THE KINSHIP OF A CHILD, AN ADOLESCENT, AND A MAN

Each of their unhealthy obsessions lead to acting upon their individual compulsions, compulsions that started off small before snowballing into a vicious act of violence.

Hinckley and Chapman's actions were taken in order to display their desperate need for attention, a need akin to Holden's That desperate seeking of attention tends to morph as it digs itself further into a person. In Holden's case, his display may seem very nonchalant and subtle, only ever really showing itself in extreme situations. With a close read, Holden's enlistment of a prostitute's service despite his inexperience in sexual activities exemplifies these motivations: “It was against my principles and all, but I was feeling so depressed I didn't even think” (Salinger 102) Despite not wanting to purchase the time of a prostitute, Holden does so instantly; his reaction was too quick to say he nervously accepted. In fact, his reaction was almost confident. His actions were natural, almost like he was acting on a basic need. His need for attention from another, desperate enough to even accept the attention of a sex worker Both Holden and Hinckley share that desire for attention, although Hinckley only sought after the attention of Jodie Foster in contrast to Holden, who sought out attention as a whole. John Hinckley's attempt at assassination was taken to receive the respect and love of Jodie Foster, one of the most prominent forms of attention His desire for Jodie Foster's love is supported through an excerpt from an article in The Butch Femme Fatale: “John Hinckley's 1981 attempt to assassinate President Ronald Reagan in order to gain Jodie Foster’s 'respect and love' may be the ultimate gesture of the postmodern movie fan who ... plays it out in 'real life'" (Brown 229). Through his actions, Hinckley professed his dire need for attention from Foster, going as far as attempting to shoot a man to gain that attention

This differs from Holden's demeanor of displaying his needs as Hinckley is far more direct with his approach; nonetheless, both have a yearning for some form of attention.

The reasoning behind their own individual actions can be determined in the similarities they share with each other The similarities shared between Holden, Chapman, and Hinckley are prominent enough to confidently declare that the actions of Chapman and Hinckley were taken as a statement to announce their manners of projection and similarities to Holden. This is the case as Chapman, Hinckley, and Holden have all gone through a sense of withdrawal from people which lead to a moment of isolation creating their own sense of phoniness and later building an obsession for which they derived a deep need for attention. Holden innocently goes through this process as he had only suffered a very brief isolation in the days following his expulsion; nonetheless, he seeks attention throughout those days. Both Chapman and Hinckley also sought attention, but due to their isolation lasting from adolescence to adulthood, it became a more twisted and deranged desire for attention A desire that, unfortunately, could only be fulfilled by taking the life of their obsession. However, that alone was not their main attempt at receiving attention. It was their possession of The Catcher in the Rye that showed the true intention behind the actions they took. Chapman and Hinckley's motives were to force a spotlight to shine on them and the book in order to announce their kinship to Holden