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

Everybody feels depressed at some time or another in their lives. However, it be hails a problem when depressive disorder is so much a smash of a persons life that he or she can no longerexperience 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 obvious which collectively results in him giving up on life before he ever re aloney has a chance to get it started. Holden lacks the essential ability to motivate himself, which he needs to survive in the real world. He continues to be kicked go forth of every school he attends because he fails to apply himself, his simple reasoning being How do you know what youre going to do till you do it? The dissolve is, you dont (213). Everybody else in his life tries to encourage him to care 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 help 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 within him, ?I mean you can?t hardly ever do something just because somebody insufficiencys you to? (185). In order for Holden to succeed he has to want it for himself. The only problem being Holden is unable to will him into doing anything he is not genuinely interested in, therefore missing out on further noesis he could acquire that would truly entice him. Holden gives up on school because he fears if ... ...why he never found them. He will not depart himself to because by this point he had given up on school and eventually he gave up on the whole world. Tragically though, he gives it all up before he truly has a chance to get it started. Mr. Antolini?s theory as to what is wrong with Holden is right on, it?s just in like manner 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 lost 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.