Holden Caulfield Research Paper

Joshua Rosales
Mrs. Kehrmeyer
AP Language
19 March 2018
Diving deep into the MInd (Holden Caulfield) Make sure to mention mental issues in youth Often times writers enjoy integrating their struggles and experiences in their works to engage their audience with a particular narrative or express an opinion. One such writer is Jerome David Salinger author of the novel, The Catcher in the Rye who has a direct parallel with the books protagonist Holden Caulfield. Salinger was born in Manhattan, New York on January 1, 1919 as the second child of Solomon Salinger, a Jewish importer and Marie Jillich of Scots-Irish heritage. Holden Caulfield’s family is the same as Salinger’s and his fictional life story is inspired by Salinger’s experience at McBurney …show more content…
Salinger reside in perspective on society and its norms. Salinger’s beliefs and behavior are expressed through Caulfield and his integration of those ideas help the reader relate with both author and character. The character of Caulfield is described as someone who keeps to himself with a cynical perspective on social norms. The novel is told through Holden’s perspective and the audience is told by Holden that he despises what he refers to as “Phonies” and “fakes” even though he states “I’m The Most terrific liar you ever saw in your life” (17). With his character being sixteen years old of course his ideas will contradict. An article named “Salinger J.D.” by Harold Bloom, featured in Bloom’s Literature describes certain comparisons between Salinger and Caulfield. One similarity comes from parallels between professors and Nazis, formed by Salinger’s involvement in World War Two, “The Catcher in the Rye where Nazis are displaced as ‘Phonies’ and those in positions of authority, such as professors dressed in ‘tweeds’...” (Bloom). These juxtaposing figures of authority express a conflicting personality regarding authority. Regarding the comparison another article named “Salinger, J.D.” again from Bloom’s Literature discusses the relationship between author and character. Caulfield’s relatable ideas are those of unfair balance of power in schools and trivial social norms, another factor is his continuous failure in a number of …show more content…
Is Holden Caulfield a bad person? These questions don't have simple answers due to Caulfield being a mental rubik's cube. Besides being connected to Salinger, the character of Caulfield has become one of literature's most popular characters, his struggles and ideas resonate with a wide audience. He has suffered a number of blows to his psyche, such as falling out of four schools, witnessing a friend commit suicide, and losing his brother to cancer. Such events had caused his mental break and have caused a shift in his persona. Since Holden is only sixteen when these events occur his mental space and ability to cope with such tragedies are not fully developed, meaning his responses are rash and he resorts to violent or harmful behavior. As the main character and narrator of the story, Holden’s thoughts are expressed thoroughly and are in constant contrast with one another. An article featured in Blooms Literature named “Holden Caulfield” written by Will Hochman and Bruce F. Mueller explains Holden’s behavior and the importance of his perspective on the events of his past. With being both the narrator and the protagonist he is not truly credible and “although Holden is mentally precarious, a great number of readers identify with his sensitivity, share many of his moral beliefs, and perhaps, most powerfully, sense the truth in Holden's social and psychological observations despite his personal troubles understanding those truths” (Bloom).

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