Close Analysis – Holden Caulfield
Questions to Consider:
What is truth? How do our truths compare to society’s? What rules must people follow?
How our perceptions of ourselves differ from others’? What is an individual’s relationship to society?
How does our environment (people/places) affect us? How does experience affect one’s observations?
How are observations of our surroundings an important way to understand our place in the world?
What Makes Holden Depressed?
Use this chart to keep track of the things that depress Holden. This will help you understand how Holden
views the world, and what he thinks is important. You can also use the information in this chart to help
characterize him.
Textual Observation
Page
Explanation
Reveal
There are definite instances when Salinger’s protagonist, Holden Caulfield, shows evidence of the following:
anxiety, insecurity, depression, hallucinations, violent outbursts, substance abuse, obsessive compulsive
disorder (OCD), bi-polar disorder, eating disorder, or suicidal thoughts/actions.
Today, you will use your first observations to conduct research into some of all of these debilitating issues to
learn more about some of the symptoms, effects, and outcomes. Use your “You be the Shrink” as a guide for
your research. Check your diagnosis against the material and information you discover. You should look for
symptoms and treatment that match Holden Caulfield’s speech and behavior in the novel and then make updates
to your diagnosis.
Use any of the following websites to assess Holden’s condition. Then, post your findings on our class wiki. You
will post as a group your findings, and then respond to one other group. Discuss your patient based on the
results of your research.
DEPRESSION
Mayo Cliic Staff. "Depression (Major Depression)." Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and
Research, 10 Feb. 2012. Web. 08 Jan. 2013. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/depression/DS00175
A.D.A.M. Editorial Board, ed. "Major Depression." A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia. U.S. National Library of
Medicine, 7 Mar. 2012. Web. 08 Jan. 2013. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001941
Depression Health Centerat http://www.webmd.com/depression/default.htm
Scroll down to “Top Depression Searches” to find information on particular aspects of depression.
BIPOLAR DISORDER
Mayo Cliic Staff. "Bipolar Disorder." Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 18 Jan.
2012. Web. 08 Jan. 2013. <http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/bipolar-disorder/DS00356
A.D.A.M. Editorial Board, ed. "Bipolar disorder." A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia. U.S. National Library of
Medicine, 25 Mar. 2012. Web. 08 Jan. 2013. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001924/
Bipolar Disorder HealthCenterat http://www.webmd.com/bipolar-disorder/default.htm.
SCHIZOPHRENIA
Mayo Cliic Staff. "Schizophrenia." Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 27 Jan.
2012. Web. 08 Jan. 2013. <http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/schizophrenia/DS00196
A.D.A.M. Editorial Board, ed. "Schizophrenia." A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia. U.S. National Library of Medicine,
13 Feb. 2012. Web. 08 Jan. 2013. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001925/
Schizophrenia HealthCenterat http://www.webmd.com/schizophrenia/default.htm.
POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER
The New York Times. Copyright © 2013
http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/post-traumatic-stress-disorder/overview.html
WebMed. ©2005-2013 WebMD, LLC.
http://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/guide/post-traumatic-stress-disorder
The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Copyright © 2012
http://www.aacap.org/cs/root/facts_for_families/posttraumatic_stress_disorder_ptsd