Psychoanalysis of Holden Caulfield - 1173 Words

Psychoanalysis is a psychoanalytical theory and therapy that aims to treat mental disorders by investigating the conscious and unconscious elements in a human mind by bringing fears to the conscious mind. According to Sigmund Freud, â€Å"The unconscious silently directs the thoughts and behavior of the individual† (Freud 95). Holden Caulfield, the main character in J.D Salinger’s novel, The Catcher in the Rye, is sixteen years old and does not act his own age for he is stuck in his own private world, filled with pain and suffering. In the novel, Holden can be observed through a psychoanalytical view, which provides the reader a clear understanding of his unconscious mind. Holden is displayed as a troubled and foolish teenager who is flunking†¦show more content†¦Then, when the dough runs out, I could get a job somewhere and we could live somewhere with a brook and all and, later on, we could get married or something. I could chop all our own wood in time in th e wintertime and all. Honest to God, we could have terrific time! Wuddaya say? C’mon! Wuddaya say? Will you do it with me? Please† (Salinger 132). Holden’s id is in the sense of having someone by his side and is in a rush to have the feeling of a buddy. The explanation for his love of a companion is because of his brother Allie. Holden is denied by Sally. As for Salinger, he got married but his union with her was a short one, just eight months long. He married a second time in 1955 to Claire Douglas. Salinger as well had a desire to find someone else to be his companion because in just eight short months he finds someone new. Through Freud’s explanation of when the desired need is not available, the id creates and image of the desire as a substitution. Later, the mind is required to cope with frustration due to the default substitution. This is the stage that, Freud calls the ego. Holden does not have the ego for he struggles on facing the fact that his co mpanion is in a better place and forever gone. Sadly, Holden is not able to develop the full understanding of the ego and with that he is far from developing the final mental entitles of Freud’s theory which is superego. With Holden’s lack of development he doesn’t reach the superego,Show MoreRelatedEssay on Psychoanalysis of Holden Caulfield2159 Words   |  9 PagesBorderline Personality Disorder, or BPD, is an emotional disorder that creates unstable behavior and stress in an individual. Holden Caulfield, from J.D. Salinger’s, 1948 novel, The Catcher in the Rye has been psychoanalyzed by many readers. Psychoanalysis is insightfully looking at a characters action and behavior to better understand them psychologically. By psychoanalyzing Holden Caulfield’s behavior and thoughts, it becomes evident that he has Borderline Personality Disorder caused by his childhoodRead MoreAnalysis Of Holden Uses Defense Mechanisms1157 Words   |  5 PagesLang uage, Period 1 08 March 2017 Consequently, Holden uses defense mechanisms, â€Å"as a means of preventing anxiety that would result from conscious awareness of disturbing impulses, wishes, or ideas arising from the id,† (Nevid 471). Nevid explains that according to Freudian theory, defense mechanisms reside in the unconscious part of the human brain because if people were conscious of every single problem, people wouldn’t be able to function. Therefore, Holden is subconsciously utilizing defense mechanismsRead MoreHolden Uses Defense Mechanisms1372 Words   |  6 PagesConsequently, Holden uses defense mechanisms, â€Å"as a means of preventing anxiety that would result from conscious awareness of disturbing impulses, wishes, or ideas arising from the id,† (Nevid 471). Nevid explains that according to Freudian theory, defense mechanisms reside in the unconscious part of the human brain because if people were conscious of every single problem, people wouldn’t be able to function. T herefore, Holden is subconsciously utilizing defense mechanisms in order to shield himselfRead MoreAnalysis Of Holden Caulfield s The Catcher Rye 1308 Words   |  6 Pagesscratch, while others perish into the rubble. The same can be said for Holden Caulfield, the protagonist of J.D. Salinger’s novel The Catcher in the Rye, a teenager that suffers and wallow in his misery behind the scene’s, yet lives a life of luxury and debauchery for all to witness. Psychoanalytical theory operates as a catalyst in analyzing and understanding Holden Caulfield in the narrative of The Catcher in the Rye. Holden is introduced as a defeatist, juvenile youngster that has just failed outRead MoreThe Catcher in the Rye: Holden Caulfields Mental Breakdown1384 Words   |  6 Pagesthe boy displays his critical and unhealthy mindset. Eventually he has a mental breakdown. Through psychoanalysis of Holden Caulfield, one may suggest that Allie s death, social development, and an identity cris is are large contributing factors in Holden s mental breakdown. Allie Caulfield is an important person to Holden and his death affects him greatly. In response to his brother s passing, Holden attempts to recover by using defense mechanisms as a shield against reality. The concept of defenseRead MoreHolden Caulfield Is The Narrator1845 Words   |  8 Pagesand 2 Holden Caulfield is the narrator. Holden was kicked out of his school, Pencey Prep, due to scanty grades. The reader’s are taken back to his last day at the school. It was Saturday, which meant game day for Pencey Prep. They were playing their rivals, Saxon Hall. Instead of being down at the game like every other student, Holden went to visit old Spencer. Mr. Spencer was Holden’s history teacher who had an idea that Holden would not be returning next semester. Spencer and Holden had aRead More Insurance for White Masculinity: Methods of Control to Ensure a Dominant Race3563 Words   |  15 Pageskeep himself in control. In J.D. Salinger’s the Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield protects his ideal of an untainted white female to the point of physical conflict with Stradlater as Holden is afraid of Stradlater breaking his view of white female pureness. Jane Gallagher is Holden’s view of pureness as he remembers her in very innocent ways as a girl that â€Å"kept all her kings in the back row† during chess, and Holden desperately wants to hold onto these innocent memories of her. The ideaRead MoreSigmund Freud s Theory And Criticism1345 Words   |  6 PagesCriticism Spring 2015 Midterm Essays Freud and Literature At some point in life, everyone has heard the name Sigmund Freud. Sigmund Freud was born in 1856, and went on to become one of the most talked about theorists. He is known as the father of psychoanalysis and has left behind an everlasting legacy. There were two influential and sometimes controversial theories that Freud left behind. Sigmund Freud’s big legacy was his work with dreams and the unconscious. This work can relate to literature onRead MoreLiterary Analysis Of The Catcher Rye 1763 Words   |  8 Pages Campbell 1 English 150 Whetstine Literary Analysis The Catcher in the Rye Catcher in the Rye starts with the main character Holden Caulfield telling us about his life. It seems that Holden is a very troubled individual that is having problems dealing with the past and perhaps the prospect of growing up. He wants to talk but not sure anyone cares to listen. He eludes to the fact that he is in an institutionRead MoreThe Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger: A Review1887 Words   |  8 Pagespublished in 1951. The novel deals with the themes of identity, belonging, connection, and alienation. The protagonist, Holden Caulfield, is a cynical sixteen year-old with prematurely gray hair that makes him appear older than his age. Holden is caught at the awkward age between adolescence and adulthood as he searches for his identity. Set in the 1940s, the story begins with Holden recovering from a breakdown stemming from his expulsion from Pencey Prep School. He has already flunked out of three