Holden Caulfield´s Narcissism Revisited : A Psychoanalytical Study of the Protagonist in J.D. Salinger´s The Catcher in the Rye

Sammanfattning: Jerome David Salinger´s Holden Caulfield, the protagonist in The Catcher in the Rye, is seen through the lens of psychoanalytical literary criticism. He is a complex character, who is torn between his dreams and emotions. He is often depicted as a liar, a rebel who drops out of school or as a depressed young man who is admitted into care for his mental problems. Some of these issues are hidden in the vernacular teenage language. The image of Holden as having a personality that is in line with narcissism is therefore discussed. The intention is to question whether or not Holden shows symptoms of a narcissistic personality. Contrary to the personality traits that some critics have described, this essay focuses on the sides of Holden´s personality that show empathy, generosity and love, despite the traumas of his childhood.