Patient: Caulfield, Holden

Age: 17

Height: 6 and 2½

General Health: Poor

Holden Caulfield is seventeen-year-old boy who is at our mental hospital in southern California. He told

me a lot of story about himself. From his interesting stories, I could say that he is a pretty unique kid at his age. His

is unique because of his point of view, the way he talks, the way he thinks and acts. It’s good if a person is unique

but Holden’s uniqueness is bad because that caused him to come to the mental hosp ital. From his stories, I found

several problems.

First, Holden is careless and irresponsible. As manager of the fencing team, he left the equipment on the

subway. That made the team returned to the school earlier that it had planned. Because of his academic failure, he

was been kicked out the school. Holden’s former History teacher Mr. Spencer tried to give Holden’s a lesson.

Holden felt uncomfortable when he heard Mr. Spencer’s true statements about him. I could see that Holden knows

his problems but he doesn’t care about them too much. It’s bad for a person who always hide his problems and

not to fix them.

Second, Holden is immature and unrealistic. He doesn’t know what is right and wrong to do at his age.

People at his age should not smoke and drink but he does. He is also a heavy smoker. Most of people also do well

in school but he doesn’t apply himself at school. Holden doesn’t care about school and how is that going to affect

him in the future. He only cares about the ducks in Central Park. He always wonders that where the ducks go in the

winter because he doesn’t know where to go after he got kicked out of the school. His idea about where to go is

unrealistic. He doesn’t want to go back to his home and meet his parents. He knows that his parents woul d yell at

him and sent him to a military school. Holden also wants to be the catcher in the rye. He is been unrealistic

because there is no such a job. He wants to be that because he wants to protect l ittle children and their innocence.

Last, Holden has a series self-problem that he doesn’t l ike anybody except his l ittle brother Allie who died

at his young age. Holden loves him because Allie was extremely intell igent and nice. That night Allie died, Holden

slept in the garage and broke his hand by punched the garage windows. Holden felt really angry and depress about

Allie’s death. To me, Holden doesn’t know a better way to make he feel better to get ride off the depression. He

thinks that anyone else acts phony and he doesn’t l ike that. He also wants to fl ee to the West and live as a deaf

mute because that is the way to isolate from everybody and society.

Holden doesn’t care about school and how is that going to affect him in the future. He thinks that school

fells with l ies and cruelty. What he thinks about school is really wrong. He doesn’t know how important the school

is. School fi l ls with knowledge that helps everybody succeed in their future. Because of his academic failure, he

doesn’t want to go back to his home and meet his parents. He knows tha t his parents would yell at him and sent

him to a military school. I could say that Holden doesn’t have a good relationship with his parents. His parent may

not know Holden’s talent. Holden is an academic failure because he failed four of the five classes. The fact is that

he didn’t failed English writing class because he loves that class. Interest could motivate a person learns fast and

have great result. Holden wants to be the catcher in the rye because he wants to protect l ittle children and their

innocence. He also doesn’t l ike anybody in his l ife. He thinks that everybody acts phony and he hates it. He wants

to isolate from everybody and society by flee to the West and live as a deaf mute. His idea is really bad because it

tells me that Holden hates his l ife to be part of the society and he may suicide himself if he can’t stand it anymore.

Treatment Recommendations:

Have a meeting with Holden’s parents: Tell them what is wrong with Holden. Tell them to care more

about Holden and let him feels that his l ife is not lonely and cold.

Let Holden live in the hospital: Holden is a heavy smoker and that made him out of shape. He also drank

a lot of alcohol. Therefore, I have to stop him and let him to get ride off all the unhealthy staff.

Let Holden to attend a social communication class: Let him know how to deal with other people with the

right manner and communication. It would help him to fit into the society.

Let Holden to get a partial job like taking care little children at kindergarten: He loves l ittle children. That

job would increase Holden’s responsibility. Having a job helps the society too. Holden would feel that he is

a useful person in the society.

Let Holden to go to an academy: His talent is writing and he loves it. He should work on his talent and use

it not to waste it. Academy could increase his writing skill and he may could be a great writer in the future.

“I sti l l act sometimes like I was only about twelve. Everybody says that, especially my father. It’s partly

true, too, but it isn’t all true. People always think something’s all true. I don’t give a damn, except that I get bored

sometimes when people tell me to act my age. Sometimes I act a lot older than I am – I really do – but people

never notice it. People never notice anything.” Page: 9

It’s good for Holden to realize that he acts l ike twelve years old person. Holden think that it’s

partly but it isn’t all true. Holden knows he should act more mature because he wants to show

other people that he is not immature. He really doesn’t l ike other people to tell him to act at his

age. He thinks that he acts a lot older than he is sometimes. He feels sad about people never

notice him. It’s partly true that Holden acts a lot older than he is but his actions are bad. Most of

people at his age do not smoke, drink and not apply him/her self at school. Holden doesn’t know

what kind things he should do to act more mature at his age.

“I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all. Thousands of l ittle

kids and nobody’s around – nobody big, except me. And I’m standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have

to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff – I mean if they’re running and they don’t look

where they’re going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. That’s all I’d do all day. I’d just be the

catcher in the rye and all. I know it’s crazy, but that’s the only thing I’d really l ike to be. I know it’s crazy.” Page: 173

Holden has picturing a lot of l ittle children playing in the rye. There is cliff around the rye and kids

may fall down from the cliff because they don’t look where they’re going. Holden’s job is to catch

them when they are near the cliff. He really wants to be the catcher in the rye and he’ll do it all

day. Holden is been very unrealistic because there is no such a job exists in this world. He knows

his idea is unrealistic because he said that sounds crazy. He wants to think that way. It’s really

bad that Holden doesn’t l ike any other jobs which exist in the society. The catcher in the rye is

the only job that Holden wants to be. The way of Holden thinks is very unrealistic.

“This fall I think you’re riding for- it’s a special kind of fall, a horrible kind. The man fall ing isn’t permitted

to feel or hear himself hit bottom. He just keeps fall ing and falling. The whole arrangement’s designed for men

who, at some time or other in their l ives, were looking for something their own environment couldn’t supply them

with. Or they thought their own environment couldn’t supply them with. So they gave up looking. They gave it up

before they ever really even got started.” Page: 187

What Mr.Antolini told Holden is very important and straight to the point. He said that Holden is

walking on a wrong way and had a horrible kind of fall in Holden’s l ife. It’s very true Mr. Antolini

said that Holden doesn’t feel or hear himself hit the bottom. Holden just keeps fall ing and fall ing.

The only reason Mr. Antolini said that to Holden is to warn him that he should care and fix his

bad situation. Mr. Antolini also said that Holden looks for something his own environment

(society) couldn’t supply them with. Or Holden thought his own environment (society) couldn’t

supply them with. Mr. Antolini sort of figured out that Holden has a hard time to fit into the

society. The society doesn’t have anything that Holden really wants and likes. Holden may give

up looking for the thing which he needs for his future. It’s really bad for a person who doesn’t fit

into the society.

Dear Mr. Li:

I’m Mr. Antolini and I used to be Holden’s teacher at Elkton

Hills School. The good thing is that I’m also Holden’s favorite teacher.

I found out that Holden has a series academic problem. You would

know what happen as you read on my letter.

I was very happy to see Holden when he came to my house. We

had some coffee before our conversation. I’m glad that Holden didn’t

flunk English because I know he is a really good writer. I told him that

his dad is terribly concerned about him. The headmaster of school

told Holden’s dad about Holden didn’t make any effort at all. He

always cut classes and coming unprepared to all his classes. Holden

told me that he didn’t cut any classes and I know that is a lie. Holden

is kind of person who doesn’t like to talk about his issue with other

people. He always hides them not to fix them. I had to give him a

lesson because I really concern about him. I also told him that he is

like a horse rider who doesn’t know where to go. One day, he would

have a horrible falling. Once he has an idea about where to go, he

would apply himself in school. Right now, he is a student and has to

love with knowledge and learn them. He would not have to good

future without knowledge. That’s what I told him but his reply was

“Okay, sir” and yawning. He was tired about this lesson. I know that

he didn’t really care about what I told him. It’s sad for a boy who

doesn’t apply himself at school.

Hope you could do your best to help Holden out.

Thank you,

Mr. Antolini

I don’t know what the hell happen to me. Why the hell I

have to see a psychoanalyst who keeps asking me stupid

questions. I really don’t want to talk to him because I want to

be a goddamn deaf mute. He makes me feel more sick by not

letting me go if I don’t open my mouth and say something to

him. I don’t want to waste my helluva time with him

anymore. Therefore, I told him my whole goddamn story. I

just keep talking and talking and he just keep writing and

writing. I don’t really know why the hell I did that but I was

on the good mood. He spent helluva time disusing my

problems. I hate to discuses my goddamn issues with other

people but I did it with him. I feel that he is a very nice guy

who really concerns about me too. He reminded me Mr.

Antolini while we were talking about school and all that

stupid stuff. They all said that if I don’t work hard in school

right now, my goddam future is not going to be good. It’s

kind of stupid they said that because they don’t even know

what is my future going to look like. I really want them to

shut the hell up and change the topic but I don’t feel like it. I

really don’t want to see Mr. Antolini anymore because he

scared the hell of me. I still don’t understand why the hell he

kept patting my head while I was sleeping. I still feel very upset

and don’t even want to know why. I feel sad about Mr.

Antolini is a goddam pervert. My psychoanalyst asked that if

I’m going to apply myself when I go back to school next

September. I haven’t get an answer for that stupid question

because I don’t even know how I’m going to do at school

next September. It’s good that I could stay here and don’t

have to worry about school, anything, and anyone else. I felt

much better after I shared my ideas and expressed my feelings

with him. I told him that I could change myself but I won’t

change the idea to be the catcher in the rye.