A Psychoanalytic Approach To The Catcher In The Rye

The Catcher in the Rye,one of the most outstanding literary works of Jerome. David.Salinger never lacks criticisms from critics.The former research of psychoanalysis to this work was always carried out by using Freudian and Lacanian theories which emphasize the individual's development of inner psychological structure but not pay much attention to the influence from outside environment.As we know,the outside environment also plays a critical role in shaping people's personality.The influence of outside environment on the development of personality is the key point for object-relations school,especially for Donald.Woods.Winnicott who belongs to this school.His theory provides us with a new angle for reading and analyzing The Catcher in the Rye.Employing D.W.Winnicott's theory who belongs to object-relations school,the author analyzes The Catcher in the Rye from the perspective of psychoanalysis. Winnicott holds that the development of personality depends on a facilitating environment provided by a good-enough mother.The facilitating environment makes self maturate enough to balance "me" and "Not-me" world.Or else,mental problems will appear.This dissertation firstly researches the hero,Holden Caulfield's early family life and finds out that Holden's mental crisis is caused by his brother,Allie's death and his departing from his home to the private school,which makes him lose his good-enough caregiver and a facilitating environment that is beneficial for his development.Holden is unable to balance his internal psychic world,in the novel,the innocent world and the external world,the adult world.This is the reason that he suffered mental crisis.Then,through the analysis of his contact with the strangers and his friends,the author reveals that Holden's wandering life in New York is actually his searching for a good-enough caregiver who can provide him with a facilitating environment and help him to get rid of his mental suffering.His sister Phoebe,in the end,played the role of the good-enough caregiver and helped him get out of the dilemma.Therefore,the tree nature of this novel is a process of Holden's search for cure after he got the mental problems.Finally,he was able to accept and merge with the adult world.