How are Holden's internal conflicts a source of his external conflicts?

Holden Caulfield's internal conflicts stem from the traumatic death of his younger brother Allie, who dies of leukemia at eleven years old. Holden tells the reader he ended up missing Allie's funeral because he was in the hospital with a broken hand after punching out the windows in his parent's car. Throughout the novel, Holden mentions he continually thinks about Allie whenever he becomes depressed and begins saying, "Allie, don't let me disappear. Allie, don't...

Holden Caulfield's internal conflicts stem from the traumatic death of his younger brother Allie, who dies of leukemia at eleven years old. Holden tells the reader he ended up missing Allie's funeral because he was in the hospital with a broken hand after punching out the windows in his parent's car. Throughout the novel, Holden mentions he continually thinks about Allie whenever he becomes depressed and begins saying, "Allie, don't let me disappear. Allie, don't let me disappear. Allie, don't let me disappear. Please, Allie" (106). Allie's death has had a dramatic impact on Holden's life that manifests in his pessimistic view of the world. He has never developed the proper coping skills or sought therapeutic help to deal with his anxiety and depression. Holden also does not seem to have a close relationship with his parents and resents the fact that his brother moved to Hollywood. His lack of social etiquette and immaturity also prevent him from forming meaningful relationships at Pencey. The boys at school view him as an ignorant outcast with too much energy, and his teachers worry about his lack of direction. Holden's terrible work ethic, pessimistic view of the world, and poor social skills can be attributed to his difficult, traumatic experiences as a child. In addition to Allie's death, Holden has also witnessed his classmate commit suicide and implies after leaving Mr. Antolini's apartment that he has been sexually accosted by several adults before.