Social Isolation in 'The Catcher in the Rye' and 'The Curious Incident'

Both 'The Catcher in the Rye' and 'The Curious Incident of The Dog In The Nighttime' feature a young male character experiencing social isolation. In Mark Haddon's 'The Curious Incident of the Dog In The Nighttime', we are introduced to Christopher Boone, a fifteen-year-old diagnosed with autism. Christopher faces the challenges that come with living with autism and its resulting consequences. Due to his condition, Christopher has a distinctive and irrational way of understanding and reacting to information.

Both Christopher's story and Holden's from J.

D. Salinger's The Catcher in The Rye demonstrate how characters who have experienced social isolation throughout their lives react uniquely to various incidents they encounter. In the novel, Holden Caulfield, a sixteen-year-old boy caught between childhood and adulthood, faces significant physical and mental consequences as a result of the situations he experiences.

Both Holden and Christopher, the main characters in J.D. Salinger's 'The Catcher In The Rye' and Mark Haddon's 'The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Nighttime', face emotional confinement and perplexity due to their struggles with depression.

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This psychological state ultimately results in sentiments of solitude and eventual withdrawal from society for both individuals. Despite their unique backgrounds and environments, Holden and Christopher experience comparable situations involving death, mental disorders, and journeys towards autonomy that contribute to their overall feeling of social isolation.

Both Christopher and Holden experience social isolation as a result of the death of a loved one. In Christopher's case, his mother's passing leads to unintentional social isolation. One day after school, he returns home to find nobody there, which is unusual.

Eventually, his father arrives and informs him that his mother is in the hospital. Later on, his father reveals that she has passed away, stating "Father said that she died of a heart attack and it wasn't expected" (Haddon 27). Reflecting on this loss, Christopher recalls "Mother died 2 years ago…" (Haddon 22).

Christopher's father informs him that his mother is in the hospital before her alleged death, depriving Christopher of the chance to see her during her sickness. This act raises suspicion as it is later revealed in the book that Christopher's mother had actually left for London with Mr. Shears, their neighbor. It is these lies and betrayal by Christopher's father that lead to his social isolation. Furthermore, Christopher also witnesses the death of Wellington, who is owned by Mrs.

In Mrs. Shears' front yard, located two houses to the left of Christopher, there is a dog that has been killed with a pitchfork. At the start of the novel, during one of his nighttime walks, Christopher discovers this. Precisely 7 minutes past midnight, he comes across the deceased dog lying on the grass in the center of Mrs. Shears' lawn. Its eyes are shut and it appears to be in a running position on its side, as if pursuing a cat in a dream. However, despite this appearance, the dog is not actually alive - it is dead (Haddon 1).

When Christopher learns that Wellington has been murdered, instead of leaving the case for the police to handle, he decides to personally investigate. This decision leads him to dedicate a significant amount of time and effort towards identifying Wellington's killer. However, his involvement in the case eventually leads to problems with the police, and subsequently, Christopher's father becomes angry when he discovers that Christopher is the one who killed Wellington. In essence, Christopher's decision to take on the investigation causes distress among those around him and ultimately results in further isolation from society.

Both Christopher and Holden experience social isolation as a result of death. Christopher's encounter with death leads to his detachment from society, similar to how Holden's experience plunges him into depression and separates him from others. The passing of Allie, Holden's younger brother, on July 18th, 1946, after a long battle with leukemia deeply affects him. Allie was a beloved young boy with vibrant hair and intellect. This loss devastates Holden and contributes to his social isolation.

Holden spends the entire night sleeping in the garage after Allie's death. During this time, he suffers a mental breakdown and uses his fist to smash all the windows in the garage. Holden explains, "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, but my hand was already broken but I hardly didn't even know I was doing it" (Salinger 38-39). Instead of feeling sadness, Allie's death provokes anger in Holden. This anger leads him to purposefully break his hand by smashing the windows as a reaction to Allie's cancer-induced demise.

Holden isolates himself and suppresses his emotions, opting to not engage with others. In a hotel, he feels an intense loneliness and emptiness. While walking through the hotel lobby, he ponders the significance of his life, likening it to the desolate surroundings of the hotel. This prompts him to express a longing for death. Holden views his life as lacking purpose and so isolated that he craves emotional liberation. It seems that Holden is emotionally numb and disconnected from the world.

This emotional death leads Holden into a state of depression, which is followed by his social isolation from the world around him. Both Christopher and Holden undergo situations involving death that amplify their emotional behavior, ultimately resulting in social isolation. The emotional breakdowns of these characters are a result of their mental illnesses. Christopher and Holden's mental illnesses are the driving force behind their social isolation. Christopher's autism poses difficulties in communication, leading to social isolation from peers. Christopher struggles with a mental disorder known as autism.

Christopher John Francis Boone is not like a typical person. He cannot interact with strangers due to his mental disorder called autism. This is evident when Christopher introduces himself at the start of the novel, stating, "My name is Christopher John Francis Boone. I know all the countries of the world and their capital cities and every prime number up to 7,057" (Haddon 2). Christopher's condition affects his thinking process, as he pays close attention to every detail and possesses an impressive memory.

Christopher, a character in the novel, experiences discomfort and anxiety when interacting with unfamiliar individuals in public. During one instance, a man wearing a blue jacket and trousers approached him while carrying a book and remarked that Christopher appeared lost. In response, Christopher retrieved his Swiss Army knife (Haddon 171). Due to his autism, Christopher struggles to effectively communicate with strangers and anticipates the possibility of inappropriate physical contact. Therefore, Christopher leads a predominantly isolated life throughout the story as he prefers solitude over socializing with others.

In order to further elaborate, Christopher discusses instances in which he prefers to be alone. He explains, "I knew that it meant 'happy', Like when I'm reading about the Apollo space missions, or when I am still awake at three or four in the morning and I can walk up and down the street and pretend that I am the only person in the world" (Haddon 2). Christopher finds solace in reading about space missions because it represents a distant and uninhabited place, allowing him to experience a sense of social isolation that he enjoys. Additionally, Christopher's autism hinders his ability to communicate effectively, further contributing to his isolation.

Holden is experiencing a similar destiny as he also has a mental sickness of mental instability characterized by depression. The occurrence of Holden's mental breakdowns results in profound emotional suffering, ultimately causing him to isolate himself socially. Mental illness hinders Holden from achieving his maximum potential at school. Holden has recently been expelled from his fifth preparatory school due to his lack of effort. After reading the novel, many readers would speculate that Holden is afflicted with depression. "New York is dreadful when someone laughs on the street very late at night."

Holden is walking the streets alone late at night when he hears someone laughing. This sound intensifies his feeling of loneliness and depression. It serves as a reminder that he has no one to share laughter or conversation with, highlighting his isolation. Towards the conclusion of the novel, it is revealed where Holden is recounting the events. In his narration, he expresses his disdain for the question of whether he will put effort into his studies upon returning to school in September. From his perspective, it is a foolish inquiry.

In the text, Holden states that he does not know what he will do until he actually does it. He finds the question about whether he will apply himself next year to be stupid. He is in a mental institution, being questioned about his intentions for the following year, and he confesses that he wants to apply himself but can only truly know once he is in class (Salinger 213). Both Christopher and Holden have mental illnesses that cause them to distance themselves from their family and friends because of communication challenges.

Christopher and Holden experience isolation from society and the people around them as a result of their autism and depression, respectively, on their path to independence. Christopher's discovery of his mother's letters, which he initially believes were written by a deceased mother, exacerbates his sickness. In fact, these letters reveal that Christopher's mother is alive and residing in London with Mr. Shears. As a result, Christopher becomes confined to his room, sick and socially isolated from the rest of the world.

Christopher and Holden both experience a journey to independence that leads to isolation. Christopher discovers letters independently, revealing that his mother is alive and his father lied to him. This realization causes him to become isolated and sick, withdrawing from the outside world. Similarly, Holden's journey to independence involves questioning his true self, resulting in social isolation.

Holden Caulfield is expelled from Pencey Prep because of his poor grades, leading him on a journey of self-discovery. Throughout this journey, Holden experiences loneliness. In a cab, he invites the driver to have a drink with him as he lacks companionship. "Well, take me to the Edmont then," I said. "Would you care to stop on the way and join me for a cocktail? On me, I'm loaded" (Salinger 60). Feeling extremely lonely and disconnected from loved ones, Holden seeks solace in the company of the cab driver to alleviate his feelings of isolation.

Later in the novel, Holden experiences deep emotions while being alone and drunk at a bar. He describes his state by saying, "When I finally got down off the radiator and went out to the hat-check room, I was crying and all. I don't know why, but I was. I guess it was because I was feeling so damn depressed and lonesome" (Salinger 153). This scene portrays Holden as both intoxicated and highly emotional. It leads him to realize he is isolated and alone, causing him to feel incredibly upset and saddened, which is the reason behind his tears.

Once Holden realizes this, he becomes even more depressed and isolated from society. Both Christopher and Holden are in the process of finding their independence. As Christopher embarks on his journey, he learns that his mother is alive and feels the need to see her. Similarly, Holden discovers his true self, and both experiences help them escape their social isolation. When comparing the two novels, various themes stand out, such as Christopher's choice to wander alone at night as a form of isolation and Holden's anguish over Allie's mortality, which may contribute to his mental health struggles.

Furthermore, in the novel, both main characters discover their true identity and become independent individuals. Isolation is a significant theme in Holden's solitary journey in New York City. Similarly, Christopher embarks on a solo trip to London, England, in search of his mother. The concept of mortality greatly impacts Holden's perspective on the world, as he constantly contemplates the presence of his late brother, Allie. In contrast, Christopher seeks to unravel the mysteries surrounding Wellington's murder and the truth behind his supposedly deceased mother.

Both in Holden's case and Christopher's case, mortality leads to mental illness. Holden becomes depressed from missing his brother and feeling lonely at school, while Christopher's true identity helps bring his parents closer together after years of fighting. In conclusion, both young men battle isolation, which ultimately results in mental breakdowns for Holden. However, at the end of their respective novels, both Christopher and Holden find their true selves and learn to accept themselves, allowing them to move on with their lives.