The Real Holden In “The Catcher In The Rye”

Holden, the Catcher in Rye feels isolated because he lives within a small circle. He is surrounded by privileged, wealthy kids who have narrow worldviews. However, it’s ironic that he’s too wealthy and privileged to make friends with people not like him. Holden’s most recurring characteristic is his inability to connect with others. Holden pushes people away as he meets them throughout the book. In reality, he is pushing his own self away. Holden is first seen isolating his self at the football match. He is alone, it’s Saturday afternoon, and the entire school is there. It was Saturday, the day of the football match.

It was around 3:00 in the afternoon, and I recall standing up high on Thomsen Hill. (Salinger pg. The passage shows that Holden was looking from the top of Thomsen Hill, watching as everyone else is down at the game he said “is most important” because it’s the “last game of the year”. Holden isn’t interested in attending important events. He doesn’t go because he believes everyone’s phony and fake. Holden tries to call someone after he gets off at Penn Station. “I went into an answering machine the first time I got off Penn Station. I felt the need to give someone a boost. …, but when I got inside, there was no one I could think of to call. (Salinger, pg. (Salinger pg.59) Holden claims that he felt the need to “give somebody a buzz” when he reached Penn Station. However, when he tried to think of someone, Holden would say that he didn’t feel the urge to do so. He speaks of calling her throughout his book, but always finds an excuse to not call her. He hangs up when he calls her mom and she answers. He doesn’t bother to ask if she is there. He says that it’s because he’s not crazy about talking with moms. In reality, he views adults as phonies. If he continues or starts a relationship with Jane, he would also be considered a fake, which would alter the story. Holden is isolated because of the impact his brother Allie’s death had on him. Holden is still not well three years after his death.

Holden revealed that he had broken all of the garage’s windows on the night of Holden’s death. Holden admits that he was still deeply affected by it. He feels it unfair that he was so young. He’s not as affected now, but it’s still something that bothers him. He cries a lot now. Holden, who tries to make new friends through the book, is unable to stop judging himself and calling others phony. He doesn’t feel the need to make connections with them. He says he enjoys speaking to children and children. He confesses to being upset that Allie was gone, while others can live on and grow. “That’s almost what drove I crazy. All the guests could drive their cars, turn on their radios and go to a nice place for dinner. Allie was not allowed.

Holden feels that Allie’s death was unfair, particularly at such a young age, and that it makes it difficult to feel connected with other people. Holden talks aloud, but often focuses on Allie. He only feels connected to Allie in this way. When he crosses 5th avenue, it feels like Allie protects him. But then, suddenly, something very scary started to happen. I felt as if I could never cross the street again, each time I reached the end on a block. I believed I would just keep going down and down until nobody saw me again. … And then I began doing something else. Every time I got to a block’s end, I would make it seem like I was talking about my brother Allie. I would tell him “Allie”, and he wouldn’t allow me to disappear. Allie, don’t let me disappear. Allie, don’t let me disappear. Allie begged him to get her to the other side of the street safely. When she made it across, she would thank him. Whenever she felt down, he confessed that he would talk to her out loud. Allie made him feel better.

Holden has a hard time connecting to people after Allie’s loss. This is because he is too focused on his own life and wants to be the Catcher-in-the Rye. He only wants to do that. Save Others (Children), he cannot save Allie. He claims that he’d be the catcher on the rye if he could. It’s insane, but it’s what I really want to be.” Holden admitted to Allie that he loved to talk to Allie when he was feeling down. He said, “Whatever I did, was to start talking aloud to Allie. When I’m feeling very low, that is what I do. I keep telling my friend to go home and grab his bike so that we can meet at Bobby Fallon. He thinks about the one time he took Allie along, and he tells me to go home to get his bike. Holden was very grateful for Allie.

An event such as the loss of a loved-one can lead to a person becoming disoriented and isolated without realizing it. Allie is the center of everything. Holden wishes to make friends, but his thoughts now are not conducive to that. Holden also seems to enjoy children, even though they aren’t Phony, just like Allie.

Author

  • finlaymason

    Finlay Mason is a 36-year-old blogger and teacher from the UK. He is a prominent figure within the online education community, and is well-known for his blog, which provides advice and tips for teachers and students. Finlay is also a frequent speaker at education conferences, and has been quoted in several major newspapers and magazines.

Back to top