The effect of loss throughout the novel Catcher in the Rye, and how it is dealt with. Holden, the main character and narrator in the novel Catcher in the Rye, experiences first hand the level of grief and emptiness of losing someones whom he loved most: his little brother, Allie, who passed at the mere age of eleven. To say the least, Holden had a genuine love for his brother, and truly admired the shining personality that he withheld. Ultimately, Holden wanted to be to someone, what Allie was to him, which causes his yearning for attention from others to increase, and his emotional and mental health to decrease.
Anand Girdharadas in the Ted Talk A Letter to all Who Have Lost in This Era describes "Many of those who are suffering from grief confess to ignoring pain until it became anger". In Holden's situation, he shows his anger discreetly by hating those who he found inferior to his own thought process, i.e disliking 'phonies' or those who showcase an artificial personality to those surrounding. By allowing himself to think of others as indifferent, Holden is able to gain comfort in his own shakiness of a personality. Not only are his harsh judgement an emotional consequence of Allie's death, but also the descend into deep depression. Holden does not necessarily do anything help ease his sadness, but instead depends on the thought of Allie's presence to maintain the oncoming waves of sorrow to a controllable level. Throughout the novel, it is present that whenever Holden is close to hitting rock bottom emotionally, Allie always appears in his memory. Remembering Allie allows Holden to gain back the mental strength to continue with his day with much more vigor than with what he started. |
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