Examples Of Grief In Catcher In The Rye
Neha Mathews
Ms. Komar
English 10B
Period 5
Experiencing Grief
According to psychiatrist Elisabeth Ross, there are four main stages of grief: denial, anger, depression and acceptance. Throughout, Catcher in the Rye, by J. Salinger, Holden experiences all five stages of grief. Holden is a teenage boy, who suffers from loss and loneliness. Holden vividly exhibits all of these different stages of grief. Holden tries to overcome his grief by going through the various stages of grief: denial, anger, depression and acceptance. The death of Holden’s younger brother, Allie, great affects him. Holden says, “ I couldn’t stand it. I know it's only his body and all that’s in the cemetery, and his soul’s in heaven and all that crap, but I couldn't …show more content…
“When I was really drunk, I started that stupid business with the bullet in the my guts..I didn’t want anybody to know I was even wounded I was concealing that I was a wounded sonuvabitch” (Salinger 195). Holden associates emotional pain and struggle with physical pain. He does so the reader will understand how much pain he is going through. He uses very gruesome descriptions such as bullet in my guts. At the end of the novel, Holden finally reaches the last stage of grief; acceptance. “If you want to know the truth, I don't know what to think about it. I’m sorry that I told so many people about it” (Salinger 234). Holden has finally reached acceptance. He is now admitted a psychiatrist. By speaking to others about his struggles he is finally able to let go and start again.
In conclusion, Holden experiences all five stages of grief in this novel. He learns to cope with the death of his younger brother. Holden is still not sure what he is going to do with his life, but he is able to put his past behind him. Salinger emphasizes grief as a main theme of novel so the main audience of the book, teens will know how to cope with grief. They will be able to get help before it is too
Ms. Komar
English 10B
Period 5
Experiencing Grief
According to psychiatrist Elisabeth Ross, there are four main stages of grief: denial, anger, depression and acceptance. Throughout, Catcher in the Rye, by J. Salinger, Holden experiences all five stages of grief. Holden is a teenage boy, who suffers from loss and loneliness. Holden vividly exhibits all of these different stages of grief. Holden tries to overcome his grief by going through the various stages of grief: denial, anger, depression and acceptance. The death of Holden’s younger brother, Allie, great affects him. Holden says, “ I couldn’t stand it. I know it's only his body and all that’s in the cemetery, and his soul’s in heaven and all that crap, but I couldn't …show more content…
“When I was really drunk, I started that stupid business with the bullet in the my guts..I didn’t want anybody to know I was even wounded I was concealing that I was a wounded sonuvabitch” (Salinger 195). Holden associates emotional pain and struggle with physical pain. He does so the reader will understand how much pain he is going through. He uses very gruesome descriptions such as bullet in my guts. At the end of the novel, Holden finally reaches the last stage of grief; acceptance. “If you want to know the truth, I don't know what to think about it. I’m sorry that I told so many people about it” (Salinger 234). Holden has finally reached acceptance. He is now admitted a psychiatrist. By speaking to others about his struggles he is finally able to let go and start again.
In conclusion, Holden experiences all five stages of grief in this novel. He learns to cope with the death of his younger brother. Holden is still not sure what he is going to do with his life, but he is able to put his past behind him. Salinger emphasizes grief as a main theme of novel so the main audience of the book, teens will know how to cope with grief. They will be able to get help before it is too