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J. D. Salinger dishes up the themes in The Catcher in the Rye. But there’s one that really spills off the plate: Holden Caulfield’s continuing efforts to distance himself from everybody (except his sister Phoebe). In Holden Caulfield, Salinger has created a character who is self-absorbed and repulsive. And yet, we end up rooting for Holden anyway. Why? Watch.

Video Transcription:

Do you ever get the feeling that you’re really all alone?

Is anybody out there?

Holden Caufield did.

Let’s explore alienation—next.

If you were starting to feel bad for Holden, don’t.

The guy feels alienated from everything, but really, that’s his own fault.

Here’s how Salinger builds out this theme—call it alienation-as-self-preservation.

At first, Holden’s isolation is unspecific. Remember that he tells his history teacher at Pencey Prep that he feels trapped on the other side of life.

Whatever that means.

But think about what happens as the story goes on. Holden does everything he can to sabotage his relationships and distance himself from people. And while this sabotage makes him feel alienated, it also—strangely—makes him feel better.

And that’s the thing about Holden. He has to alienate himself because his interactions with other people overwhelm him.

At the same time, Holden craves contact. How many times does he think about calling up some acquaintance or other during this story? Two dozen?

Ultimately, I don’t think Salinger comes to a conclusion about whether alienation-as-self-preservation works. But the theme is effective: It’s another expression of the way Holden is constantly being pulled between two conflicting mental states.