【Book Essay】The Catcher in the Rye

Notice: First of all, I'd like to warn you that I only got 74% on this essay. Because I got such a shameful grade, please don't be too serious about the writing or grammar of this essay.

The Research of Holden’s Alienation

       The feeling of loneliness or isolation is always a prevalent issue among adolescences. In the Catcher in the Rye written by J.D. Salinger, the protagonist Holden Caulfield suffers from severe and depressing loneliness. It is acknowledged that Holden has had an unstable mental state ever since the death of his brother Allie. However, it is greatly debatable that his brother’s death fundamentally prompts him to seclude himself from others. Holden’s alienation is the result of his own inclination, instead of other external factors such as Allie’s death. It is believed that Holden chooses to become isolated because of his lack of perception of affiliation, his sense of superiority and his way of self-protection.

       To begin with, Holden’s lack of sense of belonging to the world is one of the main sources of his isolative behavior. It is evident that Holden always feels that he does not belong to this world throughout the novel. Holden insists that all the other students have their own little groups that they are constantly sticking to. This can be perceived several times by the reader when Holden mentions “…all the athletic bastards [stick] together. In every school I’ve gone to…” (Salinger 56) and when he complaints to Sally that “...everybody sticks together in these dirty little goddam cliques…” (Salinger 170). He complaints about other students. This is a powerful indication of his alienation because he constantly believes that he does not belong to anywhere. He convinces himself that he is the only person who lacks companionship while everyone else has established his or hers relationships within society. His belief is even more determined when he “[feels] like giving somebody a buzz” but “[can’t] think of anybody to call up” (Salinger 77). The essential part of this occasion is that Holden chooses neither to reach out for help from other people nor shows eagerness of communication with others. He makes the decision to be separated and alienated from the world.

       Moreover, Holden’s feeling of superiority makes him separate himself from other people. Cynicism is one of the major part of Holden’s personality. Words such as “snot”, “phony” and “bastard” make regular appearances throughout the story. Holden insists that everyone is inferior to him. He claims that “one of the biggest reasons [he] [leaves] Elkton Hills [is] because [he] [is] surrounded by phonies” (Salinger 19). When he is in the bar called Ernie`s, he disdainfully remarks that “[he] [is] surrounded by jerks” (Salinger 111). More cynically, he declares his bias against girls by saying that “if [girls] like a boy, no matter how big a bastard he is, they’ll say he has an inferior complex…” (Salinger 176). Holden’s judgmental nature creates an unbreakable barrier between himself and other people. He cannot establish relationships while being critical with others. Timothy Aubry suggests that “what Holden does not seem to realize is that by passing judgment on everything and everyone around him…he is in fact positing that he is superior to these other people” (Timothy Aubry, “The Catcher in the Rye: The Voice of Alienation”). Holden not only exhibits his superiority to other people, but also alienates himself from the outside world.

       Last but not least, as an approach of self-protection, Holden`s isolation is driven by his own intention. Although Holden craves for companionship in several parts of the novel, he ultimately cuts off his relationship with others. Holden longs to call Jane, but later changes his mind by saying that “[he] [is] afraid her mother [would] answer the phone.” (Salinger 77). This thought reveals Holden’s disposition which is his reluctance to communicate with other people. He clearly longs to give Jane a call. It is obvious that Jane’s mother is only an excuse so that he does not have to get in touch with others. This is Holden’s personal approach to protect himself from the treacherous outside world. Besides, he also finalizes his relationship with Sally by using cruel words. Holden says that Sally “[gives] [him] a royal pain in the ass” (Salinger 173), which extremely irritates Sally. He destroys his supposedly normal and peaceful date with Sally with his bitter and harmful words. Dreadful criticism builds a wall, which Holden uses to protect himself from the society. Holden suffers from the confrontation that he has between the eagerness for companionship and the eagerness for solitude. He finally decides to be alone because only in this way he does not have to deal with “phony” people from the outside world. Holden is determined to be alienated even it means unbearable loneliness and solitude.

       In order to protect himself, to prove his superiority among others, to not to possess belonging to the world, Holden becomes incrementally isolated. He chooses to be separated even he feels depressed which has a great possibility to make him suffocate. It is highly possible that the dilemma Holden faces is derived from his puberty. Nowadays, as an universal symptom of puberty, solitude of adolescences raises a great deal of public awareness due to its negative influences on a massive proportion of teenagers. Solitude can leads to numerous undesirable consequences considering some teenagers’ fragile mental states. It is comforting to see that Holden finally realizes his mistakes and gradually changes his faulty attitudes. Teenagers like Holden should no longer conceal their true feelings, but should try to open their minds to accept other people’s help. They should be fully aware of the fact that alienation is not helpful to their situation. Becoming open minded and choosing to believe others are the ultimate solutions.