In The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, the main character, Holden Caulfield, has many issues. He likes to push his problems onto others, judge them with his internal thought, and isn’t willing to work on any of his personal issues. Holden Caulfield doesn’t take responsibility for his actions and tends to blame society for his problems.
Whenever Holden has a bad experience, he’s very quick to blame society and other people around him. For example, Holden blames the general population for “ruining things for him” (87). Holden states, “People are always ruining things for you.” (87). Holden is blaming his issues on other people. In this case, Holden leaves the bar and ends his conversation with Lillian because of the mere fact that …show more content…
In the beginning of the novel, Holden stops by one of his professor’s rooms, Mr. Spencer. Mr. Spencer just wanted to say goodbye to Holden before he leaves Pencey for good. Mr. Spencer is trying to give Holden advice, but all he does is judge Mr. Spencer’s appearance and living space. Holden is sitting in Mr. Spencer’s room while he tries to give him some friendly advice. All Holden’s doing is judging someone that is trying to help him change his irresponsible ways. Second, in chapter seven Ackley asks Holden where all the blood on his pajamas came from. Holden tells Ackley that he and Stradlater got into a fight but doesn’t want to get into it. Ackley continues to speak and Holden doesn’t say much. Holden thinks to himself about how Ackley was “even more stupid than Stradlater” (47). All Ackley is doing is asking about what happened to Holden. Holden doesn’t tell him and immediately starts to judge him inside his head. It appears as if it’s almost second nature. In chapter fifteen, Holden calls Sally Hayes and asks her on a date. After they’re done speaking on the phone Holden thinks about how Sally is never on time and is quite “a pain in the ass.” This shows how Holden is judgemental of his peers in a negative fashion because he asks Sally on a date, then seconds after they get off the phone he starts to think of her in a negative …show more content…
For example, Holden is beaten up by Stradlater and has no means of defending himself. When he is talking to Stradlater about Jane, Stradlater holds him down on the ground against his will and punches him in the mouth. After the incident Holden says this, “I had blood all over my mouth and chin and even on my pajamas and bathrobe. It partly scared me and it partly fascinated me” (45). Holden tries to stick up for others, yet he can’t even stick up for himself. There’s nothing wrong with sticking up for others, but he is incapable of defending himself. Next, after Carl Luce leaves the bar Holden “sat at the bar ‘till one o 'clock” for no good reason. He states, “Boy, I sat at that goddamn bar till around one o’clock or so, getting drunk as a bastard...I could hardly see straight” (150). Holden is a debby downer. He looks at everything from a pessimist point of view. After Carl Luce leaves the bar, Holden stays and seems to drink his problems away in a sense. This is realized because Holden was constantly asking Luce questions regarding sex. It is clear that this is a problem area for him, but instead of trying to fix this issue, he resorts to staying out super late and getting way too drunk.. Finally, towards the end of the novel Holden has officially hit rock bottom and returns home to visit Phoebe. In this scene he tells Phoebe about how he is completely broke. She then offers
Whenever Holden has a bad experience, he’s very quick to blame society and other people around him. For example, Holden blames the general population for “ruining things for him” (87). Holden states, “People are always ruining things for you.” (87). Holden is blaming his issues on other people. In this case, Holden leaves the bar and ends his conversation with Lillian because of the mere fact that …show more content…
In the beginning of the novel, Holden stops by one of his professor’s rooms, Mr. Spencer. Mr. Spencer just wanted to say goodbye to Holden before he leaves Pencey for good. Mr. Spencer is trying to give Holden advice, but all he does is judge Mr. Spencer’s appearance and living space. Holden is sitting in Mr. Spencer’s room while he tries to give him some friendly advice. All Holden’s doing is judging someone that is trying to help him change his irresponsible ways. Second, in chapter seven Ackley asks Holden where all the blood on his pajamas came from. Holden tells Ackley that he and Stradlater got into a fight but doesn’t want to get into it. Ackley continues to speak and Holden doesn’t say much. Holden thinks to himself about how Ackley was “even more stupid than Stradlater” (47). All Ackley is doing is asking about what happened to Holden. Holden doesn’t tell him and immediately starts to judge him inside his head. It appears as if it’s almost second nature. In chapter fifteen, Holden calls Sally Hayes and asks her on a date. After they’re done speaking on the phone Holden thinks about how Sally is never on time and is quite “a pain in the ass.” This shows how Holden is judgemental of his peers in a negative fashion because he asks Sally on a date, then seconds after they get off the phone he starts to think of her in a negative …show more content…
For example, Holden is beaten up by Stradlater and has no means of defending himself. When he is talking to Stradlater about Jane, Stradlater holds him down on the ground against his will and punches him in the mouth. After the incident Holden says this, “I had blood all over my mouth and chin and even on my pajamas and bathrobe. It partly scared me and it partly fascinated me” (45). Holden tries to stick up for others, yet he can’t even stick up for himself. There’s nothing wrong with sticking up for others, but he is incapable of defending himself. Next, after Carl Luce leaves the bar Holden “sat at the bar ‘till one o 'clock” for no good reason. He states, “Boy, I sat at that goddamn bar till around one o’clock or so, getting drunk as a bastard...I could hardly see straight” (150). Holden is a debby downer. He looks at everything from a pessimist point of view. After Carl Luce leaves the bar, Holden stays and seems to drink his problems away in a sense. This is realized because Holden was constantly asking Luce questions regarding sex. It is clear that this is a problem area for him, but instead of trying to fix this issue, he resorts to staying out super late and getting way too drunk.. Finally, towards the end of the novel Holden has officially hit rock bottom and returns home to visit Phoebe. In this scene he tells Phoebe about how he is completely broke. She then offers