There are two major events in Holden's past related to death: his brother Allie dying from leukemia, and James Castles's suicide at the Elkton Hills...

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James Castles's deaths dramatically affect 's outlook on life and shape his view of mortality.
Holden continually thinks about his younger brother Allie, who died of leukemia at a young age.
Holden recalls the night he died and mentions that he had to miss his brother's funeral, because
he was in the hospital with a broken hand after he punched out the windows of his parents' car.
Holden regrets not inviting Allie to go with him and a friend to the lake and talks to Allie
aloud when he gets depressed. During a conversation withlater on in the novel, she asks him to
name one thing he likes a lot. Holden mentions that he cannot concentrate and recalls the death
of. Holden mentions that James Castle jumped out of his window and Holden heard his body hit the
ground. Holden also remembers looking at his classmate's dead body. These two deaths are
extremely traumatic events that happen early on in Holden's young life. Judging from Holden's
negative,...