Holden’s Sibling Love And Self-actualization In The Perspective Of Maslow’s Hierarchy Of Needs

The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger’s magnum opus, is widely considered to be one of the most interesting works worthy of being included in the Western canon, and it has exerted great influences on American society and literary circles all around the world. The protagonist Holden Caulfield is often considered as an adolescent rebel who criticizes the hypocrisy and phoniness of the adult world, and detests the degeneration and vulgarity in modern society, an important addition to the spectacular gallery of literary characters of far-reaching significance.While being well aware of various social maladies this novel reveals, the author of this thesis attempts to deepen understanding of Holden’s spiritual world from the perspective of humanistic psychology. Abraham Maslow’s theory, the hierarchy of needs, constitutes the foundation of the whole analysis. From the angle of the five layers of human personalities, this thesis singles out four layers of human needs, i.e. safety needs, belonging and love needs, esteem needs, self-actualization needs as the focus of interpretation, and analyzes in depth the universality and specificity of Holden’s psychological development, the whole process of Holden’s pursuit of self-actualization, and the relationship between Holden’s self-actualization needs with sibling love.The thesis seeks to argue that Holden, neither a poor victim of the degenerated world, nor a great hero saving innocent souls, is but an ordinary teenager who is undergoing the hard but significant process of transformation from an ego-centered teenager to a mature social being, during which he tastes frustration, agony, and confusion, among many other types of emotional and intellectual troubles. The premature death of his brother Allie makes especially acute Holden’s needs of safety, belonging and love, while the love from his little sister Phoebe makes up for his unsatisfied needs, causing him to dream of becoming "a catcher in the rye". It is also the love from Phoebe that makes Holden give up his unrealistic dream, and achieve the liberation of self. The thesis attempts not to represent the mental development that characterizes each individual, but to analyze Holden’s psychological needs and their fulfillment. The analysis is intended to shed light on the complexity and inevitability of one’s growth course, and in turn, illustrate and further our understanding of the significance of Maslow’s theory.