What is madness? Webster’s Dictionary describes madness as the “quality or condition of being insane ” However there seems to be another definition of madness, a more poetic version, one that takes into consideration the other point of view. In The Catcher In the Rye by J.D. Salinger, a young man named Holden, is defined with two definitions of madness. Holden is different than most people around him. He is so fed-up with society, mainly the adults, that he does not want to grow up; he would rather stay a child. Throughout the novel, the reader listens to Holden talk about the society around him, as he describes different people and situations that occur. During the book, Holden appears to have an extremely irrational behavior, other people just view him as a madman, however Holden is not irrational at all, it’s the phony world he lives in.
Holden is very irrational towards the world, especially in his behavior and his reactions to other people. He mentions himself dying and being depressed numerous times throughout the book. When Holden walks back towards his hotel talking about his cowardness, he starts to feel depressed. He even “[wishes] [he] was dead” (90). Holden’s imagination is quite irrational. Holden would wish himself dead just because of his “yellowness”. Holden wishing himself dead, is the first sign that Holden is being portrayed as an insane character. Later that night Holden, again, “was feeling so depressed” (91) Depression portrays Holden as insane. Holden has a mental disorder in his brain. Later, Holden is confronted by a pimp after seeing a prostitute. The pimp wants more money from Holden. Holden finally becomes very angry and starts to pretend that “[he] [has] a bullet in [his] gut” (104). Pretending one is dying, is as irrational as it gets. Holden pretends to be bleeding with a bullet lodged in his stomach just because of a bad reaction with a pimp, or is there more to it? Holden is just so lonely and depressed that he would just rather die than live. Dieing sounds more favorable than living. Holden seems to be a madman. Holden, finally goes back to his home at the end of the book. Holden “got sick and all” (213). This sickness can be seen as a mental sickness. He even sees a psychoanalyst to help him. He finally understands that he needs help with his problem. Holden seems like a madman. He is sick, depressed, and sometimes wishes he were dead, but is he truly a madman?
Characters in the book don’t understand Holden. They think he is just plain crazy. When Holden goes out on a date with his friend, Sally Hayes, Holden starts to talk about cliques at school. Then Sally agrees that “[Holden] is in lousy shape” (131). Sally knows that Holden is mad and needs help. What Holden is talking about seems just plain crazy to her. Holden then starts to talk about moving away out in the forest with Sally and just live off of little amounts of money. Sally views Holden’s idea, again, as very crazy. She understands that they are still “practically children” and that they would “starve to death” (132). She understands that Holden’s idea is something impossible to do, making Holden angry. Holden even starts to scream at Sally, causing her to cry. Later, Holden goes to the bar with Al Pike. Holden asks many questions about sex and women. Al Pike thinks that Holden needs help with his madness. He wants Holden “to go to a psychoanalyst” (148). Why would anyone offer a psychoanalyst to someone unless one thought the other one is mad? Al Pike is just trying to help Holden with his madness, but of course Holden refuses to go. Even Phoebe, Holden’s sister, starts to see Holden as irrational. Holden goes back to his house to talk to Phoebe. Holden tells Phoebe about his school, Pencey, and how much he hates it. Phoebe sees his hate as irrational. Holden criticizes everything and “doesn’t like anything that’s happening” (169). Phoebe then questions what Holden likes. Holden mentions Allie. Phoebe gets angry, because “Allie’s dead” (171). Holden’s own sister sees him as a very irrational person that criticizes society. Phoebe views his brother as a madman too. So according to society, Holden is mad, crazy, and very irrational.
According to the poetic version of madness, Holden is not mad at all. According to Holden the world is “phony”. As humans become adults they loose their innocence. Holden just does not fit in. He has a right to have an irrational behavior towards everyone on earth. At the very beginning of the book, Holden talks about his brother, D.B, who writes books. He use to write books because he enjoyed it, but now “he’s out in Hollywood being a prostitute” (2). D.B. sold out. He decided to sell his books for the money not because he likes to write. D.B. grew up and did it all for the cash. Holden critiques the piano player, Ernie, at his club in New York. He mentions how phony Ernie is. Holden even becomes angry when people clap for Ernie. Holden “[would] play the piano in the goddamn closet” (84). He would not sell out like Ernie did. If it was something Holden loved to do and had passion about doing it, he would not do it for money and attention like Ernie. Holden just wants to be the catcher in the rye. Holden tells Phoebe that he wants to “catch [children] if they start to fall off the cliff”(173). Holden wants to save children from growing up and becoming phony. He wants them to stay innocent forever. The children would not grow up and sell out their passions for money. Holden treasures child-like innocence. He does not want children to grow and change. Holden is not mad, crazy, or insane. The world he lives in is filled with phoniness instead of child-like innocence.
Holden may seem to be very irrational. He seems to be very depressed. Holden has even imagined himself dieing. Other people in the novel would agree that Holden is crazy as well. They see Holden as a madman. They don’t understand him and even advise him to see a psychoanalyst. Holden’s own sister even views him as irrational. However, Holden is not mad or insane. Holden sees the world as phony and not innocent like it should be. Holden sees friends, family, and members of society sell their innocence in order to gain fame and money. Holden’s “irrational behavior” is caused by the fake world he lives in. Holden is “mad” based on the society that surrounds him, however, Holden is an individual. So even though the dictionary defines madness as an insane condition, Holden is perfectly sane in this phony, non-innocent world that we all live in.
