Almost every person has some type of trauma in their past, something that dwells with them and affects who they are on the daily. For Holden Caulfield, his traumatic experience was his little brother’s death by cancer. Due to the trauma taking place when Holden was young, it led him to be dishonest, to distance himself from others, and to feel alone. Throughout the novel The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger incorporates the theme of alienation to further construe that subsequent to the trauma he endured, Holden believes that most people or events he experiences are spurious or mistrustful, and he disassociates himself from them. Since Holden’s brother passed away, he began to feel as though he could not trust others, and therefore lies so
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[He] didn’t feel like giving her [his] whole life story” (54-55). In spite of the fact Holden considered the woman to be friendly and a good conversationalist, he felt as though he could not trust her enough to be honest about who he was. Later, she offered that Holden should visit her and her son sometime, and Holden went as far as pretending to have a tumor just to avoid the invitation. These actions show how he enjoys company, but still finds any way to alienate himself. The woman on the train is not the only person Holden has lied to so he could distance himself. Near the end of the novel, Holden visits one of his former teachers, Mr. Antolini, who affirms “[a]mong other things, you'll find that you're not the first person who was ever confused and frightened and even sickened by human behavior. You're by no means alone on that score” (189). Mr. Antolini is trying to …show more content…
Albeit this may seem true in some ways, there are multiple instances within the novel where Holden mentally even admits the reasoning behind his actions. Even the last line of the novel, Holden finishes recalling his story and insists“[d]on't ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody” (214). He is well aware that he does not get close to people for the sole purpose that he does not want to miss them the way he is forced to miss his little
[He] didn’t feel like giving her [his] whole life story” (54-55). In spite of the fact Holden considered the woman to be friendly and a good conversationalist, he felt as though he could not trust her enough to be honest about who he was. Later, she offered that Holden should visit her and her son sometime, and Holden went as far as pretending to have a tumor just to avoid the invitation. These actions show how he enjoys company, but still finds any way to alienate himself. The woman on the train is not the only person Holden has lied to so he could distance himself. Near the end of the novel, Holden visits one of his former teachers, Mr. Antolini, who affirms “[a]mong other things, you'll find that you're not the first person who was ever confused and frightened and even sickened by human behavior. You're by no means alone on that score” (189). Mr. Antolini is trying to …show more content…
Albeit this may seem true in some ways, there are multiple instances within the novel where Holden mentally even admits the reasoning behind his actions. Even the last line of the novel, Holden finishes recalling his story and insists“[d]on't ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody” (214). He is well aware that he does not get close to people for the sole purpose that he does not want to miss them the way he is forced to miss his little