Erica Diaz
Mrs. Jacobson
English 10 5.0
13, March 2008
The Catcher in the Rye
In J.D Salinger's book, The Catcher in the Rye, the main character Holden tells his story
of loneliness, depression, and who to blame. When things are going his way he finds a way to
show how his life is close to being in shambles. Holden feels all alone in the world and only wants
to find someone to relate to. When he does find that person he uses other excuses to push that
person away. He has isolated himself. With the exception of school, his brother’s death it would
appear understandable. Holden is isolated more then kids his age. He is isolated because of his
exposure to the adult life has kept him from an average teenagers life. He doesn’t get along with
boys his age and doesn’t want to include or indulge himself in school. Holden’s reaction to a bad
situation is to run from his problems. These problems cause him to be isolated.
Holden’s school has made him feel isolated and caused him to rebel. His wise teacher
says, ‘’life is a game boy. Life is a game that one plays according to the rules.’’ Holden refuses to
listen to this saying. He is getting kicked out of school now. He runs away to be alone therefore
causing more isolation in his life.
‘’In case you don’t live in New York, the Wicker bar is in this sort of swanky hotel, the
Seton Hotel.’’ That is where Holden would be when he wanted to be alone. It had a bar inside that
served him drinks. He has returned there because he wants to be alone, away from people his
age and into a grownup environment. He pretends to fit in but doesn’t really. The people he
should be fitting in with are the people he pushes away. Holden has isolated himself.
‘’The night after allies death Holden slept in the garage and broke all the god damn
windows with his fist just for the hell of it.’’ Holden locking himself in a garage to get away from his
problems is better then going to a bar but he has once again pushed himself into isolation. This
makes him go into a rage of emotion and break windows. Allies death had a huge impact on him
and caused him to start self isolation when he was only13 years old. ‘’I felt lonesome and almost
wished I was dead!’’
‘’Alone and depressed, he walks up fifth avenue in the morning.’’ Holden shows so many
displays of isolation he is used to his loneness. Running away and being alone is his escape but
is only sucking him in more to be that isolated person he is now. ‘’He is trying to balance his
moral integrity against the social pressure of the outside world,’’ but he can’t. Holden turns to his
little sister to escape loneliness and she helps him succeed. ‘’In a vast would full of
misunderstanding and estrangement, the sensitive innocent must turn in towards family to find
the intimate love and communication that is so lacking in the outside world.’’ She is Holden’s only
hope to disconnect his path of loneness. Holden could be saved from self isolation and there is
hope for him but it’s got to be up to him to want to change. He will be a very humble teenager. He
would finally be and feel normal, also at ease with himself.