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CHAPTER IV
FINDING AND DISCUSSION
This chapter is describing the analysis the Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger by using morality theory by Kohlberg and psychoanalytic by Sigmund Freud approach. This discussion is explaining the morality of the main character Holden Caulfield and the reason Holden Caulfield doing the moral deviation. The researcher divides the analysis into 3 parts. The first part shows the Holden Caulfield’s personality issues. The second part reveals Holden Caulfield’s moral development structure, the cause Holden Caulfield doing moral deviation.
A. Findings
1. Structure of Holden Caulfield Personality In this part id, ego, and superego will be applied in analyzing Steven’s structure personality. This part is analyzing the structure of Holden Caulfield personality using id, ego, and superego. Holden Caulfield’s id is the wish to satisfy his desire also to reduce the pressure so that the pressure became reduced or at least still remained. The superego is the impulse filter which generated by id. And the ego is the final decision for what Holden will do.
a. When Holden Caulfield Decided to Leave Pencey. “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.“ (Catcher in the Rye, Chapter 7, Pages: 28)”
In citation above, Holden decided to leave Pencey because he felt sad and lonesome with the situation in Pencey. He was afraid when his parents knew that he is expelled from Pencey. So that he went to New York to calm down himself. Id, ego, and superego contribute on Holden to decided leaving Pencey. Holden Caulfield’s id was the wish to satisfy her desire also to reduce the pressure so that the pressure became reduced or at least still remained. That citation shows Holden Caulfield’s id when he wants to went away from Pencey. He thought of it suddenly and didn’t care about any other things. He just wanted to avoid trouble when his mother found out that he had been expelled from school. He was too afraid to see his mother's expression. His id is too big than his ego and superego. He didn’t think about the dangers he came out alone to New York. He didn’t care about himself, because all he wants to do just went away from Pencey to avoid the problems.
b. Holden Caulfield on Daring to Act on His Thought. “Anyway if I did say something very cutting and snotty, he'd probably get up and come over to me and say, "Listen, Caulfield. Are you calling me a crook?" Then, instead of saying, "You're goddam right I am, you dirty crooked bastard!" all I probably would've said would be, "All I know is my goddam gloves were in your goddam galoshes." Right away then, the guy would know for sure that I wasn't going to take a sock at him, and he probably would've said, "Listen. Let's get this straight. Are you calling me a thief?" Then I probably would've said, "Nobody's calling anybody a thief. All I know is my gloves were in your goddam galoshes." It could go on like that for hours. Finally, though, I'd leave his room without even taking a sock at him.” (Catcher in the Rye, Chapter 12, Pages: 48)
In Citation above, Holden showed that he had just revolved in his soul but he held his breath. He was merely thinking about what he wanted to do however he wasn’t courageous to act. At the same time when he came across the person who stole his gloves, he should have punch him strongly however, he had just interrogated the thief by some questions and did nothing to him instead. At the time when the thief got out of the way what he did, Holden did nothing. Then he just kept silent and left the thief’s room. Id, ego and superego play role in his inability and daring for Holden Caulfield to act. From the citation, it is said that Holden’s Id is very small. The Id shows that Holden wanted to compel the thief to admit his mistake and punch him who had stolen his gloves. It is shown when Holden interrogated the thief and forced him to
admit what he did. However the thief did not admit for what he done, but also threaten back Holden. Superego plays role more dominant rather than id. The Holden’s superego is visible when he kept silent and did nothing. Holden’s ego follows his superego. Holden’s superego is visible when he decides to do nothing to the thief. From the citations above, he only interrogated the thief, stood up still then he went to the toilet to see his anger face. At the time when the thief asked Holden back, as a matter of fact he felt confused and frightened. Holden was worried about to gain problems when racketed with the thief. At last, his ego decided to do nothing and left the thief’s room. Holden’s ego realizes that he is truly a little bit coward and ignorant. It is showed when he lost something but he didn’t think about it so much causes his coward and ignorant. Holden’s ego influences his daring and inability. His behavior even made his mother got angry whenever he lost something. Holden’s ego follows his superego that is showed when Holden took his gloves which is stolen, he just left him away. In this case, superego was more dominant than id and ego followed superego. It could be seen by Holden didn’t do anything to the thief then he just went away from the thief room.
the bull in front of other people. Holden’s id seems more dominant. The id is the wish to satisfy his desire. Holden is really like shooting the bull in front of other people or stranger. It might be for getting attention or looking for the source of conversation with the stranger as he needed something to gain other people’s attention. From the quotations above, he was interested in Ernest Morrow ‘mother. He was attracted in her smile and whenever she was sucking a cigarette in her mouth. Holden also had a little bit sexual attraction to an adult woman, so that he really needed something which enabled to gain the attention form the woman. That was the reason why Holden needed an interesting chatting so that Ernest Morrow ‘mother could heard it and had the attention from her. Holden fluently shoot the bull about how attracted her son was, Ernest Morrow. The Holden’s ego follows his id. The ego is the final decision for what he will do. He without doubt shot the bull in front of the stranger. He just thought about the situation at present and the attractiveness with Morrow ‘mother. Even though he hated the Ernest Morrow’s behavior but in front of Ernest’s mother Holden showed his concern of her son as Holden knew all the mothers would be interested in the story of their kids. He ignored his superego. He shot the bull in front of strangers and it was like common thing. He didn’t think about the person’s sense even if they knew what Holden’s talk was really nonsense. Because of in this case the Holden’s Id is too dominant rather than his ego and superego. He is really very proficient in bragging in front of strangers. He smartly knew what he wanted to be heard and known by everyone. From the citation above he hoped Ernest Morrow’s mother believed all what
Holden Caulfield said. He didn’t think about the effect that would happen whenever he continuously bragged like that even it was only a trivial case. In this case, id was more dominant than superego and ego followed id. Holden seemed enjoyed on deceiving strangers and didn’t care the strangers feeling when they knew the truth. d. Holden Caulfield’s Fixation about Sex. “I was starting to feel pretty sexy and all, but I was a little nervous anyway. If you want to know the truth, I'm a virgin. I really am. I've had quite a few opportunities to lose my virginity and all, but I've never got around to it yet. Something always happens. For instance, if you're at a girl's house, her parents always come home at the wrong time--or you're afraid they will. Or if you're in the back seat of somebody's car, there's always somebody's date in the front seat-- some girl, I mean--that always wants to know what's going on all over the whole goddam car. I mean some girl in front keeps turning around to see what the hell's going on. Anyway, something always happens.” (Catcher in the Rye, Chapter 13, Pages: 50)
He told about his status. Although he was easily passionate to other woman, up till now he was still a single virgin man. He was really eager to break his virgin status, however, there were always many spectacles he faced every time he did it. Starting when Holden and the girl were in her home, they were afraid of the girl’s parents going home in inappropriate time. Whenever Holden and his girlfriend were in a car, he
2. Morality Reflected on Holden Caulfield Morality is the quality of actions which with that actions we can judge that it is good or bad, true or false. Morality is cupping the definition of good or bad human actions (Poespoprodjo, 1986: 102). So, morality is a tool that determines human behavior is said to be good or bad. Lawrence Kohlberg divides moral development into three levels; they are the pre-conventional, conventional, and postconventional (Slavin, 2006: 54) where each level contains two stages moral developments. Holden Caulfield on his morality development according to Lawrence Kohlberg reflecting: a. Conventional At this stage, commendable actions fulfill the expectation of family, group, community, and nation. In Holden case, he failed to meet the expectation of his family. Starting from being dropped out from his school for four times, escaping from Pencey without anyone knows, drinking, smoking, even though he is still a junior high school student.
“"And how do you think they'll take the news?" "Well... they'll be pretty irritated about it," I said. "They really will. This is about the fourth school I've gone to." I shook my head. I shake my head quite a lot. "Boy!" I said. (Catcher in the Rye, Chapter 2, Pages: 5)” “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. .(Catcher in the Rye, Chapter 7, Pages: 28)” “I ran all the way to the main gate, and then I waited a second till I got my breath. I have no wind, if you want to know the truth. I'm quite a heavy smoker, for one thing--that is, I used to be. (Catcher in the Rye, Chapter 1, Pages: 3)” “I can drink all night and not even show it, if I'm in the mood. Once, at the Whooton School, this other boy, Raymond Goldfarb, and I bought a pint of Scotch and drank it in the chapel one Saturday night, where nobody'd see us. (Catcher in the Rye, Chapter 13, Pages: 49)”
Although he did not his behavior with harming others, however, he could not be able to give hopes to his parents to finish his education. The action is done without relating with the consequences that appear, but needed loyalty attitudes in accordance with the personal expectation and public order. From the citation above, it is said that his moral development was hampered because he did moral deviations as a student and did not have loyal attitudes in doing his tasks as a student. 1) Interpersonal Concordance or Good-Boy/Good-Girl Orientation At this level, moral actions are actions that pleasant, helpful, or acts acknowledged and accepted by others. So, every child will try to please others to be considered that he has moral. Holden on the story, he really did not want to make happy other people. He prefers to make
2) Law and Order Orientation
At this level, the children tend to view at the authority, rules fulfillment, and also the effort to keep social order. Moral actions are considered as actions that lead to obligations fulfillment, honor for an authority, and also the effort to keep social order which recognized as the only one social order. In some of his behavior, Holden is considered to do moral deviation such as he does not fulfill his duty like finishing his education, ran away from Pencey, smoking and drinking. Call the prostitute, even he wants to run away from his house although he didn’t do it in the end.
“I forgot to tell you about that. They kicked me out. I wasn't supposed to come back after Christmas vacation on account of I was flunking four subjects and not applying myself and all. They gave me frequent warning to start applying myself--especially around midterms, when my parents came up for a conference with old Thurmer--but I didn't do it. So I got the ax. They give guys the ax quite frequently at Pencey. It has a very good academic rating, Pencey. It really does. (Catcher in the Rye, Chapter 1, Pages: 2)” “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. (Catcher in the Rye, Chapter 7, Pages: 28)”
“I ran all the way to the main gate, and then I waited a second till I got my breath. I have no wind, if you want to know the truth. I'm quite a heavy smoker, for one thing--that is, I used to be.” (Catcher in the Rye, Chapter 1, Pages: 3) “I can drink all night and not even show it, if I'm in the mood. Once, at the Whooton School, this other boy, Raymond Goldfarb, and I bought a pint of Scotch and drank it in the chapel one Saturday night, where nobody'd see us.” (Catcher in the Rye, Chapter 13, Pages: 49) “When I opened the door, this prostitute was standing there. She had a polo coat on, and no hat. She was sort of a blonde, but you could tell she dyed her hair. She wasn't any old bag, though. "How do you do," I said. Suave as hell, boy.” (Catcher in the Rye, Chapter 13, Pages: 51) “I got excited as hell thinking about it. I really did. I knew the part about pretending I was a deaf-mute was crazy, but I liked thinking about it anyway. But I really decided to go out West and all.” (Catcher in the Rye, Chapter 25, Pages: 107)
From the citation above, it is showed that Holden doesn’t fulfill his duty. His moral development is hampered because he thinks too much
For instance, they had this headmaster, Mr. Haas, that was the phoniest bastard I ever met in my life. Ten times worse than old Thurmer. On Sundays, for instance, old Haas went around shaking hands with everybody's parents when they drove up to school. He'd be charming as hell and all.” (Catcher in the Rye, Chapter 2, Pages: 8)”
In the citation above, Holden thought bad to Mr. Spencer’s opinion and hated so much to the headmaster of Elkton Hill, Mr. Haas. Holden indirectly had an opinion that Mr. Spencer and Mr. Haas were hypocritical adults. Holden responded bad about Mr. Spencer’s opinion that life was like a game which had rules. Holden thought that he was in the loser side. Holden hated Mr. Haas because Mr. Haas behaved discriminately to the student guardians who had poor economical level. And also Holden hated Mr. Haas for some hypocritical behavior that done to the student guardians. 1) Social-Contract, Legalistic Orientation
This stage is a stage of high moral maturity. At this stage, any moral activities are activities which able to reflecting individual rights and fulfill the rules that have been tested critically and agreed upon society. Holden seemed having no enough mature moral awareness. He behaved at his conscience, however, he did not obey the rules and all his behaviors deviated to the moral society. Someone who is at this
stage is aware of individual differences and opinions. In the story, Holden did not have tolerance so much in having difference opinions. It happened when Holden had disagreement opinions with Mr. Spencer and when Holden thought very badly about Jesus’ disciples.
“"Life is a game, boy. Life is a game that one plays according to the rules." "Yes, sir. I know it is. I know it." Game, my ass. Some game. If you get on the side where all the hot-shots are, then it's a game, all right--I'll admit that. But if you get on the other side, where there aren't any hot-shots, then what's a game about it? Nothing. No game. "Has Dr. Thurmer written to your parents yet?" old Spencer asked me. (Catcher in the Rye, Chapter 2, Pages: 5)” “I like Jesus and all, but I don't care too much for most of the other stuff in the Bible. Take the Disciples, for instance. They annoy the hell out of me, if you want to know the truth. They were all right after Jesus was dead and all, but while He was alive, they were about as much use to Him as a hole in the head. All they did was keep letting Him down. I like almost anybody in the Bible better than the Disciples. If you want to know the truth, the guy I like best in the Bible, next to Jesus, was that lunatic and all, that lived in the tombs and kept cutting himself with stones. I like him ten times as much as
brought down. Holden in his morality development could be said that his opinion could not be accepted in the society. He thought that Jesus’ disciples were useless. It should be a must that every Christians love Jesus’ disciples. He was confidence about his opinion and he dared to bet with his friends.
2) Orientation of Universal Ethical Principles
At this highest stage, moral can be viewed correct not necessarily restricted by laws and rules from society. But it prefers restricted by personal awareness based on ethical principal. Basically, any actions are considered good or bad determined by the conscience. Holden could not be able to determine all his behavior through his conscience. His conscience could not be able to determine whether it was a good or bad behavior. In some of his decisions, he did something that tended to make troubles to himself and other people in a certain situation. It happened when he had a quarrel with his roommate, Stradlater. In the end, he was precisely battered. When renting a prostitute, he was extorted by the prostitute and the pimp. And also he forced his friend Sally Hayes to run away from the house.
“Then he really let one go at me, and the next thing I knew I was on the goddam floor again. I don't remember if he knocked me out or not, but I don't think so. It's pretty hard to knock a guy out, except in the goddam movies. But my nose was bleeding all over the place. When I looked up old
Stradlater was standing practically right on top of me. He had his goddam toilet kit under his arm. "Why the hell don'tcha shut up when I tellya to?" he said. He sounded pretty nervous. He probably was scared he'd fractured my skull or something when I hit the floor. It's too bad I didn't. "You asked for it, God damn it," he said. Boy, did he look worried.” (Catcher in the Rye, Chapter 6, Pages: 25)” “All of a sudden I started to cry. I'd give anything if I hadn't, but I did. "No, you're no crooks," I said. "You're just stealing five--" "Shut up," old Maurice said, and gave me a shove. "Leave him alone, hey," Sunny said. "C'mon, hey. We got the dough he owes us. Let's go. C'mon, hey." "I'm comin'," old Maurice said. But he didn't. "I mean it, Maurice, hey. Leave him alone." "Who's hurtin' anybody?" he said, innocent as hell. (Catcher in the Rye, Chapter 14, Pages: 56)” “"You can't just do something like that," old Sally said. She sounded sore as hell. "Why not? Why the hell not?" "Stop screaming at me, please," she said. Which was crap, because I wasn't even screaming at her. "Why can'tcha? Why not?" "Because you can't, that's all. In the first place, we're both practically children. And did you ever stop to think what you'd do if you didn't get a job when your money ran out? We'd starve to death. The whole thing's so fantastic, it isn't even--" "It isn't fantastic. I'd get a job. Don't worry about that. You don't have to worry about that. What's the matter? Don't you want to
