In J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, scholars tend to agree that Holden Caulfield feels inferior towards others, which lowers his self-esteem, so in order to gain confidence with himself, he feels the need to be superior.
Finally, in the article, Anna Freud and J.D. Salinger’s Holden Caulfield by Robert Coles, Coles introduces a new way of how Holden Caulfield is superior. Coles and Freud discuss different ways Holden Caulfield influences our youth and how that makes him superior (217). For example, in our society, Holden is viewed as someone who isn’t afraid to call someone out for who they are. When talking about his roommate Stradlater, he described his physical appearance as clean, but how he’s actually someone who doesn’t have …show more content…
67). “Dumb” seems to include more than simply lack of intelligence; it seems to indicate that he’s the worst at everything. (Irving.1977.82)
In other words, either younger or older, Holden still feels inferior when it comes to the members of his family. This opens up how Holden really feels inferior in the inside because he doesn’t feel like he’s as intelligent as his siblings. When he considers himself as the “dumb” one in the family, he only makes himself feel more inferior, which makes himself lower his self-esteem and confidence. Although he feels superior,
Additionally, Holden begins to lie and lead himself to self destruction because being the middle child made him feel inferior towards D.B. and it’s something he can’t handle, so he lies to be more in control of tough situations (Irving.81). For example, Holden Caulfield considers himself as the “best liar.” Being the “best liar” would make someone feel superior because they’re in control of the situation and they feel like they have the power to manipulate and dominate others. (Irving 83) Lying and rebelling makes Holden more superior because he’s shaping himself to be someone who he’s not. Overtime, shadowing over his real self will make him feel, and even believe, that he’s …show more content…
John Huber and Gail Ledbetter, Huber and Ledbetter agree and add additional thoughts with Irving in her article, The Catcher in the Rye: An Adlerian Interpretation. Holden Caulfield’s lifestyle by adding additional thoughts to his inferiorities and superiorities. Huber and Ledbetter believe that Holden is one to avoid life problems by hesitating to protect his low self-esteem (252). Unlike Irving, who describes how Holden lies and rebels to avoid situations he can’t handle, Huber and Ledbetter put him in situations where he’s too inferior to lie or rebel. For example, when dealing with the opposite sex, Holden behaves morbid because when Jane Gallagher arrives to the hotel, he makes an excuse saying he’s “not in the mood” (Salinger). Holden feels too anxious when dealing with the opposite sex due to being separated himself from his family. He doesn’t have enough social experience to know how to react (Ledbetter & Huber). This shows how Holden struggles with being inferior because although he tries to hide it, certain situations will be immune to all of his manipulative lies. Although it seems like he can’t handle situations with the opposite sex, he just can’t handle social contact (Ledbetter & Huber 252). Ledbetter and Huber explain how he chooses not to be social because it’s as if he’s living in “enemy's territory” (252). Since Holden feels like he’s living on
Finally, in the article, Anna Freud and J.D. Salinger’s Holden Caulfield by Robert Coles, Coles introduces a new way of how Holden Caulfield is superior. Coles and Freud discuss different ways Holden Caulfield influences our youth and how that makes him superior (217). For example, in our society, Holden is viewed as someone who isn’t afraid to call someone out for who they are. When talking about his roommate Stradlater, he described his physical appearance as clean, but how he’s actually someone who doesn’t have …show more content…
67). “Dumb” seems to include more than simply lack of intelligence; it seems to indicate that he’s the worst at everything. (Irving.1977.82)
In other words, either younger or older, Holden still feels inferior when it comes to the members of his family. This opens up how Holden really feels inferior in the inside because he doesn’t feel like he’s as intelligent as his siblings. When he considers himself as the “dumb” one in the family, he only makes himself feel more inferior, which makes himself lower his self-esteem and confidence. Although he feels superior,
Additionally, Holden begins to lie and lead himself to self destruction because being the middle child made him feel inferior towards D.B. and it’s something he can’t handle, so he lies to be more in control of tough situations (Irving.81). For example, Holden Caulfield considers himself as the “best liar.” Being the “best liar” would make someone feel superior because they’re in control of the situation and they feel like they have the power to manipulate and dominate others. (Irving 83) Lying and rebelling makes Holden more superior because he’s shaping himself to be someone who he’s not. Overtime, shadowing over his real self will make him feel, and even believe, that he’s …show more content…
John Huber and Gail Ledbetter, Huber and Ledbetter agree and add additional thoughts with Irving in her article, The Catcher in the Rye: An Adlerian Interpretation. Holden Caulfield’s lifestyle by adding additional thoughts to his inferiorities and superiorities. Huber and Ledbetter believe that Holden is one to avoid life problems by hesitating to protect his low self-esteem (252). Unlike Irving, who describes how Holden lies and rebels to avoid situations he can’t handle, Huber and Ledbetter put him in situations where he’s too inferior to lie or rebel. For example, when dealing with the opposite sex, Holden behaves morbid because when Jane Gallagher arrives to the hotel, he makes an excuse saying he’s “not in the mood” (Salinger). Holden feels too anxious when dealing with the opposite sex due to being separated himself from his family. He doesn’t have enough social experience to know how to react (Ledbetter & Huber). This shows how Holden struggles with being inferior because although he tries to hide it, certain situations will be immune to all of his manipulative lies. Although it seems like he can’t handle situations with the opposite sex, he just can’t handle social contact (Ledbetter & Huber 252). Ledbetter and Huber explain how he chooses not to be social because it’s as if he’s living in “enemy's territory” (252). Since Holden feels like he’s living on