The Catcher In The Rye

4 Pages 1079 Words

Isolated And Victimized
In J.D. Salinger’s, “The Catcher In The Rye” Holden Caulfield’s exclusion from the people around him greatly affects him throughout the narrative. From the first few pages of the book we learn that Holden isn’t attending the big football game between Pencey Prep and Saxon Hall. Despite being an event of great school importance and tradition, Holden isn’t in the bleachers and socializing with his fellow classmates but instead he is sitting atop a hill looking down on everyone criticizing their every move. Holden tries to justify why he isn’t there calling everyone below “phonies” or “crooks” saying how he doesn’t want to be bothered by them. Holden is extremely judgmental and overly analytical of his fellow human beings throughout the novel. In his excessive whining he often tries to find humor in his “obviously” inferior peers. At first Holden keeps his distance from others because he believes he is better than them but as the book progresses there are many cases where we learn that this is nothing more than a façade and Holden is truly lonely inside. The three reasons Holden is alienated and lonely was best stated by Whissen, “He is alienated from others, sometimes because he cannot stand the company of others, sometimes because he becomes disappointed with their company, and sometimes because his actions seem calculated to drive others away.” Holden is also affected by his current family situation in which everyone is separated. Holden uses his alienation as protection because he doesn’t want to get hurt again. He lost his younger brother Allie, who he was very close to, which greatly saddened him. One of Holden’s biggest contributions to his loneliness and eventual mental breakdown is his immaturity. He drives many away with his childish actions and idea’s.
Bednarczyk 2
His behavior around his old student advisor Luce is a perfect example of his ...