The Catcher in the Rye. Post 7.

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger.

In the last section of the book, Holden reveals some inner thoughts that don't include excessive swearing and perverted thoughts. The final chapter Holden reveals that he is receiving some kind of psychiatric help. This cements the theory that my reading group had that Holden had some kind of repressed trauma from losing his brother at such a young age. Allie's death seemed to cast Holden into adulthood, by making him face and deal with death, which was beyond his capacity and eventually broke him and made him desire to remain a child.

Holden seems apologetic and sincere about his actions and decisions, at least in the way you'd expect when reading his thoughts. He still has some sarcasm and apathy peeking through the sincerity, which seems counterintuitive, sincere sarcasm. Anyway, Holden, at the end of the book, seems to be facing his problems and making some progressive recovery.

"A lot of people, especially this one psychoanalyst guy they have here, keeps asking me if I'm going to apply myself when I go back to school next September. It's such a stupid question, in my opinion. I mean how do you know what you're going to do until you do it? The answer is, you don't. I think I am, but how do I know? I swear it's a stupid question" (Salinger, 213).