Essay | How the Past Affects Holden Caufield in J.D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye

Throughout the novel, Holden seems to be depressed by the fact that everyone is phony. Holden seems to think that each person is not his individual self, but someone who is acting on other people in order to fit in. This relates to the concept of herd mentality as people often follow others just to fit in. In the novel The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, Holden is always depressed not only because of the circumstances but also because of what happened in the past. It is obvious throughout the novel that Holden's depression is based on many factors which are all interconnected.

Probably the main cause of Holden's depression is his brother's death. Holden was very connected with his brother and looked up to him as an older brother. This is also emphasized by the fact that Holden does not have...
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