is holden caulfield autistic

into the living room to fetch a cigarette from a small box on the table. Only if you guys had replied earlier Ever. Its no secret that he suffers frequent mood swings, specifically bouts of depression and anger He views many things as phony and he doesnt trust many people. You could tell they didnt cost a lot of money. She is in this Benedict Arnold costume and she looks so great. Holden Caulfield was kicked out from Pencey Prep and he felt that his decision wasnt guided by any of his known adults. Salingers little window into the life of a certain adolescent, is an untapped well, brimming with educational merit beyond what those ignorant institutions are capable of appreciating. I bet none of them watch a single game as soon as they graduate. Vincent announces that his brother, Holden, has been declared missing in action. Its full of phonies, and all you do is study so that you can learn enough to be smart enough to be able to buy a goddam Cadillac some day, and you have to keep making believe you give a damn if the football team loses, and all you do is talk about girls and liquor and sex all day, and everybody sticks together in these dirty little goddam cliques.. To Holden, Pencey and the other prep schools that he has attended represent all that is artificial ("phony" is one of Holden's favorite words to describe this artificiality) and all that is despicable about any institution controlled by adults. WebHolden Caulfield is a typical anti-hero from the 20th century who features as the main character from the novel, Catcher In The Rye by J.D Salinger. Salinger s novel The Catcher in Lately, a lot of people on this sub have even been comparing his mannerisms to Connor from the video game Detroit Become Human. I really dont think I could. Holden Caulfield is a troubled character who shows clear signs of clinical depression. Holden also exhibits this behavior. Salinger was published 62 years ago today. 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. Holden Caulfield is much more than a whiner--he sees the underbelly of a person and he is a saint--the world troubles him, and he's right, it sure is troubling. Gladwaller spends part of the day with his little sister before Vincent Caulfield arrives. But Im glad he didnt. 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. Holden had a traumatic experience as a child, the loss of his brother, Allie. He is attracted to the trappings of adulthood: booze, cigarettes, the idea of sex, and a kind of independence. 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. "This is a people shooting hat," I said. The trouble was, I couldnt concentrate too hot. At one point, Holden begins picturing his funeral, I kept picturing her not knowing what to do with all my suits and athletic equipment and all. For instance, many have speculated that Holdens brother, D.B., is actually Vincent. Sally meets a guy she knew and Holden sees him as phony. For example, Stradlater is a very rude and inconsiderate roommate for Holden. Ive had quite a few opportunities to lose my virginity and all, but Ive never got around to it yet. I asked her if shed care to have a hot chocolate or something with me, but she said no, thank you. They never asked me what I thought of the directions, of course, because they were lousy. It took me quite a while to get to sleepI wasnt even tiredbut finally I did. She is hysterical, old Pheobe. (Never mind that even museum displays change.) is holden caulfield autistic By constantly asking him about girls, he makes Holden uncomfortable. Since he ends up in a hospital at the end and consistently has those fainting fits towards the end of the book, I guess that that has something to do with it. He talks about all children (his brother Allie and his sister Phoebe) as if they are perfection personified, even though it becomes clear Phoebe isn't as nice or innocent as Holden thought her to be. But one question that has continued to intrigue readers is whether or not Holden Caulfield, the books main character, is gay. Well, what do you think? One of the reasons we like Holden is that he is so candid about how he feels. I care about you deeply, Holden. WebCaulfield is a brutally honest character in terms of his thoughts and questions. However, it can stem from trauma and other bad experiences from the past, Early childhood trauma can cause depression. "Up home we wear a hat like that to shoot deer in, for Chrissake," he said. Good, he told me. Ultimately, it is up to the reader to decide what they believe based on the information presented. He was very eccentric in many ways and Holden is, most likely, parts of him. 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. Should you have any questions regarding our He was a very peculiar guy (Salinger 10). 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. 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. Knowing what you value will help you build the most meaningful life possible. Ill bet I woke up every bastard on the whole floor. The fact that Holden seems to be analyzing and categorizing everyone else he speaks to, such as his description of Stradlater as what might be the first example of a Chad jock and of Ackley as an abhorrent, socially unaware loser that Holden is glad he is not, contributes to this. Holden Caulfield Character Analysis in The Catcher in the Rye Or they thought their own environment couldnt supply them with. I couldnt wait to get out of Pencey. Edubirdie. He is most famous for his appearance as the lead character and narrator of the 1951 novel The Catcher in the Rye. I was only thirteen, and they were going to have me psychoanalyzed and all, because I broke all the windows in the garage. Holden just seemed annoying to me. After being beaten up by Maurice, Holden lies on the floor and thinks, What it did feel like, though, was committing suicide. Its the 49ers-th time theyve Imagine that you are living in the middle of the 1950s and you are located in the middle of New York City, ordering a smoothie from a store with your girlfriend. The main character, Holden Caulfield (or Holden Cauliflower, as I affectionately call him) is a bit controversial and a bit polarizing. Holden Caulfield I do not have this exact diagnosis, but a lot of people close to me do, including Tech, and I have noticed that certain traits line up with Catchers main character and most likely contributed to his trouble with education and generally fitting into the world. 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. None of them played football, and they didnt give a damn about our schools team until they got here at Pencey. Teachers and parents! He viewed Allie as innocent and didnt believe he shouldve died, I know its only his body and all thats in the cemetery and his souls in Heaven and all that crap, but I couldnt stand it anyway. mso-wrap-style:square'> The fact that he lies about his age specifically might also mean he feels disconnected from his chronological age, which is another ND trait. It's all scripted and fake when he speaks. He often insults others and makes fun of them, criticizing their problems without recognizing his own. He is very untrustworthy of people. She was a very nice, polite little kid. But I didnt feel like it most of the time. Holden Caulfield In Catcher In The Rye By J. D. Salinger Kenneth dies later the same night. Ill send you an email right away. Salingers Catcher in the Rye. Advertising on Wrong Planet. When I was all set to go, when I had my bags and all, I stood for a while next to the stairs and took a last look down the goddam corridor. He was singing that song, If a body catch a body coming through the rye. He had a pretty little voice, too. WebIhab Hassan, in J. He is kicked out of a boarding school and told not to return after Christmas break. 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. ", "One thing? Because they do it too, and I dont want them to think I dont like them she told me. Thats the whole trouble. I probably wouldve done it, too, if Id been sure somebodyd cover me up as soon as I landed. WebHolden Caulfield is the main character of J.D. Here's an excerpt from my "diagnosis" of Holden. 2023 EduBirdie.com. Salinger's novel The Catcher in the Rye. 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). In addition, some believe there isn't much a difference between sociopath and psychopath; they are the same disorder expressed differently. 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. He simply didn't fit into a NT world as hard as he tried. Open your ears. While taking the elevator back to his hotel room. The man falling isnt permitted to feel or hear himself hit bottom. Thats important. I do. Initially, he gave up on reading it after dropping out from Pinole Valley High School when he was 18 years old. I think its a parallel showing the otherside of sociopath. "Yes I do. I never found out what happened to Carl. Something always happensI came quite close to doing it a couple of times, though. What I really felt like, though, was committing suicide. Thats probably the only reason why he posted it after all. We were about to arrive in New York, but I wasnt tired. It made me even more depressed when she said that. id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t" Its a phony. An edited version of this short story later became the basis of several chapters in the middle-late section of The Catcher in the Rye dealing with Caulfield's date with Sally Hayes, during which he confesses his desire to run away with her, meets Carl Luce for drinks, and makes a drunken phone call to the Hayes' home. WebHolden Caulfield was a seemingly unsolvable anomaly. 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. He often wears the hat when feeling awkward, embarrassed, or uneasy. One thing Holden constantly brings up is the ducks in Central Park. The novel's narrator and protagonist, Holden is a high school junior who has flunked out of prep school several times. 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. 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. As an autistic person, I find that I sometimes speak in disclaimers because I am used to people misunderstanding me too. But I dont think you are callous and unemotional. As in the trauma he might have experienced before he was with Trench. He stops making sexual advances when a girl says "No." Its possible, he does seem to display signs of neurodivergence. This retarded his mental health devolpment. Fair Use Policy or become aware of any violations, please do not hesitate to contact us via support@edubirdie.com. Is he gay or straight? Though it is not clearly stated, it can be inferred from the story that he is in a mental institution. How Psychologically Conditioned Rats Are Defusing Landmines, The Innate Intelligence Observed in the Dying Process. I don't remember anything they said about it other than that they claimed he was hallucinating a voice saying "F*** you" or something. I had to stop taking them every few weeks so it didnt stunt my growth, and there was no difference in how well I listened when I was on them or off them, so my mother stopped giving them to me by the end of that year. This classic tale of Holden Caulfield, told Joined: 20 Feb 2008Age: 47Gender: MalePosts: 1,919, Joined: 14 Apr 2007Gender: MalePosts: 10,752Location: Turkey, "I dont think he's autistic because he doesnt seem to have trouble partaking in social banter" A major theme in The Catcher in the Rye is running away. Why School and Holden Caulfield Failed Each Other Feeling terrible for running from Ernies. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. He seems to be getting the help he needed. I felt more depressed than sexy, if you want to know the truth. Another mistake is not owning up to his being expelled from his parents and instead, running away. All rights reserved Joined: 10 Oct 2006Age: 43Gender: FemalePosts: 1,054. Part of Holden's collapse is due to his inability to come to terms with death. At that point Vincent is a fellow soldier about to leave for the war. He claims to see through the insincerity and inauthenticity of adult society, branding people around him phonies even people who perhaps dont deserve From his outlook on the world to his actions, and even his past, it is very easy to see that he I am not diagnosed with ADHD or Autism but my son is and As a teenager I thought and felt exactly like him and even as an adult I would have to say still do and still am In J.D Salingers The Catcher in The Rye, the reader is presented to Holden Caulfield, a 17-year-old whos retelling the story of him at 16 facing rough times. The trouble was, I just didnt want to do it. What did you just say?. The name Holden Caulfield was initially used in an unpublished short story written in 1941 and first appeared in print in 1945. 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 Holden is literally about to crash. He is consumed with pointing out hypocrisy and phonies because he sees it and thinks about it. He was crying and crying. You never saw so many phonies in all your life, everybody smoking their ears off and talking about the play so that everybody could hear and know how sharp they were (Salinger 68). The Catcher in the Rye is a 1951 novel written by J.D. Holden Caulfield - CliffsNotes Aspergers is a term that is insulting. I could puke every time I hear it (Salinger 57). The night he died is when the change first occurs, I slept in the garage the night he died, and I broke all the goddam windows with my fist, just for the hell of it. I love you both so much! There are many reasons why Holden Caulfield is straight, but the most convincing evidence is that he does not exhibit any of the common signs or symptoms of homosexuality. He probably got in trouble for misbehaving in the past too, when it was really impulsivity and trouble with following instructions. He bought a red hat at the beginning of the novel. 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. Possible Mental Disorders of Holden Caulfield Holden is self-medicating with alcohol because he doesnt know what else to do, or who else to turn to. On a side note, I definitely think Bill's son might be on the spectrum. Holden, just home from camp, is waiting on the porch with his suitcases as Vincent comes back with Kenneth's unconscious body. Socially a lot I could do what they wanted when it made sense to. Holden wants to keep running away from his problems and never face them. 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. 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. Pencey is a good school, everyone always says, but it was filled with a bunch of phonies. They really are. Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. In fact, when he talks about Stradlaters date with Jane Gallagher, he seems more disgusted than anything else.I couldnt see what was so hot about him.. The only good thing, I knew she wouldnt let old Phoebe come to my goddam funeral because she was only a little kid. I was so hopeful about the therapist subplot because I thought he was finally going to be diagnosed and given help. Throughout the novel, The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. I thought he was the typical moody middle-classer that we now call emo. A third reason why Holdens sexuality matters is that it impacts his relationships with other characters in the novel, particularly Stradlater and Phoebe. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. She and I kind of have a friends with benefits thing, but I think she wants to be FBO. Holden tends to rephrase things repeatedly and add on signature phrases such as that it did. ", "Because you dont. A sensitive, rebellious 16-year-old, Caulfield is expelled from prep school. Depression is usually masked and Holden is shown to do this. WebIs Holden Caulfield autistic? Sometimes people can seem callous or unemotional. She added some heart emojis. No matter how much I text with others or follow their profiles, I just feel lonely. Thats where youre wrongthats exactly where youre wrong! Youll learn from themif you want to. This shows a lot about Holdens own mental disorders and the mindset he is perpetuating. Returning to the bar after his phone conversation with Sally. >In the late 1970s two FBI agents expand criminal science by delving into the psychology of murder and getting uneasily close to all-too-real monsters. Suicide rates have spiked in recent years and suicide is a huge problem, Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the US (Suicide Statistics). He seems best at the rites of passage (smoking and drinking) that are themselves artificial if not self-destructive. PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Holden starts off by telling us that he has been kicked out of another school, Pencey Prep. People scream forever like anyone cares what they are complaining about as much as they do. Since Aspergers syndrome is ruled out, and is within the highly functioning part of the Autistic Spectrum, anything lower such as LFA (Lowly Functioning Autism) can be ruled out. Everyone just started, but no one else went. Why the hell do you say that? She would probably be asleep, but I wanted to see her anyway. He was pushed around from school to school, failing and being expelled from the majority of them due to his poor behavior. I couldnt tell if he was looking at me or the clock behind me which had just buzzed because it was three oclock. The ducks are migrating and he wants to know where they are going. Holden Caulfield Diagnosis: Psychiatrist Discusses Salinger But they are pretty catty. Carl went to another school a couple of years later and then I never heard anything about him. What brought me to this blog was me randomly thinking of Holden today and connecting the dots that maybe he is autistic This was the 1940s, when ADHD was unheard of and autism was new, so adults in Holdens life assumed he was a bad kid and punished him. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. I didnt know what the point was. I don't think Holden has any sort of disorder at all, and I also don't think he is "better" than the people around him. Holden even has a fantasy about pretending to be mute and living in the woods so he no longer has to meet peoples expectations. He is alternately depressed, confused, angry, anxious, Hopefully I can explore this intersection more in the future. Salinger, Holden Caulfield Its interesting that this book has been censored in many schools, I suppose people are scared away by all the goddamns. So I google searched. His general health is poor. When J.D. I just finished reading the book, Catcher in the Rye. In New York City, he calls Sally Hayes, a friend of his, and schedules a date with her. I seek novelty, but tend to burn myself out pretty quickly when I do. It is sometimes mistakenly reported that the name "Holden Caulfield" was derived by Salinger from a marquee or poster for the film Dear Ruth, starring William Holden and Joan Caulfield, but Dear Ruth was released in 1947 more than a year-and-a-half after Holden Caulfield's first appearance in print, and more than six years after Salinger's first unpublished short story was written using this name for a character. Joined: 12 Nov 2007Age: 65Gender: MalePosts: 7,015. Holdens most obvious and unique trait is his speech, both inside and outside of his head. Holden has suicidal thoughts multiple times throughout the novel. From here on out, Holden was never the same. 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. Terms of Use, Holden Caulfield: A Troubled Character With Signs Of Clinical Depression., Holden Caulfield: A Troubled Character With Signs Of Clinical Depression [Internet]. Holden has some interesting rules in his head about the world around him, such as every Catholic he meets wanting to find out if he is also Catholic above all else. 2023 EduBirdie.com. "I do! I dont blame them. All the kids kept trying to grab for the gold ring, and so was old Phoebe, and I was sort of afraid shed fall off the goddam horse, but I didnt say anything or do anything. It made me depressed, just thinking about old Mr. Langhorn with those shoes. Throughout the story, Holden expresses signs of having a mental health disorder. I just finished reading the book, Catcher in the Rye. I've already wrote and printed out my essay. Kenneth decides to go swimming and is knocked out by a wave. She had a horrible face, but she was a great dancer. WebI felt that both Holden and Brian were on the spectrum - in modern terms they'd both be classed as autistic, but if we were still using older terminology I'd say that Holden shows The way Holden treats sexuality is reflective of the time period in which the novel was written, when society was just beginning to accept alternative lifestyles. Ive been thinking about it, and he does show some symptoms (special interests he likes talking a lot about, inability to read social cues, and general social unawareness). I didnt want her to get the wrong idea. He carried the weight of the world on his shoulders. Holden begs him to stay, Have just one more drink, I told him. EVerything is internal, his thoughts He tells her when he leaves Pencey that he would like to sleep with her in the same bed. He states, The worst part was, the jerk had one of those very phony, Ivy League voices, one of those very tired, snobby voices. WebHe has grown 6 1/2 inches in just one year. He was beyond his years and astute in his observations of people and their motivations. you ever read "The Catcher in I think you care deeply about many people, especially children. But I fee like I relate to him because of my own ASD-related issues. Im crazy. Below are five reasons why some people think Holden is a homosexual: Dont tell anybody this, I said, but when I was little I sort of wanted to marry my mother and sleep with my father. Still trying to answer Phoebes question, Mr. Antolini elaborates on his ideas, telling. The result is depression and hospitalization. I hear that youre frustrated. The book is narrated as if he is speaking directly to the reader about events in the past, so everything is in his voice. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account.