Catcher in the Rye

The Catcher in the Rye

As the protagonist of The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, Holden Caulfield appears to attribute his social condition to circumstances beyond his control. Critics give praise to the character of Holden Caulfield as a non-conformist rebel that is unwilling to compromise in the face of the harsh realities of society. However, this view does not seem to hold true to the circumstances taking place. Holden’s detachment from his life is almost voyeuristic in nature, and he is unwilling to take responsibility for his actions, or lack there of, on any meaningful level. Holden Caulfield is a disaffected youth whose cowardice, sexual impotency, and inability to reconcile the perceived perversions of society with his own childish, idealistic morals lead to his eventual mental break-down. Little sympathy can be had for Holden when the only active participation his takes in his own life is his own self-destruction.

Holden is introduced by the author as a coward early on in the narrative, and this flaw is one of the few points of stability in his personality. According to the critic Carl Strauch, Holden’s own assertion that he is a coward is incorrect, and if the label of cowardice is to be applied anywhere it can only be applied to society (Strauch 21). This view, however, is in direct contradiction with the actual events taking place. Holden is often confrontational, allowing himself ample opportunities to seize the moment and take charge of his own destiny, but at every such instance he defers control and allows the object of antagonism, whether it is a person or situation, to define him instead of him defining the situation. Holden detests his boarding school, but does not attempt to seek to remedy his plight. He unwilling to apply himself in order to graduate, thus freeing himself from the school, nor is he willing to drop out the school by his own accord. Instead, Holden chooses to leave Pencey Prep early only after flunking out of the school and he is told by the administration that he is not allowed back after the Christmas break (Salinger 6). Holden allows himself to be bullied by his roommate Stradlater.

Stradlater possesses himself of all things that are Holden’s, one after another. He uses Holden’s Vitalis on his “gorgeous locks,” he borrows Holden’s hounds-tooth jacket for his date, and yawning all the while, he expects Holden to write his theme for him (Strauch 12).

Holden’s weakness is undeniable when he recounts the story of his gloves being stolen at Pencey. He relates that if he were to find undeniable evidence pointing to the identity of the thief, Holden would still be unable to strike the thief (Salinger 115-117). Holden later gets into a physical altercation with a pimp, but Holden refuses to even defend himself and further humiliates himself by crying in front of his attacker and the pimp’s whore (Salinger 131-135). Holden’s impotence is not restricted to matters of honor. His feeling of powerlessness permeates every aspect of his life from allowing himself to be victimized by violence to sexual relationships.

Holden self imposes sexual impotency through relational sabotage and his unwillingness to act. His fear and apathy towards relationships with the opposite sex leave him sexually frustrated. Critic Clinton Trowbridge offers excuses for Holden, claiming “sexual and religious idealism” (Trowbridge 44). This explanation seems unlikely. Holden refers to himself as “the biggest sex maniac you ever saw“ (Salinger 81) and volunteers that “all the children in our family are atheists” (Salinger 131). His roommate Stradlater offers Holden the opportunity to visit with Stradlater’s date, Jane Gallagher, a girl on which Holden has a crush (Salinger 40). Holden does not take the opportunity to tell either his roommate or Jane his true feelings. Throughout the narrative, he is tempted to call Jane and try to arrange a date while he is in New York. Yet every time that he is in the position to call, Holden relies on his tried and true excuse of “not being in the mood” (Salinger 77, 137). Holden admits later in the story that he was never able to actually kiss Jane on the lips and even though he had opportunities, Holden did not try to press his luck (Salinger 102). He relates that he has had several chances to lose his virginity with girls he has dated in the past but as was the case with Jane, Holden was reluctant to press his luck (Salinger 120-121). Next, Holden tries to set a date with Faith Cavendish, a girl with loose morals, to whom she and Holden share a mutual acquaintance, but even this sure thing is beyond his grasp (Salinger 83-86). Caulfield contacts a former girlfriend, Sally Hayes, and arranges a date, but once again Holden sabotages his chances for a sexual encounter. Later, while drunk, he calls Sally’s parents’ house in the middle of the night assuredly