In the novel The Catcher in the Rye, by JD Salinger, a sixteen-year-old boy named Holden Caulfield is expelled from his school and runs away before his parents can let him find them outside. He goes to his hometown, New York, and meets many people. Throughout the novel, Caulfield is still dealing with the death of his brother Allie. His attitude slowly declines and various signs of a mental disorder manifest through his actions and thoughts. Some people believe he doesn't have a mental disorder, he's just grieving; however, he has clear symptoms of depression and antisocial disorder. These disorders manifest themselves when Caulfield takes everything negatively, talks about being depressed, thinks everyone is "fake", and talks about his deceased brother. First, Caulfield takes everything negatively. An example is when he says, "I'm pretty sure he shouted 'Good luck!' against me. I hope not. I really hope not. I would never yell "Good luck!" to anyone. It seems terrible, if you think about it” (Salinger 15-16). Caulfield interprets this phrase to mean that he needs good luck. It takes a simple phrase like "Good luck" and turns it into something depressing. This is a sign of depression: having a gloomy outlook. Another example that shows that Caulfield has a dark outlook is when he says, “Almost every time someone gives me a gift, it ends up making me sad” (Salinger 52). Gifts are supposed to be appreciated, but Caulfield considers them morbid. He is most likely melancholy about this because the gift he really loves is the glove his brother Allie gave him. Every time someone gives him a gift, he thinks about the glove and his dead brother... middle of paper... Caulfield takes everything in a negative way, talks about being depressed, thinks everyone is "fake" and talks of his deceased brother. However, I understand how people can see that Caulfield does not have any mental disorder. I believe Caulfield's depression and antisocial disorder began when Allie died and he couldn't get over his brother's death. Many people suffer from depression and antisocial disorder and that is fine, but what matters is how we deal with it. Works Cited “Antisocial Personality Disorder: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia.” United States National Library of Medicine. U.S. National Library of Medicine, n.d. Web. Nov. 12, 2013 “Depression Symptoms and Warning Signs.” Recognize the symptoms of depression and get help. Np,nd Web November 12, 2013 Salinger, J.D. The Young Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown and Company.1951.Print.