Communication in The Catcher in the Rye, a Novel by J. D. Salinger

American psychologist Rollo May once said, “Communication leads to community, that is, to understanding, intimacy and mutual valuing”(“Brainy Quote”). In The Catcher In The Rye by JD. Salinger, the main character Holden Caulfield is in a constant struggle with communication throughout the novel. His difficulty with communication only adds to his struggle of being a disillusioned teenager wandering alone through New York City after he has been kicked out of school. In The Catcher In The Rye, Holden’s struggle with communication causes him to become isolated.

One of Holden’s struggles in communication is the ability to build and keep strong relationships. For example, Holden thinks throughout the book of calling his childhood friend Jane. yet he never calls her. Holden is fixated on the idea of calling Jane, yet is too afraid that her mom will pick up instead.

This clearly shows he is lacking in communication skill, becattse instead of asking her mom where Jane is if she does pick up, Holden opts not to call at all, yet he still wants to rekindle his relationship with Jane.

Another example is when Holden yells at his girlfriend Sally in a bar. Holden is loudly ranting to her,about “phonies”, and is frustrated she does not understand what he is talking about. He then frustratedly says to her that she gives him “A royal pain in the ass”, causing her to break up with him. Holden loudly ranting to Sally shows that he is not aware of how uncomfortable he is making her feel.

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When he snaps and directly insults her, this proves to be the last straw for Sally. While Holden does try to apologize, his ignorance of Sally’s emotions are Unforgivable to her. Because of Holden’s attitude towards relationships, he only helps to end them.

Healthy relationships require good communication, and Holden holding back his emotions and not considering other’s feelings break his relationships, and he isolates himself. Additionally, Holden’s lack of communication isolates him because it is difficult for him to fit in with others, An example of Holden not being able to fit in is Holden‘s school, Pencey Prep, which represents conformity. The symbolism is demonstrated when Holden observes the last school football game of the year is happening, and he says that “You were supposed to commit suicide or something if old Pencey didn’t win“. Holden views Pencey as a prison, as students are expected to conform to the rules, to obey their authority figures, and are forced to show pride for their schoolt Conformity is equal to imprisonment for individualistic people such as Holden, and not applying himself in school is his form of rebellion. However, as he is so different from his peers, it is hard for him to communicate and interact with them. Another instance of Holden not being able to fit in with his peers is how his red hunting hat represents his uniqueness, as demonstrated when Holden puts on the hat on and says “I didn’t give a damn how I looked”.

The hat mirrors Holden’s character; striking and unique, and it acts as a shield to Holden against the world of phonies. By putting it on, he embraces his own individuality, which gives him a sense of security. Holden’s behaviors, while unique, are seen as strange by others around him, causing them to alienate him. Holden’s desire to not conform to societal norms leads him to break communication with the world around him, and his behavior causes him to become an outcast from his peers, Funhermore, Holden’s difficulty with communication leading to isolation is demonstrated by his extreme distrust of others. An example is when Holden, while sleeping at his old English teacher Mr. Antolini’s apartment after visiting his sister, wakes up to Mr. Antolini “Sitting on the floor right next to the couch, in the dark and all, and he was sort of petting me or patting me on the goddam head”.

This causes Holden to become fearful and escape outside. While Holden is right to be alarmed, he does not wait to listen for Mr. Antolini’s explanation about what he was doing. Mr. Antolini could just have been trying to act fatherly towards Holden, as he was shown to be concerned for Holden’s future in their earlier conversation. The fact that Holden turns to a former teacher for support shows that they have a strong relationship with each other, and that Holden, who is normally disillusioned with adults, has the utmost trust for Mr. Antolini. For Holden to abandon his mentor and return to loneliness so quickly shows that his distrust overpowers his desire to try to communicate and understand the situation.

Another instance is the fact that Holden does not like his brother, DiB., saying that his job as a Hollywood screenwriter is equivalent to him “Being a prostitute”(Salinger l). Holden believing that DB. has sold out to Hollywood shows that he is acting selfishly distrustful of his brother. Rather than feeling glad that his brother has found a successful career, Holden feels that D.B. betrayed him by working for the adult world of Hollywood, and abandoning the children’s stories that he used to write. Because of this, Holden does not attempt to reach out and write to DB, and he separates himself from a member of his own family. Holden’s distrustfulness causes him to act impulsively without making an attempt to communicate, and this only causes him to break connections that did not necessarily need to be broken at all.

Holden’s inability to communicate leads him to become disconnected with those around him. Holden is constantly seeking companionship throughout the story, yet his inability to fully interact with others causes them to drift away. The loneliness takes a toll on Holden’s psyche, yet his desire to connect is inhibited only by himself. Holden’s struggle to interact with others is not unique problem, and it often resonates with many people in today‘s world. He can be seen as a sympathetic character by those whom have faced the same struggles of loneliness, and Holden’s flaws, while frustrating, make him more relatable and realistic