I recently was assigned to read Catcher and the Rye for English. Let me tell you,  these books that are assigned to us are so predictable that I started getting bored from doing the same thing constantly, and I’m one that doesn't get bored that easy. Read the book, get taught a lesson about the use of words, write essay, and repeat. This has been going on since the 7th grade, and I’m now literally dragging myself to work on these essays. It's like getting a box of chocolates, you are not supposed to know what you get, but you do. Surprisingly, I found this to be quite interesting to write about a depressed and lonely boy that is in search of happiness.

 Holden, a sixteen-year old boy, is constantly” [feeling]so damn lonely” and depressed each time “somebody gives [him] a present” or just out of the blue (63,67).The way I see Holden’s way of describing his sorrow seems to me that he is trapped in movie. One of those movies that's black and white that feels so depressing to watch because there is no color to express mood. It's just bland. At sixteen years old we can see that Holden is doing things that kids his age normally aren't doing . I realize that Holden is becoming more depressed and troubled as the result of wealth.

Holden’s constant movement through the schools has left him to be accustomed to these short friendships he has with his roommates. The access he has to cigarettes and sorrow alcohol caused him to “end up in this stupid place” because “[he] practically got t.b.”(1,8). The way Holden describes the place he is in suggest that he dislikes and thinks that place is phony. However, Holden’s own consequences lead him to a place much like that of rehab. The mindset that he doesn't need to work, but to live in peace on the rural land. All these ideas and actions that Holden does and has is connected to the access to wealth.

 If he had a middle class income he couldn't get addicted to alcohol, because he would have no money to waste. He wouldn't have the mindset of living without work, because he wouldn't have money to live off. And finally, he could learn from his mistakes of failing, because he wouldn't be given another chance to go to a prestigious school. The author tries to convey a message to the readers that wealth may be hindering Holden’s learning from consequences which causes him to become depressed.

We see the effect of wealth overtake society constantly. In places like Westlake and Los Angeles, which could be compared to Pencey prep due to its wealth, kids are offered a wonderful education and opportunities to set them later in life. However, with the access to wealth provided, we can see that kids are sometimes in the same boat as Holden. For example,  every time I walk near the entrance of a restroom in my highschool, I always come across the distinct smell of vapes that are being emitted from the other side . The kids I see vaping inside the restroom are the ones that I see are constantly getting in trouble with discipline or grades. These” “privileged” or “rich” kids were doing much poorly again, mostly on substance use, but also on depression and anxiety”(Luthar). They aren't able to learn because they ignore their consequences by buying the same thing or going to a new school. All supplied from wealth. These actions lead to kids following a yellow brick road to depression and trouble later in life.

I feel as though Holden's movement and wealth causes him to be failing and drinking constantly. This ignorance of his consequences can't allow him to learn. Some may say that if wealthier kids “don’t accomplish, [they] feel small, inadequate, lousy.”(luthar). Hopefully, people later understand that wealth is like a cake.You eat it once in a while it may be a luxury, but if you start gulping it down, it could get you in trouble.

Citations:

 American Psychological Association, American Psychological Association.

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Royal N.S.W. Institute for Deaf and Blind Children, 1980.