Catcher In The Rye Trauma

In J.D. Salinger's novel Catcher in the Rye, and his short story “For Esme with Love and Squalor” intelligence is interconnected with trauma and reveals Salinger's views on what intelligence really is. A major theme throughout Catcher in the Rye is a character's intelligence. Holden uses a character's intelligence to define their character as a person, specifically how a character deals with trauma. In “For Esme with Love and Squalor” a character's intelligence also directly relates to that character's ability to overcome and cope with trauma from a different perspective. This theme reveals itself constantly throughout Salinger’s writing and is a large part of his style. In Salinger's writing a character's ability to overcome trauma is defined
by their intelligence. In the novel Catcher in the Rye intelligence does not have to do with grades or brains, is is a character's ability to cope with trauma in their lives. Holden views himself as a moron and does not think of himself as intelligent in any way. Although it is not reflected in his grades holden is a fairly intellectually smart person. However in the novel intelligence has a different meaning. Being an intelligent person in Catcher in the Rye relates to your ability to overcome the trauma you have faced in your past. Holden thinks his sister Phoebe is very intelligent because he believes she is able to do something that he never could, forget Allie. Holden’s memory of Allie keeps him from moving on. Holden envies Phoebe because she does not remember, or is able to forget Allie. Holden cannot forget Allie and struggles to solve his problems, this is why he does not think he is smart and why he struggles. Catcher in The Rye uses intelligence to define a character's ability to overcome trauma.