Holdens Depression in J.D. Salingers The Catcher in the Rye Essay

Everybody feels down in the mouth at some time or another in their lives. However, it becomes a problem when falloff is so much a part of a persons life that he or she hindquarters no longer work through happiness. Thishappens to the young boy, Holden Caulfield in J.D Salingers novel, The Catcher in the Rye. Mr. Antolini accurately views the cause of Holdens depression as his lack of personal motivation, his inability to self-reflect and his stubbornness to overlook the diaphanous which collectively results in him giving up on life in the first place he ever really has a chance to get it starting timeed. Holden lacks the subjective ability to motivate himself, which he needs to survive in the real world. He continues to be kicked out of every school he attends because he fails to oblige himself, his simple reasoning being How do you know what youre going to do till you do it? The answer is, you dont (213). Everybody else in his life tries to encourage him to do by about school and his grades but it doesn?t make any difference. From the start of the novel Holden?s history teacher at Pencey tells him ?I?d like to put some sense in that head of yours, boy. I?m trying to suspensor you. I?m trying to help you, if I can? (14). But the fact of the matter is he can?t help him, Holden has to help himself. The drive to succeed has to come from inside him, ?I mean you can?t hardly ever do something just because somebody inadequacys you to? (185). In order for Holden to succeed he has to want it for himself. The only problem being Holden is ineffective to willing him into doing anything he is not genuinely interested in, thusly missing out on pass on knowledge he could acquire that would genuinely entice him. Holden gives up on school because he fears if ... ...why he never found them. He will not allow himself to because by this point he had given up on school and eventually he gave up on the undivided world. Tragically though, he gives it all u p before he truly has a chance to get it started. Mr. Antolini?s theory as to what is incorrect with Holden is right on, it?s just too bad he was unable to get through to Holden. Due to the fact that Holden has already given up on himself and is unwilling to apply the valuable advice he has been given. He has mixed-up the substantial ability to find happiness in life and therefore can?t find the energy to motivate himself in anything he does. It?s a tragedy that someone as bright as Holden Caulfield is unable to find the strength within himself to persevere in a world of insanity.Works CitedSalinger, J.D. The Catcher in the Rye. London Penguin Books Ltd., 1994.