Holden Caulfield Isolation
Isolation
Isolation is a state of being that can affect many people in various ways. To many, isolation is the physical separation from one thing to another but that is not all there is to it. One aspect of isolation that can lead to different forms that ultimately leaves one thinking of the chain reaction that occurs. In the novel, The Catcher in the Rye, the theme of isolation is exemplified through Holden Caulfield’s relationship with others, distance from reality, and his own identity.
Throughout the novel, Holden experiences isolation in various ways. One of the main ways in which he experiences isolation is from others and society. Holden constantly separates himself from others in order to protect himself from their phony ways. Holden …show more content…
In Holden’s case, he fantasizes about situations that would not happen such as imagining that he “was the only guy at the bar with a bullet in [his] guts... [he] didn’t wasn’t anybody to know [he] was even wounded or concealing the fact that [he] was wounded” (Salinger 150). Holden does this in order to cope with the fact that he has isolated himself from the real world and there is no one to share his presence. Holden’s isolation is also affected by the fact that he cannot move on from his own life experiences. Even after years of his brother’s death, Holden is unable to accept it and move forward. He is stuck in the stage of grief and feeling that he is responsible for it, leading him to close himself off from others. He feels that if he continues to think about his brother, he will never lose him. Isolation can be caused by various factors that do not allow one to move on or fantasize about things that would never happen such as in Holden’s …show more content…
If one has no one to socialize with and is thinking of fantasy situations, he or she can lose sight of who they truly are. Holden creates a sense of alienation with himself that leads to depression and even thoughts of death. He says that he is the only dumb one and feels rotten, so lonesome (Salinger 67). Holden alienates his true personality from one that he thinks to be true in order to feel sorry for himself. Depression begins to fill his life because he feels so alone which leads to thoughts of death. His thoughts of death preoccupy most of his energy and consume him because he has no one to share with. The seriousness of isolation leads to such depression as thoughts of death like in the case of
Isolation is a state of being that can affect many people in various ways. To many, isolation is the physical separation from one thing to another but that is not all there is to it. One aspect of isolation that can lead to different forms that ultimately leaves one thinking of the chain reaction that occurs. In the novel, The Catcher in the Rye, the theme of isolation is exemplified through Holden Caulfield’s relationship with others, distance from reality, and his own identity.
Throughout the novel, Holden experiences isolation in various ways. One of the main ways in which he experiences isolation is from others and society. Holden constantly separates himself from others in order to protect himself from their phony ways. Holden …show more content…
In Holden’s case, he fantasizes about situations that would not happen such as imagining that he “was the only guy at the bar with a bullet in [his] guts... [he] didn’t wasn’t anybody to know [he] was even wounded or concealing the fact that [he] was wounded” (Salinger 150). Holden does this in order to cope with the fact that he has isolated himself from the real world and there is no one to share his presence. Holden’s isolation is also affected by the fact that he cannot move on from his own life experiences. Even after years of his brother’s death, Holden is unable to accept it and move forward. He is stuck in the stage of grief and feeling that he is responsible for it, leading him to close himself off from others. He feels that if he continues to think about his brother, he will never lose him. Isolation can be caused by various factors that do not allow one to move on or fantasize about things that would never happen such as in Holden’s …show more content…
If one has no one to socialize with and is thinking of fantasy situations, he or she can lose sight of who they truly are. Holden creates a sense of alienation with himself that leads to depression and even thoughts of death. He says that he is the only dumb one and feels rotten, so lonesome (Salinger 67). Holden alienates his true personality from one that he thinks to be true in order to feel sorry for himself. Depression begins to fill his life because he feels so alone which leads to thoughts of death. His thoughts of death preoccupy most of his energy and consume him because he has no one to share with. The seriousness of isolation leads to such depression as thoughts of death like in the case of