Recently, for my English class, we had to create a “psychological profile” for Holden Caulfield, a character from The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. We had a series of questions to answer about his character and were instructed to write it in the style of a profile.
I) The subject’s name is Holden Caulfield. Caulfield is currently 17 years old.
II) Caulfield lives in an unspecified location relatively near Hollywood and his brother. He does not speak of his living conditions much, but his tone indicated a less than satisfactory home.
III) Caulfield has two siblings, one older and one younger, as well as a younger sibling who has passed. Caulfield is known for his aggressive outbursts as well as his tendency to lie.
IV) Caulfield’s symptoms of grief include a longing for his lost brother, a bitterness over his loss (note: subject’s bitterness seems to have mostly faded, though was clearly active at time of death), a lack of trust in others, as well as a withdrawal from social activities. Caulfield’s signs of PTSD include negative and pessimistic thoughts about the world, a detachment from friends and family, being on guard for danger, smoking, aggressive outbursts, and trouble sleeping.
Additionally, Caulfield shows signs of anxiety, namely irritability and nervousness. Finally, Caulfield shows signs of depression, including a loss of pleasure in usual activities, a cynical view of the world, an extreme sensitivity to failure, restlessness, and social isolation.
Have you read the Catcher in the Rye?
