Madness seen with a discerning eye unveils hidden character, as manifested by J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye. Holden Caulfield's madness magnifies his masked empathy for others emphasizing his own hesitance and ignorance to display emotion.
Allie Caulfield's death deeply affects Holden's behavior throughout the course of his journey as it shapes his emotional outlook on life. While reminiscing the death of his brother, Holden confesses, "I was only thirteen, and they were going to have me psychoanalyzed and all, because I broke all the windows in the garage... I slept in the garage the night he died, and I broke all the goddam windows with my fist, just for the hell of it. I even tried to break all the windows on the station wagon we had that summer...It was a very stupid thing to do, I'll admit, but I hardly didn't even know I was doing it, and you didn't know Allie. My hand still hurts me once in a while" (Salinger 37). By revealing that Holden deals with loss with an indignant attitude, Salinger shows that Holden is angry about Allie's death. Rather than being depressed about his brother's death, Holden chooses to mourn by creating a barrier between himself and his reactions. This shows that he is afraid of sharing his vulnerabilities in a healthy manner. Holden's reaction to Allie's death contradicts his respect for his brother's presence and personality; despite his respect for Allie, Holden uses anger to reveal information about his love for Allie. In the big picture, Allie's death affects Holden's depression and loneliness as his journey progresses; Holden is unable to cope with the negative feelings of isolation, which later leads him to life-threatening situations.
Furthermore, Holden's empathy is also highlighted by the recurring wonder about the Central Park ducks in the wintertime. At first, his thoughts on the ducks seem irrelevant to this journey of self-discovery. Yet, Holden continues to inquire about these ducks until someone listens; Horwitz, the old cab driver, is one of the few people that answer Holden's question, ("The ducks. Do you know, by any chance? I mean does somebody come around in a truck or something and take them away, or do they fly away by themselves – go south or something?" (Salinger 54), huffing, "How the hell should I know?" (Salinger 122). Salinger stresses the motif of ducks to emphasize the importance of family---specifically Holden's family. Holden wonders where the ducks go and how they survive in the wintertime; because the ducks come to Central Park every year, they provide comfort to Holden due to their regular trips. In fact, the ducks' endurance to wrestle the harsh winter serves as an example for his own battles. Holden's empathy is masked because he acknowledges his feelings towards his broken family by contemplating the ducks' connections; he is unable to directly face his parents' and siblings' expectation, which he brings to light by wondering about the ducks.
Holden Caulfield's madness arises from his twisted empathy, which contradicts his stoic, secluded ability to express emotion. By shielding himself from his emotions, Holden uses various methods to demonstrate that is capable of empathy; primarily, he uses anger and wonder, both of which reveal his hidden importance for family. Salinger teaches the audience the importance of accepting and coping with one's feelings and using them to harvest joy rather than sadness.
All in-text citations are from J.D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye.
