Re: Quiet list? there's always

Cheryl Cline (ccline@uclink4.berkeley.edu)
Tue, 30 Jun 1998 19:01:06 -0700

Valerie Thompson wrote:
> 
> But WAS he in a place for psychological therapy, or was he in a hospital
> for a physical sickness? THAT is the question.
> I tend to think it was psychological, in part because of his thinking he
> was going to disappear every time he crossed a street:
> 
> "Every time I came to the end of a block and stepped off the goddam
> curb, I had this feeling that I'd never get to the other side of the
> street. I thought I'd just go down, down, down, and nobody'd ever see me
> again. Boy did it scare me. You can't imagine...Then I started doing
> something else. Every time I'd get to the end of a block, I'd make
> believe I was talking to my brother Allie. I'd say to him "Allie, don't
> let me disappear. Allie don't let me disappear. Allie don't let me
> disappear. Please, Allie." And then when I reached the other side of the
> street without disappearing, I'd thank him."
> 
> The breakdown could have been physical, but I don't think so.
> 
> ~Valerie~
> 

I didn't think the question was whether Holden was in a place for
physical or psychological sickness.  I'm starting to question whether he
really broke down or not, or was merely dragged into the place by his
parents.  But if he did break down, I'm certain it was for psychological
reasons.

I really doubt Holden was suffering from physical sickness.  Of course,
he does say something about growing six inches in one year and having to
"come out here" for "checkups and stuff," but I think that his sudden
physical growth is supposed to say more about his mental state, the same
way that half his head was covered with gray hairs.  

Holden's feeling that he was disappearing was supposed to be a sign that
he was a borderline schizophrenic, at least according to my high school
English teacher, who must know everything because he's finally published
a book.  But that's the evaluation of Holden's mental state that I
pretty much go by.

Cheryl