Essay on Psychoanalysis of Holden Caulfield - 2159 Words

Untitled â€Å"BPD has a higher incidence of occurrence than schizophrenia or bipolar disorder and is present in approximately 2% of the general public† (Johnston).Borderline Personality Disorder, or BPD, is an emotional disorder that creates unstable behavior and stress in an individual. Holden Caulfield, from J.D. Salinger’s, 1948 novel, The Catcher in the Rye has been psychoanalyzed by many readers. Psychoanalysis is insightfully looking at a characters action and behavior to better understand them psychologically. By psychoanalyzing Holden Caulfield’s behavior and thoughts, it becomes evident that he has Borderline Personality Disorder caused by his childhood trauma and neglect, and portrayed through symptoms that damage his relations†¦show more content†¦Holden never going to Allie’s funeral gives us insight into why Holden is still holding onto Allie. After Allie’s death, Holden still went through experiences that caused his BPD, neglect and separation. During the time following Allie’s death, Holden’s family was in great grieving, making Holden feel isolated and not getting the attention he needed to fully grow mentally as a child (â€Å"National Allegiance on Mental Health†). Holden also expresses twice, that his mother is still grieving over Allie’s death by stating his mother, â€Å"still isn’t over my brother Allie yet† (Salinger 155). Holden is also never close to anyone. He meets with his family a limited amount of time throughout the year, and is kicked out of schools, giving him no permanent guidance in his life. Holden constantly describes his expulsion as, getting â€Å"the ax† (107). He shows a continuous changing in guardians, because of his attachment to both Mr. Spencer and Mr. Antolini, both old school teachers from schools he flunked out of. He also dealt with the separation from D.B. his other brother, who moved to Hollywood, Holden seems to be very ins pired by him throughout the novel, but is mad that he left (1). Holden like many people with Borderline Personality Disorder are afraid of being alone, so the desperately try to avoid feeling lonely (â€Å"National Institute of Mental Health†). Holden in attempts to have some form of companyShow MoreRelatedPsychoanalysis of Holden Caulfield1173 Words   |  5 PagesPsychoanalysis is a psychoanalytical theory and therapy that aims to treat mental disorders by investigating the conscious and unconscious elements in a human mind by bringing fears to the conscious mind. According to Sigmund Freud, â€Å"The unconscious silently directs the thoughts and behavior of the individual† (Freud 95). Holden Caulfield, the main character in J.D Salinger’s novel, The Catcher in the Rye, is sixteen years old and does not act his own age for he is stuck in his own private worldRead MoreAnalysis Of Holden Uses Defense Mechanisms1157 Words   |  5 PagesLanguage, Period 1 08 March 2017 Consequently, Holden uses defense mechanisms, â€Å"as a means of preventing anxiety that would result from conscious awareness of disturbing impulses, wishes, or ideas arising from the id,† (Nevid 471). Nevid explains that according to Freudian theory, defense mechanisms reside in the unconscious part of the human brain because if people were conscious of every single problem, people wouldn’t be able to function. Therefore, Holden is subconsciously utilizing defense mechanismsRead MoreHolden Uses Defense Mechanisms1372 Words   |  6 PagesConsequently, Holden uses defense mechanisms, â€Å"as a means of preventing anxiety that would result from conscious awareness of disturbing impulses, wishes, or ideas arising from the id,† (Nevid 471). Nevid explains that according to Freudian theory, defense mechanisms reside in the unconscious part of the human brain because if people were conscious of every single problem, people wouldn’t be able to function. T herefore, Holden is subconsciously utilizing defense mechanisms in order to shield himselfRead MoreAnalysis Of Holden Caulfield s The Catcher Rye 1308 Words   |  6 Pagesscratch, while others perish into the rubble. The same can be said for Holden Caulfield, the protagonist of J.D. Salinger’s novel The Catcher in the Rye, a teenager that suffers and wallow in his misery behind the scene’s, yet lives a life of luxury and debauchery for all to witness. Psychoanalytical theory operates as a catalyst in analyzing and understanding Holden Caulfield in the narrative of The Catcher in the Rye. Holden is introduced as a defeatist, juvenile youngster that has just failed outRead MoreThe Catcher in the Rye: Holden Caulfields Mental Breakdown1384 Words   |  6 Pagesthe boy displays his critical and unhealthy mindset. Eventually he has a mental breakdown. Through psychoanalysis of Holden Caulfield, one may suggest that Allie s death, social development, and an identity cris is are large contributing factors in Holden s mental breakdown. Allie Caulfield is an important person to Holden and his death affects him greatly. In response to his brother s passing, Holden attempts to recover by using defense mechanisms as a shield against reality. The concept of defenseRead MoreHolden Caulfield Is The Narrator1845 Words   |  8 Pagesand 2 Holden Caulfield is the narrator. Holden was kicked out of his school, Pencey Prep, due to scanty grades. The reader’s are taken back to his last day at the school. It was Saturday, which meant game day for Pencey Prep. They were playing their rivals, Saxon Hall. Instead of being down at the game like every other student, Holden went to visit old Spencer. Mr. Spencer was Holden’s history teacher who had an idea that Holden would not be returning next semester. Spencer and Holden had aRead More Insurance for White Masculinity: Methods of Control to Ensure a Dominant Race3563 Words   |  15 Pageskeep himself in control. In J.D. Salinger’s the Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield protects his ideal of an untainted white female to the point of physical conflict with Stradlater as Holden is afraid of Stradlater breaking his view of white female pureness. Jane Gallagher is Holden’s view of pureness as he remembers her in very innocent ways as a girl that â€Å"kept all her kings in the back row† during chess, and Holden desperately wants to hold onto these innocent memories of her. The ideaRead MoreSigmund Freud s Theory And Criticism1345 Words   |  6 PagesCriticism Spring 2015 Midterm Essays Freud and Literature At some point in life, everyone has heard the name Sigmund Freud. Sigmund Freud was born in 1856, and went on to become one of the most talked about theorists. He is known as the father of psychoanalysis and has left behind an everlasting legacy. There were two influential and sometimes controversial theories that Freud left behind. Sigmund Freud’s big legacy was his work with dreams and the unconscious. This work can relate to literature onRead MoreLiterary Analysis Of The Catcher Rye 1763 Words   |  8 Pages Campbell 1 English 150 Whetstine Literary Analysis The Catcher in the Rye Catcher in the Rye starts with the main character Holden Caulfield telling us about his life. It seems that Holden is a very troubled individual that is having problems dealing with the past and perhaps the prospect of growing up. He wants to talk but not sure anyone cares to listen. He eludes to the fact that he is in an institutionRead MoreThe Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger: A Review1887 Words   |  8 Pagespublished in 1951. The novel deals with the themes of identity, belonging, connection, and alienation. The protagonist, Holden Caulfield, is a cynical sixteen year-old with prematurely gray hair that makes him appear older than his age. Holden is caught at the awkward age between adolescence and adulthood as he searches for his identity. Set in the 1940s, the story begins with Holden recovering from a breakdown stemming from his expulsion from Pencey Prep School. He has already flunked out of three