Young Boy, Lunatic Mind
Neurosis: noun [noo-roh-sis], a relatively mild mental illness that is not caused by organic disease, involving symptoms of stress (depression, anxiety, obsessive behavior, hypochondria) but not a radical loss of touch with reality. The dictionary definition of this mental disease seems to associate with the way Holden acted as he approached adulthood. Holden, being the main character of The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger, seemed to be “off” a little bit. Yes, teenagers all seem to be a little crazy, but his actions and thoughts were different about Holden. Holden’s desire to be understood, to be superior and to maintain innocence resulted in him having …show more content…
This is touched on a lot in the article The Saint as a Young Man, A Reappraisal of the Catcher in the Rye by Jonathan Baumbach. Holden wanted to maintain all the kids innocent, which is “purely selfless”(Baumbach,462). Like I mentioned before, Holden wants to be superior, this also intervenes with him wanting to save innocence because he wants to be “a saint-the protector and savior of innocence”(Baumbach, 462). Being a “hero” or “saint” covers both goals for him. In order for him to that “he must leave innocence to protect innocence” (Baumbach, 462). That is the problem, he wants to save it but also wants to maintain it within himself. All of this act of wanting to save innocence started right after his brother Allie died. Before that, he had never experienced any “evil” in his life. The death came to him unexpectedly, and he realized that the world was unfair and does things it’s own way, not the way he wanted them. Not only does he want to maintain innocence with the kids, but even with some adults. When he called down a prostitute to his room, at the moment of the moment, he refused to have sex with her. Not only to maintain his innocence, but also to maintain the little innocence she had left (Baumbach, 469). This proves that even if Holden did not know the person, he still cared for their innocence. For a teenager, it is very surprising that Holden wanted to save his own innocence as well. Another reason why he refused to have sex with the prostitute or other girls is because he wants to make sure he loves the girl (Irving,82). He can’t come to the conclusion that he wants to have sex, because if he does, he will lose his innocence. If he decides to have sex, he wants it to be with someone who is worthy. He also wants to keep Jane’s innocence. Even the thought of Jane losing it makes him go crazy. To him, Jane is a symbol
Neurosis: noun [noo-roh-sis], a relatively mild mental illness that is not caused by organic disease, involving symptoms of stress (depression, anxiety, obsessive behavior, hypochondria) but not a radical loss of touch with reality. The dictionary definition of this mental disease seems to associate with the way Holden acted as he approached adulthood. Holden, being the main character of The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger, seemed to be “off” a little bit. Yes, teenagers all seem to be a little crazy, but his actions and thoughts were different about Holden. Holden’s desire to be understood, to be superior and to maintain innocence resulted in him having …show more content…
This is touched on a lot in the article The Saint as a Young Man, A Reappraisal of the Catcher in the Rye by Jonathan Baumbach. Holden wanted to maintain all the kids innocent, which is “purely selfless”(Baumbach,462). Like I mentioned before, Holden wants to be superior, this also intervenes with him wanting to save innocence because he wants to be “a saint-the protector and savior of innocence”(Baumbach, 462). Being a “hero” or “saint” covers both goals for him. In order for him to that “he must leave innocence to protect innocence” (Baumbach, 462). That is the problem, he wants to save it but also wants to maintain it within himself. All of this act of wanting to save innocence started right after his brother Allie died. Before that, he had never experienced any “evil” in his life. The death came to him unexpectedly, and he realized that the world was unfair and does things it’s own way, not the way he wanted them. Not only does he want to maintain innocence with the kids, but even with some adults. When he called down a prostitute to his room, at the moment of the moment, he refused to have sex with her. Not only to maintain his innocence, but also to maintain the little innocence she had left (Baumbach, 469). This proves that even if Holden did not know the person, he still cared for their innocence. For a teenager, it is very surprising that Holden wanted to save his own innocence as well. Another reason why he refused to have sex with the prostitute or other girls is because he wants to make sure he loves the girl (Irving,82). He can’t come to the conclusion that he wants to have sex, because if he does, he will lose his innocence. If he decides to have sex, he wants it to be with someone who is worthy. He also wants to keep Jane’s innocence. Even the thought of Jane losing it makes him go crazy. To him, Jane is a symbol