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

Everybody feels depressed at some time or another(prenominal) in their lives. However, it becomes a problem when depression is so much a part of a persons feel 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 possession to overlook the obvious which collectively results in him giving up on life out front he ever really has a break to get it started. Holden lacks the essential ability to prompt himself, which he needs to perish in the real world. He continues to be kicked unwrap of every school he attends because he fails to apply himself, his simple reasoning being How do you issue 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 care about school and his grades but it doesn?t solve 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 head is he can?t help him, Holden has to help himself. The drive to deliver the goods has to come from within him, ?I mean you can?t just now ever do something just because somebody wants you to? (185). In order for Holden to keep abreast he has to want it for himself. The only problem being Holden is unable to entrust him into doing anything he is not genuinely interested in, therefore missing out on further knowledge he could acquire that would truly decoy him. Holden gives up on school because he fears if ... ...why he never embed them. He will not allow 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 ge t it started. Mr. Antolini?s theory as to what is wrong with Holden is right on, it?s just too crowing 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 tag on in a world of insanity.Works CitedSalinger, J.D. The Catcher in the Rye. capital of the United Kingdom Penguin Books Ltd., 1994.