden; James Castle, someone Holden considers a friend, appears dead on the sidewalk wearing one of Holden's sweaters, which is now covered in blood. This traumatic moment is forever ingrained in Holden's head, and it comes back to him when he tries to recall pleasant memories. These events show how flashbacks, a symptom of PTSD, affect Holden on a regular basis. How does Caulfield display common symptoms of PTSD in the novel? Holden also displays avoidance symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. Strong feelings of guilt, depression and worry, and difficulty remembering events are symptoms of avoidance that Holden Caulfield experiences due to PTSD. A great example of Holden having trouble remembering events and worrying excessively occurs when Stradlater comes home from his date. “Some things are hard to remember. I think now of the moment when Stradlater returned from his meeting with Jane. […] I was probably still looking out the window, but I swear I don't remember. I was so worried, that's why."(Salinger 45). Holden's anxiety is well above normal levels for a healthy person, as it affects his daily habits, such as going to the bathroom. One instance where Holden feels strong guilt is when he starts talking to Allie as if he were there with him. Holden does this when he's feeling really down, and it's always about the day he didn't let Allie go with him and his friend Bobby. An example is when Holden says, "So every once in a while now, when I get really depressed, I keep telling him, 'Okay. Go home, take your bike and meet me in front of Bobby's house. Hurry up’” (Salinger 110). The fact that Holden often remembers this moment shows his feelings of guilt towards Allie. Holden also has strong feelings of depression as well as suicidal thoughts. When Holden tries to fall asleep in his hotel room, he writes: “But what I really wanted to do was kill myself. I wanted to jump out of the window” (Salinger 116-117). The only factor stopping Holden from jumping is that people will have to see his dead body on the sidewalk, and he doesn't want to put other people through the same situation he went through when James Castle committed suicide, which always a traumatic effect. on him. His PTSD-related symptoms of hyperarousal are even more intense than Holden's avoidance symptoms. Most prevalent at the end of the novel, Holden Caulfield experiences all of the symptoms of hyperarousal present in post-traumatic stress disorder, namely outbursts of anger, difficulty sleeping, and nervousness. Most alarming is what happens immediately after Allie's death. Holden flies into a fit of rage and remembers, "I was only thirteen and they were going to psychoanalyze me and everything, because I broke all the windows in the garage." I don't blame them. Really not” (Salinger 44). Holden's reaction to his brother's death is far beyond what is normal during a time of grief, especially for a thirteen-year-old boy. When Holden says that he doesn't blame his parents for having him psychoanalyzed, this shows that Holden recognizes that something is wrong with him and that he knows that his reaction is abnormal. An example of when Holden has trouble sleeping occurs when Holden is at the hotel in New York. “It was still quite early. I don't know what time it was, but it wasn't too late. The only thing I hate doing is going to bed when I’m not even tired” (Salinger 74). Before arriving at his hotel in New York, Holden was awake all day and active, which would make a normal person exhausted. Additionally, once Holden has been in his hotel room for a while, he decides to go out and visit several clubs, as well as go dancing, before returning to his hotel room and trying to sleep. A situation where Holden is nervous occurs when he visits Mr. Antolini's apartment. Holden finally manages to fall asleep, only to be woken up by something strange: “I woke up suddenly. I don't know what time it was or anything, but I woke up. I felt something on my head, a guy's hand. […] Boy, I bet I jumped about a thousand feet” (Salinger 211). Holden is upset and leaves Mr. Antolini's apartment immediately after this incident occurs. He does not give Mr. Antolini a chance to explain himself and is paranoid, assuming the worst of the situation. Although many critics believe that Holden Caulfield suffers from a mental illness such as PTSD, some commentators have argued otherwise. One of the most common objections to the claim that Holden suffers from a mental illness is that the emotions he feels are normal for a person..

Navigation

« Prev 1 2 3 4 5 Next »

Get In Touch