In addition to the physical signs of a panic attack, including profuse sweating, Holden's mind seems to be closing in on itself . He imagines himself being swallowed “down, down, down” into some existential void where he might disappear forever.
What mental illnesses does Holden Caulfield have?
Caulfield may be seen as suffering from a variety of mental illnesses including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) . This mental state could be a result of a variety of factors, including the death of his younger brother Allie, as well as witnessing the gruesome scene of a classmate's death.
Does Holden Caulfield have anxiety?
As with the death of his brother, Holden doesn't talk to anyone about how he's feeling. He pushes his trauma inside. Quickly, almost to the letter of the DSM, Holden's life explodes with anxiety . As I re-read the novel as an adult, I was struck by how pervasive anxiety is in Holden's life, right from the start.
Does Holden in Catcher in the Rye have a mental illness?
Holden displays many common traits of a person with PTSD following this loss. He has substantial amounts of guilt and depression and struggles to remember the details of events in his life. Holden's emotions seem to be highly unbalanced.
Is Holden Caulfield neurotic?
In addition, Holden Caulfield is suffering from some forms of neurosis . His behaviors and thoughts indicate that he is suffering from mental illness. This is the key point of the novel where the main conflict is the ill protagonist's psychology.
Why is The Catcher in the Rye so controversial?
Some books may be banned for the whole novel in general, and some books are banned for just one word or even their book cover (“If You Think We're Free”). The Catcher in the Rye has been challenged several times for its “excessive vulgar language, sexual scenes, and things concerning moral issues” (Sova).
Why does Holden think everyone is phony?
Holden characterizes “phonies” as people who are dishonest or fake about who they really are, or people who play a part just to fit into a society that Holden questions . Therefore, Holden hates “phonies” because they represent everything he fears or fights against, such as adulthood, conformity, and commercialism.
What does the ending of Catcher in the Rye mean?
The Catcher in the Rye ends ambiguously. The ambiguity is mostly due to the significant time gap between the book's last two chapters. ... This would entail believing that his happiness at the end of Chapter 25 is genuine and that this happiness predicts an eventual, full recovery.
What are Holden Caulfield physical symptoms?
Of physical symptoms, he gets the classic anxiety triumvirate: stomachache, nausea, and gastrointestinal problems . “When I worry,” Holden tells us, “I really worry. Sometimes I worry so much I have to go to the bathroom. But then I worry so much that I don't have to go.” Later in the novel, Holden has a panic attack.
Is Holden Caulfield insane?
Holden (despite the confusion of the Harcourt Brace executive) is not crazy ; he tells his story from a sanatorium (where he has gone because of a fear that he has t.b.), not a mental hospital.
Why is Holden in a mental hospital?
Today, readers might infer that Holden must be suffering from some combination of depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and anxiety. Holden himself references mental illness, trauma, and psychoanalysis . ... Holden notes that his mother has been “very nervous” since Allie's death.
Who is Holden's brother?
Holden's younger brother. Allie dies of leukemia three years before the start of the novel. Allie was a brilliant, friendly, red-headed boy—according to Holden, he was the smartest of the Caulfields.
What did Mr Antolini do to Holden?
Antolini touches Holden's forehead as he sleeps , he may overstep a boundary in his display of concern and affection. However, there is little evidence to suggest that he is making a sexual overture, as Holden thinks, and much evidence that Holden misinterprets his action.
Why was Catcher in the Rye banned in Australia?
JD Salinger's seminal novel, The Catcher in the Rye, was one such title prohibited in Australia. Despite being in circulation for several years, it was banned when a clerk of the Customs Literature Censorship section decided that the novel contained enough indecent references to be considered a prohibited import .
Why was Catcher in the Rye banned in the US?
It was banned or challenged countless times, for its profanity alone (“Banned Books Awareness: “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger. ... The book has multiple scenes and references to prostitution and premarital sex. In 1992, it was banned in a high school in Illinois for its alcohol abuse.
Why is Lord of the Flies banned?
Lord of the Flies by William Golding was challenged in the Waterloo Iowa schools in 1992 because of profanity, lurid passages about sex, and statements defamatory to minorities, God, women, and the disabled . ...
