In the eyes of Holden Caulfield, life isn't just a walk in the park on a Sunday afternoon. As any reader can see, Holden has endured a lot in his short time of existance and it seems to be weighing him down. By treating his 'friends' with terrible, rude comments and portraying a pessimistic attitude, Holden is sliding by through each day with a corrupt yet mysterious lifestyle.
At this point of the reading, Holden's attitude consists of ignorance and insincerity along with many other characteristics as well. Clues such as "people never notice anything" can indicate that he feels that nobody is ever concerned with his well being or whereabouts (9). Holden says "I [he] don't give a damn" about many important events in his life such as schooling (9). Instances include attending four different schools due to his attitude and faulty grade circumstances can also prove that Holden believes he has better things to do than to care for his academic achievements and further schooling programs in the near future.
There is one factor, so far, in the book that has changed his attitude momentarily; the thoughts of his brother, Allie. Holden explains his deceased brother's well being with much passion and enthusiasm by stating "you'd have liked him" and giving examples of the sincerity Allie's teachers would give when praising his academic exellences (38). Allie's death hurt Holden very much. Holden was so vastly devastated that he "broke all the windows in the garage" the night that Allie died (39). Even though Allie was two years younger than Holden, the two brothers held a special bond that connected them so powerfully deep.
Many questions and thoughts come to mind when passages such as "I'm seventeen now...and I have gray hair" enter the text of the book and into the mind (9). What would make Holden worry and fret so much to cause his hair pigmentation to deplete and lose color at his young age? Could it be the death of his brother had shaken him so much that it has caused somewhat of an emotional breakdown? Further reading and insightful thinking may provide answers to the questions and thoughts that come to mind.
- Abriana Moreno
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Yes, Holden's life is very hard, with his big brother in Hollywood, and his younger brother desceased, but I don't think fully he doens't care about anybody. Maybe the reason Holden destroyed the windows in the garage was because he was so distressed due to Allie's death, and destroying anything was the only way he could say: "I am depressed and I need help!" I think Holden thinks he is mature enough to handle many of these adult ideas (such as alcohol and sex), but is still a child at heart who wishes the world still chatted with prostitutes.-Madeleine Kemme
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