Analysis of Holden’s Character in the "Catcher In The Rye": Id, Ego And Superego

The social rules and definitions that we internalized form a large part of our sense of right and wrong. There is always an ongoing conflict between our desires and social convention that happen unconsciously in our minds. This paper intends to discuss the occurrence of such conflict on the Catcher in The Rye anti-hero Holden Caulfield by applying the psychoanalysis approach namely the id, ego, and superego developed by Sigmund Freud. The result of the study shows how throughout the novel, there can be spotted instances where Holden’s acts and behavior depict these conflicts between id, ego, and, superego.

Introduction

The Catcher in the Rye is a novel made by J.D. Salinger in 1951. The book is considered one of the best novels of the twentieth century according to New York Times and has been translated into many other major country languages. The book is appreciated for its use of teenage colloquial speech at that time, showing the reader how they act and to a certain extent their perception of their world. Although it was nominated as the best novel in the 20th century, it also has its share of controversy such as censorship, due to many of lines within the novel deem not children friendly, to an allegation of the book contains ‘elements of communism’ within it. This censorship and ban of the book lasted up to the end of the ‘90s and early 2000. After its reinstatement in early 2000, the book received many awards such as Time Magazine’s 100 best English language novels, and BBC’s The Big Read.

The Catcher in the Rye tells the story of Holden Caulfield and how he views his life in society. We were first delivered to his school where he is kicked out due to a failing score and his view toward the adults, the teacher by calling them phonies. We then followed with his adventure downtown where he stays for the night and experiences the ‘adult night world’ where he tried to drink alcohol, ‘hooking up with girls, or having ‘night service’ in his room. We then followed by his interaction with his sister the next day in his house, which he then later promised to her that he will not leave the state and stays due to his sister's intention of following him if he tried to leave.

The reason for conducting the study is to find out the deeper meaning of the book The Catcher in the Rye using Freud’s concept of Id, Ego, and Superego applied to the main character Holden Caulfield. In using this concept, we expect to find the logical explanation of Holden's action throughout the novel, whether his action is based on his instinct, logic, or social morality. This is done through our analysis of character speech and actions and categorized them into their respective concept.

Analysis of Holden’s behavior through Freudian psychoanalytical theory

In this paper, we used Freudian psychoanalytical theory. In Freudian theory, he had a three-part model of psyche which are ego, superego, id. These are three levels of personality that are related to consciousness, conscience, and unconsciousness. This theory helps to analyze the unconscious and conscious minds of the character. The theory also helps to understand the character’s psychological problem.

It is the basic personality that is located in the unconscious mind. Id devoted solely to the forbidden desire—power, sex, amusement, food—no matter the consequence. It means that the id drove the forbidden desire in society (Tyson 2006). It is the personality that is present since birth. Because of this, primitive and instinctive behaviors were included in this personality (Cherry 2019).

Superego is the personality where values and rules are located. This personality is the conscious mind that differentiates good and bad. Superego highly regards morality and norms. This morality and norms include the standards and ideals that individuals learn from their parents and society. The superego makes the individual obey the rules in society and have a great moral. In short, the superego is the direct opposite of the id. According to Freud, the superego begins to emerge at the age of five. Freud also divided the superego into two parts, which are the part where includes the rules and standard for behavior and the part where the information where good and bad were decided by parent’s and society’s view.

The ego is located between the conscious and unconscious mind that functions as a mediator between id and superego. Ego acted as the reasoning, decision-maker, and problem-solving. This part was the one that capable of making decision rationally by weighing the pros and cons. As a mediator, the ego doesn’t forbid the id of desire however it controls the forbidden desire that isn’t accepted by the society as it also supports the superego. The ego is the product of the conflicting mind of id and superego (Koswara 1991).

According to Freud, the balance between id, superego, and ego is the key to a good and healthy personality. This was because if one dominates the other, the personality that emerges will be uptight or rebel (Cherry 2019).

The id

The id is reflected in some of Holden’s behaviors and decisions. His impulse to do something is the manifestation of his id. For example when he decided from everything that bores him and things that restrict him. This showed when he suddenly decided to escape from Pencey School although he decided to left school several days later. After his argument and fight with his roommate Stradlater about the English essay and Jane Gallagher, he made a sudden decision to get out of the school right away.

“But all of a sudden, I changed my mind. All of a sudden, I decided what I'd really do, I'd get the hell out of Pencey--right that same night and all. I mean not wait till Wednesday or anything. I just didn't want to hang around anymore. It made me too sad and lonesome. So what I decided to do, I decided I'd take a room in a hotel in New York--some very inexpensive hotel and all--and just take it easy till Wednesday. Then, on Wednesday, I'd go home all rested up and feeling swell. ”

From that excerpt, it can be seen how impulsive Holden is. He followed his desire to get the hell out of the school and right away he packed his bag. Another proof is when Holden agreed to a pimp in the elevator to have sex with a woman.

“Uh-huh. Well, how 'bout it? Y'innarested? Five bucks a throw. Fifteen bucks the whole night.' He looked at his wristwatch. 'Till noon. Five bucks a throw, fifteen bucks till noon.'

'Okay,' I said. It was against my principles and all, but I was feeling so depressed I didn't even think. That's the whole trouble. When you're feeling very depressed, you can't even think.”

Holden said it himself that he is a virgin but in term of sex as he is in an adolescent period where his sex drive is high. So in his impulse, he agreed to the pimp, as he thought that sex will be good and could satisfy his needs. Holden thought that at his age, his sex drive is natural. The id is also reflected when Holden feels the sudden urge to marry Sally on their first date.

“The funny part is, I felt like marrying her the minute I saw her. I'm crazy. I didn't even like her much, and yet all of a sudden I felt like I was in love with her and wanted to marry her. I swear to God I'm crazy. I admit it.”

The last proof of his impulsiveness is when he thought of going far away, alone, with no one to communicate with. Even with a wife, he prefers the deaf-mute so that women will only communicate through written form. No need to talk.

“Everybody'd think I was just a poor deaf-mute bastard and they'd leave me alone. They'd let me put gas and oil in their stupid cars, and they'd pay me a salary and all for it, and I'd build me a little cabin somewhere with the dough I made and live there for the rest of my life. I'd build it right near the woods, but not right in them because I'd want it to be sunny as hell all the time. I'd cook all my own food, and later on, if I wanted to get married or something, I'd meet this beautiful girl that was also a deaf-mute and we'd get married.”

Another manifestation of Holden’s id is his unnecessary lies. He could avoid some things that happened if it were not for his resistance and reasoning. Holden said that his unnecessary lies were something to be a part of himself. For example when he met Ernest’s mom on a train. He pretends to be another person and tells the woman that he is sick.

“I must tell Ernest we met,' she said. 'May I ask your name, dear?'

'Rudolf Schmidt,' I told her. I didn't feel like giving her my whole life history.”

“It's me. I have to have this operation.'

'Oh! I'm so sorry,' she said. She really was, too. I was right away sorry I'd said it, but it was too late.

'It isn't very serious. I have this tiny little tumor on the brain.”

Ego

In the novel, The Catcher in the Rye, Holden's ego is one of the concepts that are highly present in almost all his decision along with the story. One of the examples is when he was about to get kicked from the school and worried about her mother feeling:

“One thing about packing depressed me a little. I had to pack these brand-new ice-skates my mother had practically just sent me a couple of days before. That depressed me. I could see my mother going in Spaulding’s and asking the salesman a million dopey questions – and here I was getting the ax again. It made me feel pretty sad. She bought me the wrong kind of skates – I wanted racing skates and she bought hockey – but it made me sad anyway. Almost every time somebody gives me a present, it ends up making me sad.”

In this monologue, Holden is concern about the idea of receiving the gift from his mother, yet he got kicked from the school again and thought that he does not deserve such a gift given to him. His mind of willingly getting away from the school due to his incompatibility with them or the id manifestation of his action, is clashing against what repercussion it might have towards him, to be exact from the monologue above is from her mother, is his ego manifestation.

Holden's feelings toward his family are one of the ego manifestations that we can see throughout the novel. Most of the time, his ego will come out when he is faced with the social construct on the view of how a person should behave, or simply the superego, in the novel, which he disagrees with yet still trying to be compliant towards it.

“He practically stopped dancing and started looking over everybody’s head to see if she could see him. ‘Oh, shoot!’ she said. I’d just about broken her heart – I really had. I was sorry as hell I’d kidded her. Some people you shouldn’t kid, even if they deserve it”

The monologue above is an example of how his ego trying to be compliant with his superego. The scene where Holden trying to flirt with girls and asking them for dance is also the scene where he, for most of the time, making fun of them in his mind up to some point. The sentence “some people you shouldn’t kid, even if they deserve it” is the manifestation of his ego which is the realization that although he can, it does not mean that he should do it. This reasoning later manifests when he met with the navy guy:

“The Navy guy and I told each other we were glad to have met each other. Which always kills me. I’m always saying ‘Glad to’ve met you to somebody I’m not at all glad I met. If you want to stay alive, you have to say that stuff, though.”

In this monologue, we can see that Holden realizes how society works. The line “if you want to stay alive, you have to say that stuff, though” is the manifestation of his compliance towards the social construct or the superego in the novel.

Superego

According to Freud, the superego is the internalization of cultural taboos. In our unconscious mind, the superego acts as the moral conscience that controls the repressed desires or the id (Tyson 2015). Holden's behavior throughout the novel provides ample examples of the work of the superego, and in this section, we will discuss a few.

The superego is one of the dominant forces in Holden’s identity formation. This can be seen in the way he acts around another character throughout the novel. One of the few instances in his interactions with Stradlater at the beginning of the story. In chapter four, we learn that Holden’s roommates Stradlater are going on a date with Holden’s good friend Jane Gallagher. Holden’s reaction to this news is rather unenthusiastic. Holden thinks Stradlater shouldn’t have sex with her because he doesn’t know that she keeps all her kings in the back row. He even wrongly pronounce her name making Holden angry and they got into a nasty fight.

“...I can hardly remember all I said to him. I told him he didn’t even care if a girl kept all her kings in the back row or not, and the reason he didn’t care was that he was a goddamn stupid moron...” (Chapter 6, page 24).

This brief passage of Holden’s train of thought shows how the superego implicitly works in Holden’s subconsciousness. He thinks Stradlater is only using her for sexual gain, he only cares about getting Jane into bed and does not appreciate her for her unique personality. Holden judges his action based on the societal values he internalized and decides it is wrong of Stradlater to use Jane that way and consequently voice his objection against Stradlater.

Another example where the superego is more dominant than the id is shown in Salinger’s way of depicting Holden’s sex life. In the book, Holden is described as a virgin. He never had any sexual encounter before, but that fact does not mean he is in any way immune to perverted thoughts regarding the matter. This is shown in the brief passage below:

“I’m probably the biggest sex maniac you ever saw. Sometimes I can think of very crumb stuff I wouldn’t mind doing if the opportunity came up.....” (page 66).

Despite that, Holden does not just impulsively act following his sexual desires. Through his monologue, we find out that Holden is a very respectful man and he treats the woman he has encountered nicely. He stops when they tell them to stop even though he keeps wishing he hadn’t. This kindness is what keeps him inexperienced in a matter of sexual performance.

“...she keeps telling you to stop. Most guys don’t. I can’t help it. You never know whether they are just scared as hell, or whether they are just telling you to stop....” (page 97).

This brief passage says a lot about Holden’s character. That even though he thinks about perverted thought and enjoy “crumby” things a lot, he still considers the woman’s consent is of paramount importance before he goes any further.

He also considers that attraction is an essential aspect of conducting sex. That sex is a serious matter and not to be toyed with. There should be mutual feelings of attraction in a relationship before proceeding with sex. This shown in the passage below:

“...I think if you don’t like a girl, you shouldn’t horse around with her at all...” (page 66)

Throughout the novel, Holden continues to hold to this principle of his. This is partly what makes him reacted badly to Stradlater dating Jane. And later it is also depicted in the way how he calls for a night with a prostitute during his journey to New York. Only to end up sending her away with full payment without using her services as he originally intended.

All the evidence above proven the point that Holden is a man whose sexual desire or the id does not control his action. This shown how in the matter of sexual desire, the moral consciousness of the superego, is the more dominant psychological force in Holden's subconscious mind.

Conclusion

After knowing the id, superego, and ego it can be seen that between those three personalities that Holden’s superego won as Holden’s principle and self-respect still dominate his desire. Holden also proves that although he was sometimes unable to think things through, he still upholds his principle and ideals. Even at his age, he can differ between wrong and right. His strong principle and conscience somehow defeat his id. The most prominent proof is where Holden and the prostitute in the hotel. In his impulsiveness, he agreed to the pimp, but in reality, he ended up asking the prostitute to chat with him.

Throughout Holden’s journey, his view of life, his search for identity, his sexual experience, and all the actions he made really showed the conflict between id-superego-ego. There is a resistance that happens both inside and outside Holden. On the outside, he is against the ‘phony’ people and the controlling society that restricts him. However, on the inside, he is conflicted between his desire as a youth and his uptight principles and ideals. He is young, confused, most of the time he misunderstood the people around him, and view the world as an enemy but he proves that he could go against that and do what he wanted to do and say what he wanted to say. At the of the day, Holden still experiences whatever he wants to but he still upholds his principle even though it is through many mistakes and fights.

Based on the discussion above, we can conclude that the works of id, ego, and superego can be recognized in the book through Holden’s behavior with other characters throughout the story. The id manifested in his impulsive actions and his unnecessary lies. The superego is markedly visible in his way of treating woman and dealing with his sexual desires. And the ego is apparent in the way when Holden is faced with a problem he will try to negotiate between his desires and what the society is deemed right and wrong and comes up with a certain solution.

References

1. Freud, S. (1923). The Ego and the Id. Standard Edition, 19, 1-66.
2. Freud, S. (1933). New Introductory Lectures on Psychoanalysis. Standard Edition, 22, 1-182.
3. Grunwald, H. (1991). Holden at Fifty: “The Catcher in the Rye” and its protagonist. Psychoanalytic Quarterly, 60(1), 21-39.
4. Leavy, S. A. (1994). The literary Freud: Mechanisms of defense and the interpretation of character. University of California Press.
5. Salinger, J. D. (1951). The catcher in the rye. Little, Brown and Company.
6. Schwartz, R. M. (2001). Adolescent rebellion and conformity in The Catcher in the Rye, The Bell Jar, and The Chocolate War. Children's Literature Association Quarterly, 26(1), 32-40.
7. Slawenski, K. (2010). J. D. Salinger: A life. Random House.