Holden Caulfield Alienation

Many teenagers in the world feel pressured by society. In the book The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, Holden Caulfield deviates from society’s expectations and feels alienation and loneliness. Salinger conveys this theme by using language patterns such as Language of depression and Name-calling through Holden has a lot of denial and anger inside of him, resulting in anger. Holden uses name calling to take out his anger on others, while he is mad at himself. Here, Stradlater gets mad at Holden for writing his composition on Allie’s baseball glove. Stradlater pins Holden to the ground while telling Holden to shut up.“You’re a dirty stupid sonuvabitch of a moron” (44). Holden is calling Stradlater this to spite him. When Stradlater insulted Holden, like any teenager, Holden said it back. Holden’s use of name calling suggests he has anger stored in himself, waiting to take it out on somebody else. …show more content…
Holden uses name calling to express his thoughts on Old Spence. He feels bad for him because he is not doing so well, while repeatedly saying old. “old Spencer had on this very sad, ratty old bathrobe that he was probably born in or something. I don't much like to see old guys in their pajamas and bathrobes anyway… bumpy old chests always showing. And their legs. Old guy’s legs...always look so white and unhairy”(7). Holden shows to be grossed out by Old Spence’s physical appearance. The age and state that Old Spence is at disgusts Holden, Holden uses old, old in this case meaning ugly. Holden imagines himself being this age, he wonders what he will look like and all the problems he will