IndexIntroductionHow does Caulfield display common symptoms of PTSD in the novel?ConclusionA Johns Hopkins study determined that 81% of young adults are been exposed to a traumatic event, while 8% of those exposed developed Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (“Blog”). The symptoms of PTSD can be divided into three groups: intrusive, avoidant and hyperarousal (“post-traumatic stress disorder”). Psychological traumas of just this type often appear after the death of a loved one. Holden Caulfield, the protagonist of The Catcher in the Rye, is drastically affected by the death of his younger brother and a schoolmate. Within JD Salinger's narrative, it is clearly shown that the terrible events that Holden Caulfield was exposed to throughout his life led to him suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Holden displays intrusive symptoms of PTSD, particularly flashbacks. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayIntrosuctionAt the beginning of the novel, Holden introduces the reader to his younger brother, Allie: “My brother Allie had this left-handed fielder's glove. He was left-handed. […] Now he's dead. He got leukemia and died while we were in Maine , July 18, 1946” (Salinger 43). Holden's story about Allie is a flashback to when Allie was alive and well. This shows that Holden does not want to believe that Allie is dead and instead chooses to focus on the positive memories Another flashback that Holden has during the novel occurs when he becomes depressed. “I felt so depressed, you can't imagine. What I did was start talking, out loud, to Allie. I do that sometimes when I'm very depressed depressed” (Salinger 110). Holden is still talking to Allie as if he were alive, remembering a better time. Later in the novel, when Phoebe tells Holden to think of something he really likes, Holden can only think of an old man of his. memory, which dates back to the moment his friend committed suicide while wearing his sweater. He remembers it vividly, thinking, “There was this guy I knew in Elkton Hills, named James Castle, who wouldn't take back something he said about this very opinionated guy, Phil Stable. […] In the end what he did, instead of taking back what he had said, he threw himself out of the window” (Salinger 188). This event has a significant effect on Holden; James Castle, someone Holden considers a friend, appears dead on the sidewalk wearing one of Holden's sweaters, which is now covered in blood. This traumatic moment is forever ingrained in Holden's head and creeps up on him when he tries to recall pleasant memories. These events show how flashbacks, a symptom of PTSD, affect Holden on a regular basis. How does Caulfield display common symptoms of PTSD in the novel? Holden also displays the avoidance symptoms of PTSD. Feeling intense guilt, depression and worry, and having difficulty remembering events are avoidance symptoms that Holden Caulfield experiences as a result of PTSD. A great example of Holden having trouble remembering events and worrying excessively occurs when Stradlater returns home from his date. “Some things are hard to remember. Now I think about when Stradlater returned from his date with Jane. […] I was probably still looking out the window, but I swear I don't remember. I was so damn worried, that's why” (Salinger 45). Holden's anxietyit is far above normal levels for a healthy person because it affects their daily habits, such as using the bathroom. One instance where Holden feels intense guilt is when he starts talking to Allie as if she were there with him. Holden does this when he feels extremely depressed, and it's always about the day he didn't let Allie come along with him and his friend Bobby. An example is when Holden says, “So every now and then, when I get very depressed, I keep telling him, 'It's okay.' Go home, get your bike and I'll meet you in front of Bobby's house. Hurry up'” (Salinger 110). The fact that Holden often remembers this moment shows his guilty feelings towards Allie. Holden also has strong feelings of depression along with suicidal thoughts. When Holden tries to fall asleep in his hotel room, he writes, “What I really felt like, though, was killing myself. I felt like throwing myself out the window” (Salinger 116-117). The only factor keeping Holden from jumping is that people will have to see his dead body on the sidewalk, and he doesn't want other people to experience the same situation he experiences when James Castle commits suicide, which still has a traumatic effect. about him. Even more intense than Holden's avoidance symptoms are his hyperarousal symptoms related to PTSD. Especially prevalent during the end of the novel, Holden Caulfield experiences all the symptoms of hyperarousal found in PTSD, which are outbursts of anger, sleep problems, and nervousness. Most alarming is what happens immediately after Allie's death. Holden flies into a fit of rage, remembering, “I was only thirteen and they were going to have me psychoanalyzed and everything, because I broke all the windows in the garage. I don't blame them. Really not” (Salinger 44). Holden's reaction to his brother's death goes far beyond what is normal during times of grief, especially for a thirteen-year-old boy. When Holden says that he doesn't blame his parents for having him psychoanalyzed, it shows that Holden recognizes that there is something wrong with him and that he knows that his reaction is abnormal. An example of a time when Holden has trouble sleeping occurs when Holden is at a hotel in New York. “It was still quite early. I'm not sure what time it was, but it wasn't too late. The one thing I hate to do is go to bed when I'm not even tired” (Salinger 74). Before arriving at his hotel in New York, Holden had been up all day and active, enough to exhaust a normal person. Furthermore, once Holden has stayed in his hotel room for a while, he decides to go out and visit several clubs, as well as go dancing, before returning to his hotel room and attempting to sleep. A situation where Holden is nervous occurs when he visits Mr. Antolini's apartment. Holden finally manages to fall asleep, only to be awakened by something strange: “I woke up suddenly. I don't know what time it was or anything, but I woke up. I felt something on my head, someone's hand. […] Boy, I bet I jumped about a thousand feet” (Salinger 211). Holden is distressed and leaves Mr. Antolini's apartment immediately after this incident occurs. He doesn't give Mr. Antolini a chance to explain himself and is paranoid, assuming the absolute worst of the situation. Although many critics believe that Holden Caulfield suffers from a mental illness such as PTSD, some commentators have argued otherwise. One of the most common objections to the claim that Holden has a mental illness is that the emotions he experiences are normal for a teenager. While some of Holden's actions are normal, his emotions are far beyond anyone's reach.