Holden Caulfield, is he really crazy? after hearing Holden's story, should he be in a "rest home"?
In today's society, many people have breakdowns. Some have stressful jobs, or they don't know how to deal with their own problems. During the time that J.D. Salinger's character, Holden Caulfield, attended his prep schools, people were not used to these sorts of things. It was determined that, Holden should go see a Psychoanalyst for his issues. Holden belongs in a "rest home" because he is unstable, mentally unhealthy, and is unwilling to accept the world as it is.
Holden Caulfield is not just another normal teenager. His views on the world are very limited, and he has no room for anyone else's. His mind is that of a grown man and as such he thinks about "grown up" things. This is dangerous because he has not yet reached a point of maturity where he can accept the fact that other people live their lives the way they want to. This could lead to violent outbursts directed at his friends or family. He has already shown us that he is unstable. For example when Sunny and Maurice return to Holden's room asking him to pay Sunny the other five dollars, he refuses to pay the man, and they get into an argument. After their heated argument Holden says
"All of a sudden I started to cry." (Salinger, pg. 103)
One wouldn't think anything of the situation, but Maurice had not done anything to Holden at this point. The only time Maurice laid a hand on Holden was after he had started to cry. This incident shows us that Holden is unstable. To further stress the fact he is unstable, Holden continuously says he's depressed. He also can never seem to get his thoughts straight. He is always contradicting what he says.
Holden also does not want to grow up. He's entering adulthood, but he does not want to lose his sense of innocence. This is why he has a passion for children. Holden is always saying good things about children and how they "kill him". At the age of 16 Holden has a strong liking for children. Strong enough that some could believe it to be a problem. In one part of the
Holden Caulfield is not just another normal teenager. His views on the world are very limited, and he has no room for anyone else's. His mind is that of a grown man and as such he thinks about "grown up" things. This is dangerous because he has not yet reached a point of maturity where he can accept the fact that other people live their lives the way they want to. This could lead to violent outbursts directed at his friends or family. He has already shown us that he is unstable. For example when Sunny and Maurice return to Holden's room asking him to pay Sunny the other five dollars, he refuses to pay the man, and they get into an argument. After their heated argument Holden says
"All of a sudden I started to cry." (Salinger, pg. 103)
One wouldn't think anything of the situation, but Maurice had not done anything to Holden at this point. The only time Maurice laid a hand on Holden was after he had started to cry. This incident shows us that Holden is unstable. To further stress the fact he is unstable, Holden continuously says he's depressed. He also can never seem to get his thoughts straight. He is always contradicting what he says.
Holden also does not want to grow up. He's entering adulthood, but he does not want to lose his sense of innocence. This is why he has a passion for children. Holden is always saying good things about children and how they "kill him". At the age of 16 Holden has a strong liking for children. Strong enough that some could believe it to be a problem. In one part of the