Holden's Absolutism
Holden is an opinionated narrator, to say the least. In fact, one of the patterns that stands out most in his various rants and reflections is his lack of nuance and complexity in thought. Holden tends to view life in extremes/absolutes, leaving no room for alternative perspectives, which can be overwhelming to those around him, including the reader. A prime example of this appears in Holden’s critique of Hamlet. During a page-long rant, he asserts that Hamlet “was too much like a goddam general, instead of a sad, screwed-up type guy” (117). This passage illustrates a general theme in the majority of Holden’s spiels: he does not express his views on the world as opinions or personal beliefs, but rather as rigid facts. Even if his critiques of Hamlet have merit, his absolutist, authoritative language overwhelms the actual substance of his argument. With that in mind, it becomes difficult for anyone to seriously engage with what Holden is tryi...