is holden caulfield autistic

The trouble was, I couldnt concentrate too hot. What brought me to this blog was me randomly thinking of Holden today and connecting the dots that maybe he is autistic Our, "Sooo much more helpful thanSparkNotes. Instant PDF downloads. Im pretty yellow. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. This essay is available online and was probably used by another student. That is what the protagonist of the novel, Holden Caulfield feels like. Here's an excerpt from my "diagnosis" of Holden. The main character, Holden Caulfield (or Holden Cauliflower, as I affectionately call him) is a bit controversial and a bit polarizing. I told him that my mother felt pretty bad and I didnt want to upset her by talking about it. Sometimes people can seem callous or unemotional. Then, just to show you how crazy I am, when we were coming out of this big clinch, I told her I loved her and all. Instead Nancy dug into her denial and whisked him away. In "The Stranger", published in Collier's December 1, 1945, Babe Gladwaller and his sister Mattie (a proto-type for Phoebe) visit Vincent Caulfield's former girlfriend, now married, to tell her about his death and deliver a poem he wrote about her. He often insults others and makes fun of them, criticizing their problems without recognizing his own. I have 26 followers and I dont post that much. When talking about a student in his school, Ackley, he says, He hardly ever went anywhere. WebHolden Caulfield (identified as "Holden Morrisey Caulfield" in the story "Slight Rebellion Off Madison" , and "Holden V. Caulfield" in The Catcher In The Rye) is a fictional character in the works of author J. D. Salinger.He's most famous for his appearance as the lead I tried to read it a few years ago; I couldn't get more than halfway through it. Instead, he goes to speak to Phoebe. This indicates that he does not share their lifestyle or views on sexuality. "This is a people shooting hat," I said. The thing with kids is, if they want to grab for the gold ring, you have to let them do it, and not say anything. Old Medication, New Use: Can Prazosin Curb Drinking? Throughout the story, Holden perfectly mirrored what it is like to actually be diagnosed with depression in the real world. He was very eccentric in many ways and Holden is, most likely, parts of him. But I rubbed it out anyway, finally. I am also bipolar, and I find that I do not burn out so quickly when I am experiencing a serotonin high, but then eventually crash due to how much Ive been exerting my hypersensitive autistic brain (my serotonin is high during manic episodes). Edubirdie. I gotta run now, though. As Caulfield narrates his story from a 17-year-old perspective from a year before, he is depicted as a stable, Holden Caulfield was a seemingly unsolvable anomaly. Depression is usually masked and Holden is shown to do this. The result is depression and hospitalization. As an autistic person, I find that I sometimes speak in disclaimers because I am used to people misunderstanding me too. She is in this Benedict Arnold costume and she looks so great. Also, the meeting with Carl Luce is considerably briefer in the story than in the novel. Papers provided by EduBirdie writers usually outdo students' samples. ! she wrote in the caption, and those two buffoons wrote comments saying the same thing. A fantasy Holden has is to run away and live in the forest with Sally, I know this guy down in Greenwich Village that we can borrow his car for a couple of weeks What we could do is, tomorrow morning we could drive up to Massachusetts and Vermont, and all around there, see Well stay in these cabin camps and stuff like that till the dough runs out. Holdens biggest problem with other people is the lack of authenticity he often encounters. She is hysterical, old Pheobe. (The Ackley thing might be a bit of internalized ableism poking through, now that I think about it). WebHe is consumed with pointing out hypocrisy and phonies because he sees it and thinks about it. By the end of the novel, however, Holden realizes you cant protect anyone and you shouldnt to begin withyou should let them figure it out for themselves. And who can forget phony? The beginning of the book is pretty good. He then asks. WebLast Updated: Jan 24, 2023 Article History Table of Contents Holden Caulfield, fictional character, the teenaged protagonist and narrator of J.D. Holden Caulfield was kicked out from Pencey Prep and he felt that his decision wasnt guided by any of his known adults. 7 Ticking Time Bombs That Destroy Loving Relationships, An Addiction Myth That Needs to Be Revisited, 5 Spiritual Practices That Increase Well-Being. Salinger 's novel, Catcher in the Rye, is an excellent example of a psychologically sensitive portrayal of a child with autism spectrum I told him about breaking the windows in my garage. It makes me wonder if Holden is bipolar like me in addition to possibly being an ADHD-autist. Although J.D. Teachers and parents! He asked me if I think anyone really loved me other than Allie, and then he told me he loved me. Holden is joined by Joe Montana. Instant downloads of all 1699 LitChart PDFs His life was complicated by the death of his younger brother, and the negative reaction that it invoked from his parents. So I google searched. It was depressing really. He even has a memory of getting frustrated in class because he kept changing topics during a speech and his classmates kept shouting digression at him. All rights reserved, Holden Caulfield and Preserving Innocence in Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield's Journey from Depression to Happiness, Holden Caulfield as the Main Character of the Book Catcher in the Rye, The Challenges of Holden Caulfield and Mark Zuckerberg, Analysis Of Holden Caulfield As A Typical Teenager In The Catcher In The Rye By J.D. I want you to learn how to let yourself trust other people. [170]. When I got up there I kept my head down and couldnt stop looking at the teachers shoes. I really am. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. If they fall off, they fall off, but its bad if you say anything to them. WebHolden is a rebel. Sally meets a guy she knew and Holden sees him as phony. You could go there a hundred times, and that Eskimo would still be just finished catching those two fish, the birds would still be on their way south, the deers would still be drinking out of that water hole, with their pretty antlers and their pretty, skinny legs, and that squaw with the naked bosom would still be weaving that same blanket. Those goddam pills didnt really do much for me. The man falling isnt permitted to feel or hear himself hit bottom. Some people see him as a whiny proto-emo, some see him as just a stupid teenage boy, and some see him as a misunderstood anti-hero. An interpretation of Holden Caulfield on the cover of the 2012 book, Learn how and when to remove this template message, The Catcher in the Rye - and related matters, Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour: An Introduction, A Young Girl in 1941 with No Waist at All, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Holden_Caulfield&oldid=1142721913, Fictional characters with psychiatric disorders, Characters in American novels of the 20th century, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing additional references from October 2016, All articles needing additional references, Articles needing additional references from March 2018, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2022, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, In Japan, most of the short stories are already translated into Japanese (compiled in two volumes) and still commercially available with the approval of Salinger's agents (, This page was last edited on 4 March 2023, at 00:58. Yes I do. I dont have a real profile. Holden starts off by telling us that he has been kicked out of another school, Pencey Prep. In The Catcher in the Rye, Salinger gives us many hints suggesting that Holden may be gay. She doesnt always have anything good to say, but she never stops talking. Holden later refers to Sally as the queen of all phonies (Salinger 63) and calls her snotty, She was still being snotty on account of her ankles when she was skating (Salinger 70). He was singing that song, If a body catch a body coming through the rye. He had a pretty little voice, too. He thought he had to be the catcher, the protector of all young children so that they didn't fall off the side of the cliff. Thousands of little kids, and nobodys aroundnobody big, I meanexcept me. WebCaulfield is a brutally honest character in terms of his thoughts and questions. He carried the weight of the world on his shoulders. The significance of this is that his brother, Allie, had red hair. He was probably just getting up because our session ended. My English teacher in fourth grade wanted us to memorize the goddam Declaration of Independence and we had to listen to every goddam kid get up and recite it from memory. Salingers novel The Catcher in the Rye (1951). Holden tends to rephrase things repeatedly and add on signature phrases such as that it did. Then he started asking me about Allie. He mainly shows signs attributed to depression. His feelings are typically adolescent, feelings shared by virtually everyone who is or ever has been his age. Its a phony. If Holden were just autistic, he might have returned home toward the familiar immediately, but as an ADHD-autist, his novelty-seeking brain led him through several new experiences instead. You'll also get updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes. He is the most relatable fictional character I have ever come across. However, it can stem from trauma and other bad experiences from the past, Early childhood trauma can cause depression. Jesus carries a raven on his shoulder; Jesus carries The Ravens on his shoulder. Gladwaller spends part of the day with his little sister before Vincent Caulfield arrives. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f"> They never asked me what I thought of the directions, of course, because they were lousy. They said that I had to learn to follow directions. Get the help you need from a therapist near youa FREE service from Psychology Today. equinn, Joined: 2 Dec 2006Age: 36Gender: FemalePosts: 408Location: somewhere else. To those whom have read the book, you can see that he has some Aspie traits like social awkwardness. She added some heart emojis. He states, The worst part was, the jerk had one of those very phony, Ivy League voices, one of those very tired, snobby voices. The other notable feature of the story is that his sister Viola gets her first, and only, mention in the Caulfield saga. He was crying and crying. Why do you think you are frustrated?. into the living room to fetch a cigarette from a small box on the table. Thats all Id do all day. I love you both so much! I got up close so I could hear what he was singing. But I didnt have the energy to start thinking about that now. Ultimately, it is up to the reader to decide what they believe based on the information presented. id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t" I felt like jumping out the window. The young teenage boy says that he wants to be the one who stands at the bottom of the cliff and catch the children that are playing in the Rye that may run off the edge accidently. I said. You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles. Download. He is constantly learning how people feel vs empathisizing. He seems best at the rites of passage (smoking and drinking) that are themselves artificial if not self-destructive. However, his ability to function in social situations such as parties and other highly social areas [71] contradicts what most people refer to as an Aspie trait, so it cant be AS. And I was wonderingwhat psychological "disorder" does Holden (main character) have? These events are being told by Holden from a hospital bed in California. "I do! In addition, some believe there isn't much a difference between sociopath and psychopath; they are the same disorder expressed differently. As Mr. Antolini holds forth with his advice. I mean, you couldnt deny that. Holden is constantly running away from his problems, like being expelled, and avoids them. For example, one might argue his chronic depression [141] and his inability to emotionally connect to people fit in with a form of Autism known as Aspergers Syndrome. You dont like a million things. His general health is poor. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. What did you just say?. Sometimes he seems very comfortable around homosexuals, while other times he clearly rejects them. While the cause of death in Catcher is leukemia, here it is due to an unspecified heart condition. He stops making sexual advances when a girl says "No." At that time, D.B. The result is depression and hospitalization. By the time my train stopped, I didnt feel like seeing Sally anymore so I decided to just go talk to Pheobe. I started sweating like mad when he said that. Itd be entirely different. This shows a lot about Holdens own mental disorders and the mindset he is perpetuating. Carl went to another school a couple of years later and then I never heard anything about him. One thing I like?" Society and his own body are telling him that it is time for him to change. Holden wants to keep running away from his problems and never face them. Joined: 8 Mar 2008Age: 35Gender: FemalePosts: 10, This is my favorite book, and coincidentally, my college class just reviewed it as a young adult novel. The novel recounts Holden's week in New York City during Christmas break, circa 1948/49, following his expulsion from Pencey Prep, a preparatory school in Pennsylvania based loosely on Salinger's alma mater Valley Forge Military Academy. That reminds me of my therapist back from a few years ago. I was afraid some teacher would catch me rubbing it off and would think Id written it. Joined: 13 Feb 2008Age: 37Gender: MalePosts: 43. bookmarked pages associated with this title. He was a very peculiar guy (Salinger 10). She just kept dancing, and then asked me for a selfie so she could post it on her profile. Nothing. After meandering silently through the zoo. He wandered around from place to place because he refused to go home to his family. I could hear them screaming from three floors up. Open your ears. At that point Vincent is a fellow soldier about to leave for the war. In particular I thought it was really interesting to watch Holden "mask" trying to learn social cues. (including. WebCite This Essay. I decided to untag myself from that picture. This is not a personality disorder. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. There was a hole in the toe on his right foot. Though it is not clearly stated, it can be inferred from the story that he is in a mental institution. He even takes notes while he reads it so he can copy what it says. WebAs a not autistic person myself, but someone who is emotionally intelligent/empathetic but introverted and awkward around people IRL, I also relate to Holden a lot. mso-wrap-style:square'> He also has a very negative view of homosexuals and calls them perverts and queers. He never made any sense. He does lie, but most of his lies are random and outrageous, such as when he tells two different strangers that he is twelve and forty, despite being seventeen, suggesting impulsivity. ", "Because you dont. (LogOut/ Those reading this will probably recognize Catcher in the Rye as one of those books you had to read in high school, one of those classics. Salinger s novel The Catcher in However, there seems to be a wall between Holden and most of the other people he interacts with. Unlike the similar sequence in the novel, Caulfield is on a Christmas break from school, and, in the story, the interlude with Sally is split into two occurrences. They made me see a therapist for a bunch of years after that. It could also be a result of him overcorrecting by reiterating himself because he has grown up with people misunderstanding what he is saying, leading him to say the same thing in multiple ways before people ask him to. The trouble was, I just didnt want to do it. Holden's fears and desires are understandable, but his solution (avoiding reality) is impossible. Boy did that guy like to hear himself talk. That's what i suspect too especially over season 2. In addition to social masking, Holden struggles with executive dysfunction, which is what gets him expelled at the beginning of the book. But assume then your girlfriend disappears one day and leaving you with an untouchable smoothie all alone. The main character, Holden Caulfield (or Holden Cauliflower, as I affectionately call him) is a bit controversial and a bit polarizing. Holden had to cope up with his impulsive acts, erratic and upsetting thoughts and irrationality. Holden wants to tell what happened over a two-day period the previous December, beginning on the Saturday afternoon of the traditional season-ending football game between his school, Pencey Prep, and Saxon Hall. Holden also says things like where do the ducks go in the winter? which seems completely obvious to me and I didnt understand until the 8th time I read this book that it is symbolic. (LogOut/ Good old Carl another kid that started taking pills in kindergarten like me. It might be that Holden feels stupid because things that are difficult for him, such as reading between the lines socially and picking up life skills, are easy for Phoebe and the late Allie. The fact that he lies about his age specifically might also mean he feels disconnected from his chronological age, which is another ND trait. I probably wouldve done it, too, if Id been sure somebodyd cover me up as soon as I landed. When Sally compliments him and calls his hair lovely, he doesnt believe what she is saying and thinks, Lovely my ass (Salinger 67). Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. Holden Caulfield. Terms of Use, Holden Caulfield: A Troubled Character With Signs Of Clinical Depression., Holden Caulfield: A Troubled Character With Signs Of Clinical Depression [Internet]. I dont care. This is exactly the sort of thing a neurodivergent person who thinks concretely and does not understand social facades would be mad about. I really dont think I could. Refine any search. I could hardly see straight (Salinger 80). He views many things as phony and he doesnt trust many people. While taking the elevator back to his hotel room. Real-world depression patients often have a cynical outlook on life and are untrustworthy to cope with their depression, Cynicism is part of a defensive technique taken as protection (Depression and Cynicism). Holden begs him to stay, Have just one more drink, I told him. The bullies that pushed James to his death were merely expelled from school and let off the hook. D. Salinger: Rare Quixotic Gesture, 1961: On the surface, Holden Caulfield is Salingers typical quixotic hero in search, once again, of the simple truth. WebIf Holden were just autistic, he might have returned home toward the familiar immediately, but as an ADHD-autist, his novelty-seeking brain led him through several new [1] It is possible that Vincent is renamed Curtis, as Seymour was published in 1959, and both Curtis and Vincent are killed in the Pacific during World War II. This retarded his mental health devolpment. Get your paper done in as fast as 3 hours, 24/7. Once home, he is not shown confronting his parents, who, according to the maid, are playing bridge. The book is narrated as if he is speaking directly to the reader about events in the past, so everything is in his voice. I put my red hunting hat on, and turned the peak around to the back, the way I liked it, and then I yelled at the top of my goddam voice, "Sleep tight, ya morons!" Chapters 25-26, Next This is because some events impact the way the body reacts to fear and stressful situations (Depression). However, out of all the different psychological disorder symptoms Holdens personality splinters out and touches, I think Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a major one. The only thing that would be different would be you. I don't remember anything they said about it other than that they claimed he was hallucinating a voice saying "F*** you" or something. Experiences like Allie dying and D.B going to Hollywood [164] to become what he hated most (phonies) could have severely impacted and changed Holdens personality early on in his life. Returning to the bar after his phone conversation with Sally. But I fee like I relate to him because of my own ASD-related issues. He is out of shape because he smokes too much. Everyone was in the lounge watching the football game on TV. Yes! There was this one time, however, that he told me something I really remember. It made me even more depressed when she said that. The darkest form of Holdens social disconnect is when he hints that he has been a victim of sexual violence before, which is more likely to happen with autistic kids because of a lack of a sense of danger. That little lake? WebHolden often behaves as if he has been sent onto Earth to point out the wickedness or phoniness of others, but then makes excuses when he behaves [deviant]the same way as the individuals he deems morons. WebHolden Caulfield was a seemingly unsolvable anomaly. I was so hopeful about the therapist subplot because I thought he was finally going to be diagnosed and given help. But as soon as he got up, I started to grab my phone and open the door. Several other details match those found in the first chapter of Catcher, including a reference to the mother of one of Caulfield's schoolmates and to his own mother sending him a gift of ice skates, but the story ends with his returning home instead of running away from school. 2023 EduBirdie.com. He begins to see the world as unfair, after Allies death. I took it off and looked at it. Holden is one of the first "teenagers" in American literature, and his main struggle is the realization that he is leaving childhood and entering an unsure world of adulthood. Holden Caulfield, fictional character, the teenaged protagonist and narrator of J.D. She said she had to meet her friend. What a deal that was. I think you care deeply about many people, especially children. You know those ducks in that lagoon right near Central Park South? Salingers Catcher in the Rye. Where are you going? Shes really pretty, but sometimes I cant stand listening to her talk. He also favors certain words, including preceding almost every name he mentions with old and saying goddamn an eyebrow-raising two hundred thirty-seven times. Sure I do. Hes sarcastic, nasty, and completely unlikeable. He talks all week about the players he thinks are the best and what he thinks are the biggest problems with the other team each week, but I see him read all of that stuff from a blog. One of the reasons we like Holden is that he is so candid about how he feels. Posted on 26/01/2012 Anyone whos read The Catcher in the Rye probably thought, at one point or another, that Holden Caulfeld is flat out bipolar. Throughout the book, we get to see how Caulfield develops and emerges into adulthood and his feelings towards it. He probably does this because the words feel good in his mouth or head or because they are words he has learned to say in certain situations, in other words, scripting. I was with one of them a few weeks back. In Seymour: An Introduction a Curtis Caulfield is mentioned in passing as "an exceptionally intelligent and likable boy" who appeared on the same radio show as Seymour and the other Glass children. To put it simply, Holden is struggling. I didnt know what the point was. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. It was the third school I had flunked out of, and my Dad was going to be sore as hell. Holden is actually questioning what happens when children become adults (or when they are forced into the winter or adult world) this concern can apply to other children or Holdens feelings about himself. God, I love it when a kids nice and polite when you tighten their skate for them or something. "Up home we wear a hat like that to shoot deer in, for Chrissake," he said. Vincent announces that his brother, Holden, has been declared missing in action. This classic tale of Holden Caulfield, told Depression has a huge impact on ones mental state. WebI don't think Holden Caulfield has ASD, but he is definitely not neurotypical. For example, I, lacking theory of mind almost entirely, view everything as fake and am very cynical. Joined: 12 Nov 2007Age: 65Gender: MalePosts: 7,015. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Holden has suicidal thoughts multiple times throughout the novel. Salinger's novel The Catcher in the Rye. His life was complicated by the death of his younger brother, and the negative reaction that it invoked from his parents. In this blog post, well take a look at some of the evidence that suggests Holden might be gay, and well also discuss why his sexuality matters. I dont know what that has to do with anything, but he seemed to really want to know about how he died and whether I talked to anyone about it. Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. Holdens rebellion is not against some spooky threat like the establishment or capitalist America, but rather against something far more threatening to teenagers: maturity. Except Carl really needed them to focus his parents told him. Life is change. Please. He mocks a past roommate for wanting to make sure his suitcases were visible because it would make both of them appear rich and rolls his eyes about the headmaster of his school acting totally different on parent night than he does with the students during the school day. Some people see him as a whiny proto-emo, some see him as just a stupid teenage boy, and some see him as a misunderstood anti-hero. Change). Wed have to phone up everybody and tell em good-by and send em postcards from hotels and allIt wouldnt be the same at all. The novel is a frame story (a story within a certain fictional framework) in the form of a long flashback. Those suffering from depression often, blame others, push others away, and refuse to help themselves. I think you feel sad about your own childhood.. Essay Service Examples Literature Holden Caulfield. PDF downloads of all 1699 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. He was pushed around from school to school, failing and being expelled from the majority of them due to his poor behavior. After Holden drops out of school, his roommate Stradlater brags to him about what a good time he had with Jane Gallagher. The story was reportedly sold to a magazine, only to be taken back by Salinger before publication. After the play, Sally and Holden see, Holden sees all the people and views them all as phony, At the end of the first act we went out with all the other jerks for a cigarette. Suicide and suicidal thoughts often are only a part of a bigger issue, Roughly 50% of people who died by suicide had a known mental disorder (Risk of Suicide). I thought it was a nice touch that he seemed to absorb or mimic the mannerisms and vocabulary of whoever they interviewed/ or who he spent the most time with at given points. Psychology Today 2023 Sussex Publishers, LLC. When J.D. This fall I think youre riding forits a special kind of fall, a horrible kind. Its possible, he does seem to display signs of neurodivergence. He wants this innocence back. Ill bet I woke up every bastard on the whole floor. Anyway, I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all. Holden talks about his siblings and refers to them both as smarter than he is, but we can see that Holden is quite an articulate, observant, and creative boy. I cant seem to get very interested in them although your lectures are very interesting (Salinger 7). He also struggles to grasp the subtleties of communication, such as not getting right away that Stradlater is annoyed with him. I had pills too. To be honest he I kind of insane. See ya, doc, I called out. Some people love the sound of their own voice. Feeling terrible for running from Ernies. Seems common for most people to go through that "wahhh I hate my privileged lifestyle and family" phase at that point in their lives now. I was sort of crying. "Last Day of the Last Furlough" relates the final day of Babe Gladwaller before he leaves to fight in World War II. Down felt and thought like Holden but apparently they dont. The character, as Holden Caulfield, appears in Salinger's "Slight Rebellion off Madison", published in the December 21, 1946, issue of The New Yorker. One time the weather app on his phone jammed and he was screaming and yelling for about a hundred hours. Throughout the novel, The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Lonely and tormented by the suspicion that Stradlater may have had sex with Jane, On the train to New York, a woman sits next to. He is alternately depressed, confused, angry, anxious, I dont blame them. Holdens depression has led him to contemplate suicide. Terms of Use He is every teenager caught between the crapy little games of high school (youre supposed to kill yourself if the football team loses or something) and the fear of adulthood (going to get an office job and make a lot My Dad always was sore as hell. Yes, I do think he's an aspie--red hunting cap, inappropriate comments, mimicing adults in order to make conversation, analyzes everything, repetitive (keeps asking the same questions over and over--where do the ducks go in the winter?) She put up some pictures of her play. Holden had a traumatic experience as a child, the loss of his brother, Allie.

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