Catcher in the Rye Essay with Freud Comparisons

their fathers and marry their mothers while Holden feels insecure about it.

The involvement of parents is minimal in this book. What are the underlying reasons behind Holden's inclination to isolate himself from society? (Holden aspires to be a catcher in the rye, with a goal of protecting children from plunging off a metaphorical cliff into societal corruption and losing their innocence) Elaborate Holden seeks contentment. One perspective on his contentment is to relocate to Vermont, residing in a secluded cottage with Jane. He wishes to live solely with her, without any other individuals present.

(Withdrawing from society) Dealing with emotions- Pages 44-45 depict Holden's altercation with his roommate Stradlater as a result of the latter going on a date with Holden's dream girl and failing to inform him of the encounter. In order to cope with this, Holden decides to leave Pencey Prep three days earlier than planned to distance himself from Stradlater. Mood Swings- Holden frequently experiences mood swings, as demonstrated on page 96 when he hires a prostitute but subsequently changes his mind about having her in his hotel room.

Holden's desire to withdraw from society stems from his troublesome childhood and inability to fit in. He now wishes to completely isolate himself, except for his connection with Jane. Additionally, Holden exhibits recurring behaviors throughout the book. He is frequently annoyed or bothered by nearly everyone he encounters, finding fault in them.

On page 8, Holden's teacher, Mr. Spencer, begins picking his nose, causing Holden to be thoroughly disgusted. Holden has numerous common expressions in his routine, one of which is using the word "PHONY" to describe most individuals in the novel. Holden also exhibits a

compulsive habit of lying, often fabricating information about himself, such as his name, age, and place of origin.

Holden, as a character, is deeply dissatisfied. His unhappiness can be seen through his excessive drinking, unpredictable mood swings, violent tendencies, habit of lying, and constant criticisms of others. Seeking solace in the words of Freud, Holden believes that distancing himself from society will spare him from suffering and serve as his remedy for unhappiness. It's worth acknowledging that unhappiness is not uncommon or indicative of insanity; rather, it is a prevalent state experienced by many individuals, particularly during adolescence. Consequently, Holden's discontent does not render him insane but rather establishes him as an ordinary teenager.

His emotions greatly influence his life, leading to a state of mental instability and setting him apart from others in his society. Similar to Holden, numerous adolescents undergo emotional turmoil but manifest it in varying ways. Holden's discontentment originates from a dearth of occupation or passions since he lacks fulfilling pastimes, employment, or obligations. This is partially attributable to his grandmother supplying him with financial assistance and sending him to a boarding school.

Freud believes that by increasing the pleasure gained from mental and intellectual labor, one can overcome the challenges brought by fate. In his book Civilization and its Discontents, Freud asserts, "One gains the most if one can sufficiently heighten the yield of pleasure from the sources of psychical and intellectual work. When that is so, fate can do little against one." I concur with Freud's perspective, as empirical evidence suggests that employed individuals generally experience lower levels of depression compared to the unemployed. Furthermore, Holden's discontentment stems from his interactions with

others who fail to comprehend or align themselves with his unique worldview.

One example of someone with poor personal hygiene is Robert Ackley. According to Holden, Ackley never brushes his teeth and has sloppy nail care habits. Holden even asks Ackley repeatedly to cut his nails over the table. In response, Ackley denies the claim by saying he does brush his teeth.

Holden is critical of nearly everyone he encounters in the book, stating, "No you don't. I've seen you and you don't" (PG.25). Additionally, he demonstrates his discontentment through drinking as a means to escape his troubles. On occasion, Holden chooses to drown his sorrows by getting "drunk as a bastard" (PG150) at a local bar.

According to Freud, one can use a certain method to escape from the pressures of reality and immerse oneself in a more favorable realm of sensibility. This method is referred to as the "drowner of cares" and provides solace in a personal world. Holden, like Freud's concept, also employs violence as a means of evading his unhappiness. To illustrate, Holden attempts to harm his roommate Stradlater while the latter is brushing his teeth. In his own words, Holden describes the incident: "All I know is I got up or something then I tried to sock him, with all my might, right smack into the toothbrush so it would split his goddam throat open…" (PG).

Holden resorts to using verbal aggression to address his difficulties and frustrations. When angry, he takes pleasure in hurling insults at others, such as calling them a "dirty stupid sunovabitch moron" (PG. 43). His mood shifts also reflect his dissatisfaction with life. For example, he hires a prostitute

named Sunny with the hope that she would offer him solace but ultimately rejects her upon her arrival.

Holden's mood shifted abruptly when Sunny's pimp Maurice disrupted him and punched him in the stomach. This unpleasant encounter made Holden feel similar to how he felt earlier, either scared or very relieved when she first arrived. To avoid suffering and unhappiness, Holden desires to detach himself from society. He deliberately seeks to avoid interactions with numerous individuals he encounters. His plan to retreat from society involves moving to a cabin in Vermont with Jane. Ultimately, Holden's primary solution was isolating himself from society, though he discovered it wasn't as simple as his other alternatives.

"Against the suffering that may arise from human relationships, the most effective protection is voluntary isolation, maintaining distance from others. The resulting happiness is a calm and serene one. To protect oneself from the feared outer world, the only possible solution is to turn away from it and tackle the challenges individually," as stated by Sigmund Freud in his book "Civilizations and its Discontents." Holden Caulfield, like any other teenager, possesses sanity.

Despite appearing insane due to his extreme ways of dealing with unhappiness, such as drinking, violence, lies, and critiquing others, Holden's behavior is not much different from any other teenager his age. His desire to withdraw from society is simply another way for him to cope with his unhappiness. However, I believe Holden will eventually grow out of this depressive phase and lead a fulfilling life filled with adventures when he is older. Throughout the book "Catcher in the Rye," Holden did not receive any help for his unhappiness. Throughout the novel, Holden

attempted various unproductive methods to alleviate his depression, but I am confident that over time, he will find the assistance he needs.