Although
he is intelligent and sensitive
, Holden narrates in a cynical and jaded voice. He finds the hypocrisy and ugliness of the world around him almost unbearable, and through his cynicism he tries to protect himself from the pain and disappointment of the adult world.
How does Holden Caulfield describe himself?
Holden describes himself as
already wrinkled, sneering and squinting, over six feet tall, and bits of grey hair before his time
.
What is Holden Caulfield physical description?
Holden is 16 years old as the central story begins,
tall at 6 feet 2 1/2 inches, partially gray-haired, and woefully skinny
. He has grown 6 1/2 inches in just one year. He is out of shape because he smokes too much. His general health is poor.
How is Holden characterized in The Catcher in the Rye?
Throughout the story he is characterized as
cynical and depressive
, due to his family. He resents his parents because they weren’t there to shield him from the world, and now he is trying to shield his little sister. He also has very low self-esteem, because he feels inadequate and that he is a screw-up.
What are Holden’s best qualities?
Holden is
intelligent, sensitive, generous, and thoughtful
. In many ways, he is the student every teacher wants in his class, since he thinks and cares about the books he reads and relates them to his own life. He also cares deeply about truth and authenticity.
What is wrong with Holden Caulfield?
Holden Caulfield suffers from
post traumatic stress disorder
. The fictional cause is the death of his beloved little brother, Allie. The reason that The Catcher in the Rye is so powerful is that it is a true book (I don’t say that it is a true story). … Salinger, himself, and Holden’s PTSD is Salinger’s PTSD.
Why did Holden have to leave Ernie’s?
Why does Holden leave Ernie’s? Holden leaves Ernie’s
because Lillian is becoming annoying
. He would rather leave then spend more time talking to her. … Holden becomes unimpressed with him and leaves.
Does Holden Caulfield lose his virginity?
Holden Caulfield does not lose his virginity during
the course of The Catcher in the Rye, though he makes some half-hearted attempts to do so.
Is Holden Caulfield crazy?
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.
What mental illness does Holden Caulfield have?
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.
What is Holden’s weakness?
The first weakness to note about the character of Holden Caulfield is
his judgemental tendencies
. Throughout the first ten chapters this weakness becomes increasingly frequent.
What are some of Holden’s personality traits?
Although he is
intelligent and sensitive
, Holden narrates in a cynical and jaded voice. He finds the hypocrisy and ugliness of the world around him almost unbearable, and through his cynicism he tries to protect himself from the pain and disappointment of the adult world.
Is Holden Caulfield a good guy?
Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye. In favorable critiques, Holden Caulfield is
a good guy stuck in a bad world
. He is trying to make the best of his life, though ultimately losing that battle. Whereas he aims at stability and truth, the adult world cannot survive without suspense and lies.
Why did Holden Kiss Jane?
Jane was upset because her stepfather was abusing her. Holden’s reaction was to sit next to her and put his arm around her. But instead of just comforting her, he begins to
kiss her all over her face
. He confuses lust with sympathy.
What made Holden depressed?
His past traumas and current issues
have led him to depression. In the beginning, Holden tells readers about the two deaths he experienced. His younger brother, Allie, died of leukemia three years prior, which greatly impacted him emotionally. Additionally, a classmate of Holden’s previous school committed suicide.
Why is Catcher in the Rye on the banned book list?
In Morris , Manitoba , the book was removed from the school libraries for “excess vulgar language, sexual scenes, things concerning moral issues, excessive violence, and anything dealing with the occult” (Bookczuk). The book was banned in 1989 from classrooms in Boron High School in California
for profanity
.
