Allie Acacio
Mr. Clark
English 1
14 May 2015
Holden’s Thoughts on Suicide Suicide: the action of killing oneself intentionally. The main character in the book The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is Holden Caulfield, a troubled boy who gets kicked out of his prestigious boarding school. Holden often contemplates the topic of suicide, his own and other people’s. Throughout the book we learn many other things about Holden such as he does not like fake people, is hypocritical at times, uses bad language and smokes. In The Catcher in the Rye Holden discusses the topic of suicide three times and before every mention of suicide something important and spontaneous happens in the book; moreover, Holden often feels alone when discussing suicide. …show more content…
Also, the decision of getting the prostitute in the first place is sudden and not well thought through, like most of his decisions. Holden feels alone and sad after they leave which leads to the topic of suicide. The second time suicide is mentioned is after Maurice and Sunny leave Holden’s hotel room. He says that he wants to commit suicide by jumping out of the window. Holden ponders, “What I really felt like, though, was committing suicide. I felt like jumping out the window. I probably would’ve done it, too, if I’d been sure somebody’d cover me up as soon as I landed. I didn’t want a bunch of stupid rubbernecks looking at me when I was all gory” (Salinger 116). Holden felt lonely and depressed when he thinks about suicide again. However, even in death Holden is self-conscious. He doesn’t want to jump unless he knows someone would cover his body so people wouldn’t see him dead. Altogether, the mention of suicide happens when Holden feels all alone and after an influential decision is …show more content…
He decides to go home suddenly and, again, does not think through his plan. Holden thinks, “It was dark as hell in the foyer, naturally, and naturally I couldn’t turn on any lights. I had to be careful not to bump into anything and make a racket. I certainly knew I was home, though” (Salinger 175). Holden’s quick decision to go home and see Phoebe risks his entire plan to not see his parents until Wednesday, but Holden risks it anyways. In the process he almost gets caught, too. He has to hide in the closet while his mom talks to Phoebe and she also has to lie about the smell of cigarette smoke in her room. This scene leads to Holden thinking about suicide again. The last time that suicide is mentioned is when Holden is remembering a guy that went to Elkton Hills with him. He killed himself by jumping out of his window, “He was a skinny little weak-looking guy, with wrists about as big as pencils. Finally, what he did, instead of taking back what he said, he jumped out the window. I was in the shower and all, and even I could hear him land outside. But I just thought something fell out the window, a radio or a desk or something, not a boy or anything” (Salinger 188). The boy who committed suicide’s name was James Castle, and he refused to take back what he said about another guy that went there. In fear of getting beaten up, James decided to jump out the window.
Mr. Clark
English 1
14 May 2015
Holden’s Thoughts on Suicide Suicide: the action of killing oneself intentionally. The main character in the book The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is Holden Caulfield, a troubled boy who gets kicked out of his prestigious boarding school. Holden often contemplates the topic of suicide, his own and other people’s. Throughout the book we learn many other things about Holden such as he does not like fake people, is hypocritical at times, uses bad language and smokes. In The Catcher in the Rye Holden discusses the topic of suicide three times and before every mention of suicide something important and spontaneous happens in the book; moreover, Holden often feels alone when discussing suicide. …show more content…
Also, the decision of getting the prostitute in the first place is sudden and not well thought through, like most of his decisions. Holden feels alone and sad after they leave which leads to the topic of suicide. The second time suicide is mentioned is after Maurice and Sunny leave Holden’s hotel room. He says that he wants to commit suicide by jumping out of the window. Holden ponders, “What I really felt like, though, was committing suicide. I felt like jumping out the window. I probably would’ve done it, too, if I’d been sure somebody’d cover me up as soon as I landed. I didn’t want a bunch of stupid rubbernecks looking at me when I was all gory” (Salinger 116). Holden felt lonely and depressed when he thinks about suicide again. However, even in death Holden is self-conscious. He doesn’t want to jump unless he knows someone would cover his body so people wouldn’t see him dead. Altogether, the mention of suicide happens when Holden feels all alone and after an influential decision is …show more content…
He decides to go home suddenly and, again, does not think through his plan. Holden thinks, “It was dark as hell in the foyer, naturally, and naturally I couldn’t turn on any lights. I had to be careful not to bump into anything and make a racket. I certainly knew I was home, though” (Salinger 175). Holden’s quick decision to go home and see Phoebe risks his entire plan to not see his parents until Wednesday, but Holden risks it anyways. In the process he almost gets caught, too. He has to hide in the closet while his mom talks to Phoebe and she also has to lie about the smell of cigarette smoke in her room. This scene leads to Holden thinking about suicide again. The last time that suicide is mentioned is when Holden is remembering a guy that went to Elkton Hills with him. He killed himself by jumping out of his window, “He was a skinny little weak-looking guy, with wrists about as big as pencils. Finally, what he did, instead of taking back what he said, he jumped out the window. I was in the shower and all, and even I could hear him land outside. But I just thought something fell out the window, a radio or a desk or something, not a boy or anything” (Salinger 188). The boy who committed suicide’s name was James Castle, and he refused to take back what he said about another guy that went there. In fear of getting beaten up, James decided to jump out the window.