Insane Holden example essay topic

Alfaris 1 The Catcher in the Rye J.D. Salinger's book, The Catcher in the Rye exhibits a boy struggling with many adolescent problems. These problems cause much controversy, confusion, and hate. Many of these problems are personal, while some are that of an average teenager. However, the difference between an average teenager and Holden Caulfield is that Holden has let the problems take over his life. By letting all the confusion and hate become so much of whom he is, Holden has become irrational, incapable, and insane. One may say that all his problems and irrationality is due to his brother, Allies death.

That it is perfectly normal to act differently after losing someone close to you. However, when these problems start to take over, it is time to get help, but Holden did not. His irrational mind prevents him from making decisions he either should have, or maybe should not have. Leaving school to move to New York is not an ideal choice for boy of Holden's age. New York is much too hostile an environment for a boy of that age to handle on his own. By making this quick and irrational decision, it shows how insane Holden can be.

Holden's incapability is also a foreshadowing of how he will handle himself in life, although it is exploited when he is in New York. When Holden "purchased" the prostitute, being but sixteen, he had no idea what he was doing. He did nothing with the prostitute and when she left, she was not very pleased. Her manager, for lack of a better term, was also unhappy with what had happened. Holden, being incapable to handle the situation was beat up. This proves Holden's incapability and insanity in the sense that any Alfaris 2 capable person would be able to handle the situation, and any sane person would know not to get himself into that situation.

Lastly, Holden had allowed himself to keep everything inside, letting all his problems and struggles take him over, driving him insane. When Holden is complaining to his sister Pheobe, his natural tendencies prevent him from realizing that he is swearing. Pheobe surprises him by telling him to "grow up", to stop acting so immaturely. This shows that Holden does not have the mind set of a normal sixteen year old boy; that Holden still thinks like a kid when he should be thinking like an adult. In this case, Holden has shown that he is not entirely sane. Holden's irrationality, incapability, and insanity is exploited tremendously throughout this novel.

He shows us what can happen if we choose not to talk to people; he shows us what can happen if choose to keep everything inside. Therefore, Holden has shown us how we can become insane, by driving himself insane.