Catcher in the Rye 8-11

These chapters start off right after Holden left Pencey Prep. Holden decides to go to New York and live in a hotel before he heads home. On the train, Holden meets an old lady who is the mother of Ernest Morrow, a classmate of Holden. Ernest Morrow is described as the "biggest bastard that ever went to Pencey" by Holden. Though Holden just lies and describes Ernest as a great guy and extremely adaptable. Holden continued lying for a while and even went as far as saying Ernest was going to be elected president of the class president. The conversation continued until they got to New York and the first thing Holden did was to enter a phone booth to call someone but he couldn't think of anyone to call so he left to take a taxi. He tells the taxi driver to drive to his home address absent-mindedly but eventually he manages to get to Edmont Hotel. After seeing a bunch of perverts on the other side of the hotel, he calls up a girl that is a mutual friend of his, Faith Cavendish. He was calling her with impure intentions but he was rejected. He then starts a monolog about how nice and sweet his sister Phoebe is. He talks about how smart and kind she was and how she "kills" everyone who knew her. With Phoebe as a contrast, Holden meets 3 ladies at the hotel bar. He wants to have a conversation with them and dance, however, they seemed to ignorant and stuck up for Holden to hold a conversation with. In the last chapter, Holden leaves the bar and starts to reminisce about Jane Gallagher. He thinks about when he met her and all the fun times he's had with her. He even thought about the times where he got intimately close with her. But all the reminiscing made him even more depressed so he decides to go to Ernie's, a nightclub.

I can relate to Holden's reminiscing incident. Holden remembers the good times that he had with Jane to help himself feel better, on the contrary, he feels even worse because he knows those times will never come back and he is unable to contact her anymore. I too have had pleasant experiences that after remember, brings grief and remorse to me. If there was an experience that was extremely pleasant then I would feel some level of remorse and grief if I would no longer be able to experience this. An example of this would be spending time with old friends who are no longer in the area and I have no way to contact. 

When Holden was lying about Ernest on the train, I believe he was talking about his own ideal self. He says, "He's one of the most popular boys at Pencey. Did you know that?" (56) His description of Ernest is the complete opposite of himself and shows his desire to be popular and accepted by his classmates. Another interesting lie he tells is that he has a tumor in his brain and needs to get it removed. Holden might realize that there is something wrong with him otherwise he wouldn't come up with such an obscure lie. Another symbolism that occurs in the story is when he asks the taxi driver, "You know those ducks in that lagoon right near Central Park South? That little lake? By any chance, do you happen to know where they go, the ducks, when it gets all frozen over?" (60) The ducks are a symbol for Holdens hope. He keeps wondering where they went and even tries to ask others to tell him where they went, but not only does no one tell him, they rebuke him by saying he is dumb for asking such a question. Finally, the 3 girls represent how Holden thinks of everyone in his head. He thinks that no one would pay attention to him and they would always be looking for some hotshot to talk to instead of him. It could be said that Holden has developed an intense inferiority complex that further develops his depression.

How did Holden develop such a strong inferiority complex?
Holden's inferiority complex is likely due to his family and classmates that he surrounds himself with. Even though he thinks everyone is a phony, he believes that he is worse than everyone. For example, he thinks of Stradlater as a super successful playboy while he is still a virgin and his brother being a successful writer when he can't even pass school.

Why does Holden like his sister, Phoebe, so much?
Holden like Phoebe so much because she represents the opposite of the world he's used to. She is innocent, sharp and adores him but everyone else in the world is a phony, ignorant and hates him according to Holden.

This song is a good representation of Holden's personality. In the song, the lyrics "Take me back to when I believe." represents Holden's desire to turn back time and fix the mistakes that he made in hopes of fixing his depression and being different from what he is today. Also, the lyrics, "If I could live a thousand times / If I could make a thousand tries / Maybe then I'd get it right" represents his loss of hope in making things better for himself.

Catcher in the Rye 6-7

Chapter 6 and 7 could be considered a final farewell to Pencey Prep for Holden. It starts off with Stradlater coming back from his date with Jane. At this point, Holden is extremely perturbed and can't seem to calm down. He is anxious that Stradlater would've done something to Jane who he has had a close relationship with. The situation started to escalate after Holden ripped apart Stradlater's composition which then led to Stradlater explaining what happened during the date. Holden is barely able to stay calm at this point when he asks, "If you didn't go to New York, where'd ya go with her?" (Salinger 42). Stradlater's cheeky response of, "That's a professional secret, buddy" (43), is what knocks Holden over the edge. After a dramatic sequence of punches, Stradlater and Holden eventually calm down and this leaves Holden feeling alone again. Holden decides to go to Ackley's dorm to calm down and forget about everything. Even after a long conversation with Ackley, Holden is still unable to forget and decides that he wants to leave Pencey Prep immediately and go to New York. His decision could be seen as giving up on trying to create a deeper friendship with Stradlater and Ackley.

Holden losing his temper and striking Stradlater is something that most people would be able to relate to, including me. The built up suspense and irritation are something that I have felt on numerous occasions. I have never had an outburst like Holden before, however, I can sympathize with the envy and bitterness that Holden felt at that moment. Holden felt like his whole world was crashing down and the only way to vent this feeling was to punch Stradlater. His anger was so strong that he couldn't even remember what actually happened, "This next part I don't remember so hot. All I know is I got up from the bed like I was going down to the can or something, and then I tried to sock him," (43) I can also relate to Holden's actions and feelings after releasing his anger. He immediately felt remorse and loneliness which is very common. When I was in his situation, I felt like the worst person in the world and also the only person. He went to Ackley for support but instead it only made him feel worse because Ackley couldn't read between the lines and help Holden.

There is a lot of symbolism in these chapters. They are the red hat, winter, ducks and Allie's baseball mitt. The red hat symbolizes something that gives Holden comfort. Many times in the story, he mentions that he likes to turn the peak of the hat to the back "just the way I like it." The setting being set in a cold winter is also symbolism. Holden is isolated in his school but the winter and cold only further isolate him from the rest of the world. The winter is also a symbol of his cold and depressed heart. The ducks represent him losing hope for himself and his situation. The ducks would always fly away when the lakes froze over and we never know where they went or if they will come back. Holden is wondering where his hope went or if he should still have hope for something better. Allie's baseball mitt represents the remorse he felt at the time when Allie died and also corresponds to the remorse he feels while he is writing the composition for Stradlater.

Why does he feel regret leaving Pencey Prep even though he isn't accepted?
Holden has felt regret every time he has left a school and they have all been for the same reason. He feels like he could've been a part of the school if he had tried harder or made fewer mistakes. For example, when he had lost the fencing team's equipment, he had felt really bad and made him feel humiliated.

How has Holden changed during these 2 chapters?
Holden has become a lot more mature and independent. Before, Holden would often joke around with Stradlater and Ackley but know he seems to have lost hope of becoming good friends with them and decided to give up. Him leaving Pencey Prep early is a representation of this.

I predict that in the next few chapters there will be an incident that will affect Holden greatly. I predict this because Holden said that the reason he was in a hospital was because of an incident that happened after the left school near Christmas.

This picture represents Holden's isolation and lack of hope. The person in the photo has left many things behind and also has no hope of reaching anywhere, much like Holden. It also incorporates the theme of winter and cold that is present in the novel.

Catcher in the Rye Chapter 3-4

In chapters 3-4, Holden's classmates are introduced for the first time, Ward Stradlater, his roommate, and Robert Ackley, his neighbor in the dorm. Robert Ackley, or Ackley, is immediately described as an obnoxious and overly invasive person. He comes into Holden's room and instead of politely taking a seat, he instead decided to walk around his room and touch and move all of Holden's personal belongings. Holden writes that it is very normal and Ackley would keep doing this until he gets Holden's attention. In contrast, Holden's roommate seems to be a very gentlemanly character who is both handsome and kind. Yet Holden describes him as phony because his true nature is a narcissistic playboy. For instance, while he was preparing for his date with Holden's childhood friend, in which Holden is not happy about, Stradlater asks Holden to write his composition in a tone that implies he should feel honored and happy for being asked to do so. Also, while Holden was describing his childhood friend, Stradlater seemed to not care whatsoever.

Although Robert Ackley seems to be an overall good guy, his social habits and hygiene could drive someone insane. Holden was somewhat able to stand him touching his belongings but could no longer tolerate Ackley cutting his nails on the ground. I think everyone can relate to this scene. Everyone has a major pet peeve that they absolutely can't stand such as fidgeting. In my case, there have been many times where someone's fidgeting has caused me to lose my temper and raise my voice at them. 

These 2 chapters held a lot of content relating to Holden's social life and his acquaintances. Along with Holden's character, Stradlater and Ackley's characters were also developed. The characters were developed through examples told through Holden's point of view. Ackley being described as a non-hygienic person was supported by Holden's experience when he was seen with dirty teeth and mashed potatoes while he was eating. Stradlater is described through comparison to Ackley and Holden's experiences as his roommate. Stradlater is a "secret slob" as Holden describes. He maintains an outwardly clean and nice appearance but his real attitude is arrogant with similar bad habits such as his dirty and old razor. J.D. Salinger introduces these characters next to each other in order to give the readers a sense of contrast and at the same time point out the similarities between them. While Ackley has a "snobby" character and Stradlater is a "humble" character, both of them represent the overall social attitude of Pencey Prep which is negative as described by Holden.

Why is Holden still friends with such characters? Doesn't he hate phonies?
I believe that Holden is still friends with Ackley and Stradlater because he understands that most people in Pencey Preparatory School are like them. He hates phonies but has no choice but to live with them and be able to make friends with them.

What is the significance of Holden repeatedly saying he should go greet to Jane Gallagher?
It is significant because it is the first time that he seemed genuinely interested in another person. Due to Holden's idea of everyone in Pencey Prep being a phoney, he wasn't interested in anyone other than himself. This shows that Holden has a much deeper character that hasn't been revealed yet.

I predict in the next few chapters Stradlater would have returned with his date and Holden would react strongly. I say this because Stradlater seems to be a playboy who has had many experiences with other girls.

This picture displays the feelings that Holden has for his school. He feels that while everyone else feels one way, he's different and can see how fake they are.

Catcher in the Rye Chapter 1

Catcher in the Rye starts off in the present with the main character being in a hospital reminiscing about what happened a few months ago. Holden Caulfield is a privileged high school student who goes to Pencey Prep, a prep school for the elite. However, our protagonist is very much unlike his elite and pretentious classmates. He is failing 4 out of 5 subjects and lost his fencing clubs equipment on their way to a competition causing him to be ostracized by his team the whole way back from New York City. Unsurprisingly, he is kicked out of Pencey Prep after several warnings to "apply" himself to school.

Holden gets a lot of pressure from his parents to do well in prep school and eventually graduate and become part of the top 1% of the country. Holden's parents paid for him to go to many different prep schools in hope that he will succeed in them. I can relate to it in that I am also expected to do well in school, graduate and eventually have a job that pays well. In the chapter Holden describes that he wasn't at the school football game because he had to visit Mr. Spencer, however, it could be true that he doesn't feel like he belongs where everyone else is. Especially after the fencing incident, he feels like he is an outsider. I can relate to this feeling of non-existence. There are times where I feel like I'm disappearing and no longer part of anything significant.

In only the first chapter of the novel, Holden's character is already very well developed. He is described as a sarcastic, smart-mouthed rebel who simply does what he wants and thinks how he wants. His attitude towards school is quite negative since he thinks that most of the teachers and students are "phonies". On the contrary, he also seems to be a very sentimental person. Even after leaving many schools and institutions, he still looks for a memory or experience that would make him feel sad about leaving. For example, he says,"I was trying to feel some kind of a good-by."

Is Holden a cold/heartless person?
No, Holden is actually a sentimental person who has strong values. For example, when he was on the hill looking down at the game, he was trying to find a strong feeling that would make him sad and miss Pencey Prep. He also went to visit his sick history teacher Mr. Spencer which shows that he actually cares for other people.

Does Holden regret having failed 4 subjects and being kicked out?
Even though Holden seems indifferent about leaving another school, he seems to be frustrated and tired of changing schools. While he was trying to find a sentimental feeling from leaving, he expresses that he hates leaving without acknowledging that he was leaving. He hates the feeling of leaving a place without being involved in the first place. Even though he might not completely regret being kicked out, he is upset about having to leave a place he's not connected to again.

I predict that in the next few chapters, he will be lectured by Mr. Spencer and he will be finishing his goodbyes at his school.

This poster is referenced to in the first chapter as an example of the phony Pencey Preparatory School. Holden explains that there wasn't a single horse on the grounds and few of his classmates were clear-thinkers.