catcher in the rye book review

7/21/2019 Catcher in the Rye Book Review

1/15

GROUP ONE

Karl Mikhael Antonio

Jan Danizon Arcilla

Danly Mark Casugay

John Rafael Dahan

Kin Deotica

Jake Kir!y Dia"ilis

#ilson Dolori$o

Clark Magnaye

John Chen


2/15

%&EME'solation as a (or of )elf*Protection

%hroughout the +hole no,el- &ol$en sees to !e e.clu$e$ an$

,ictiize$ !y the +orl$ aroun$ hi/ As he says to Mr/ )"encer- he feels

tra""e$ on 0the other si$e0 of life- an$ he continually tries to 1n$ his +ay in

a +orl$ in +hich he feels he $oes not !elong/

As the no,el "rogresses- +e !egin to "ercei,e that &ol$en2s isolation

or alienation is his +ay of "rotecting hiself/ Just as he +ears a hunting hat

to sho+ his uni3ueness- he uses his isolation as "roof that he is !etter than

e,eryone else aroun$ hi an$ therefore a!o,e interacting +ith the/ %he

truth is that interactions +ith other "eo"le usually confuse an$ o,er+hel

hi- an$ his cynical sense of su"eriority ser,es as a ty"e of self*"rotection/

%hus- &ol$en2s isolation is the source of +hat little sta!ility he has in life/

As rea$ers- +e can see that &ol$en2s alienation is the cause of ost of

his "ain/ &e ne,er a$$resses his o+n eotions $irectly- nor $oes he atte"t

to $isco,er the source of his trou!les/ &e $es"erately nee$s huan contact

an$ lo,e- !ut his "rotecti,e +all of !itterness "re,ents hi fro looking for

such interaction/ Alienation is !oth the source of &ol$en2s strength an$ the

source of his "ro!les/ (or e.a"le- his loneliness "ro"els hi into his $ate

+ith )ally &ayes- !ut his nee$ for isolation causes hi to insult her an$ $ri,e

her a+ay/ )iilarly- he longs for the eaningful connection he once ha$ +ith

Jane Gallagher- !ut he is too frightene$ to ake any real e4ort to contact

her/ &e $e"en$s u"on his alienation- !ut it $estroys hi/


3/15

Gro+ing U"

The Catcher in the Ryeis a no,el a!out a young character2s

gro+th into aturity/ #hile it is a""ro"riate to $iscuss the no,el in

such ters- &ol$en Caul1el$ is an unusual "rotagonist for a coing*

of*age no,el !ecause his central goal is to resist the "rocess of

aturity itself/ As his thoughts a!out the Museu of Natural &istory

$eonstrate- &ol$en fears change an$ is o,er+hele$ !y

co"le.ity/ &e +ants e,erything to !e easily un$erstan$a!le an$

eternally 1.e$- like the statues of Eskios an$ 'n$ians in the

useu/ &e is frightene$ !ecause he is guilty of the sins he

criticizes in others- an$ !ecause he can2t un$erstan$ e,erything

aroun$ hi/

'nstea$ of ackno+le$ging that a$ulthoo$ scares an$ ysti1eshi- &ol$en in,ents a fantasy that a$ulthoo$ is a +orl$ of

su"er1ciality an$ hy"ocrisy 56"honiness07- +hile chil$hoo$ is a

+orl$ of innocence- curiosity- an$ honesty/ Nothing re,eals his iage of

these t+o +orl$s !etter than his fantasy a!out the catcher in the rye8 he

iagines chil$hoo$ as an i$yllic 1el$ of rye in +hich chil$ren ro" an$ "lay9

a$ulthoo$- for the chil$ren of this +orl$- is e3ui,alent to $eath:a fatal fall

o,er the e$ge of a cli4/ &is create$ un$erstan$ings of chil$hoo$ an$

a$ulthoo$ allo+ &ol$en to cut hiself o4 fro the +orl$ !y co,ering hiself

+ith a "rotecti,e aror of cynicis/ ;ut as the !ook "rogresses- &ol$en2s

e."eriences- "articularly his encounters +ith Mr/ Antolini an$ Phoe!e- re,eal

the shallo+ness of his conce"tions/

Phoniness of A$olescence

6Phoniness-0 +hich is "ro!a!ly the ost faous "hrase froThe

Catcher in the Rye,is one of &ol$en2s fa,orite conce"ts/ 't is his catch*all for

$escri!ing the su"er1ciality- hy"ocrisy- "retension- an$ shallo+ness that he

encounters in the +orl$ aroun$ hi/ 'n Cha"ter


4/15

;ut although &ol$en e."en$s so uch energy searching for "honiness

in others- he ne,er $irectly o!ser,es his o+n "honiness/ &i $ece"tions are

generally "ointless an$ cruel an$ he notes that he is a co"ulsi,e liar/

Although he +oul$ like to !elie,e that the +orl$ is a si"le "lace- an$ that

,irtue an$ innocence rest on one si$e of the fence +hile hy"ocrisy an$

"honiness rest on the other- &ol$en is his o+n countere,i$ence/ %he +orl$ is

not as si"le as he +oul$ like an$ nee$ it to !e9 e,en he cannot a$here to

the sae !lack an$ +hite stan$ar$s +ith +hich he =u$ges other

"eo"le/

MOOD

%he oo$ of the story is greatly a4ecte$ !y the +ay

&ol$en thinks since he is the narrator/ 't ,aries !et+een $isgust-

cynicis- !itterness- an$ nostalgic longing/ %he "roof for these

oo$s can !e foun$ throughout the no,el +here they are

e."resse$ in a collo3uial anner/

;ut at soe "oint- &ol$en !ecae co"assionate/ %his +as

+hen he et )unny the "rostitute an$ this is his interaction +ith

the "rostitute8

I took her dress over to the closet and hung it up for her. It was funny. It made me feelsort of sad when I hung it up. I thought of her going in a store and buying it, and nobody in the

store knowing she was a prostitute and all. The salesman probably just thought she was a

regular girl when she bought it. It made me feel sad as hellI don't know why eactly.!

&e is cynical- !ut he is also co"assionate/ &e sees right through

)unny2s "retense of !eing a "rostitute- an$ he akes sarcastic coents

a!out ho+ she2s a !a$ con,ersationalist:!ut he2s co"assionate/ &e sees

)unny as a real "erson an$ not a achine/

At the sae tie- &ol$en 1n$s nearly e,erything to !e $e"ressing-

+hich is also a oo$ of the no,el/ )"eci1cally- these are the things he 1n$

sa$8 lea,ing a "lace +ithout "ro"er goo$*!ye9 en in !athro!es9 >icks nose

$ro"s9 Mr/ )"encer2s +arnings9 "eo"le +ho say 6goo$ luck09 getting "resents9

ha,ing oney9 not ha,ing oney9 the fact that Mr/ Antolini a$e a o,e at

hi9 the fact that Mr/ Antolini $i$ not a$e a o,e at hi at all9 Phoe!e or

"eo"le like her saying the +or$ 6"lease09 an$ the fact that he tol$ his story

to us/


5/15

)E%%'NG

Pence"

Pre" )chool an$

Ne+ ?ork City

in

either @B or @B

&ol$en2s story takes "lace o,er only three $ays- although it feels

longer- fro )atur$ay afternoon to Mon$ay aroun$ @ "/ (or the e.act year-

it can !e foun$ in Cha"ter (i,e +hen &ol$en is talkinga !out Allie2s !ase!all

itt/ &e says Allie $ie$ on July @- @B +hen Allie +as ele,en an$ &ol$en

+as thirteen/ An$ no+ !ack in Cha"ter t+o- &ol$en Mentione$ that he2sse,enteen no+ as he is telling the story- an$ +as si.teen 6last year aroun$

Christas0 +hen he left Pencey an$ e."lore$ the city for a +hile/

%hus- the year of Dece!er +here his Ne+ ?ork City esca"a$es took

"lace is either @B or @B- $e"en$ing on &ol$en2s !irth$ay- an$ +hat the

e.act $ate is of his story*telling/ 't follo+s that the year of se,enteen*year*ol$

&ol$en telling us his story is either @B or @F/

%he signi1cance of @B*@F in the story is that it sho+s &ol$en is a

"ro$uct of +ar/ %he late @BF2s "ut us sack in the "ost*#orl$ #ar '' era-

an$ he talks a!out the +ay an$ the e4ect it ha$ on his !rother D/; Caul1el$/

&e also entions the atoic !o! +hich $etonate$ in August of @B- +hich

"ossi!ly stan$s for a sort of "ost*+ar an$ "ost*!o! nation+i$e 6loss of

innocence/0

%hen +e go fro Pencey Pre"- lan$ of the "honies- to Ne+ ?ork City-

+hich is also the lan$ of "honies/ Once &ol$en +as in Ne+ ?ork- he goes


6/15

fro !ar to !ar- hotel to hotel- an$ "ark to "ark/ &ol$en things that !y

s+itching locations- he can esca"e the "eo"le an$ attitu$es he $islike/

C&ARAC%ER)@/ &ol$en Caul1el$

&ol$en- the narrator an$ "rotagonist of %he Catcher in the Rye- coes

fro a +ealthy faily fro Ne+ ?ork/ &e is constantly e."elle$ fro

!oar$ing schools- an$ +as =ust e."elle$ fro his fourth !oar$ing school-

Pencey "re"- +here he faile$ four out of 1,e classes/ &e is to return to

Manhattan on #e$nes$ay !ut he $eci$e$ to lea,e the school early- check in

on a hotel- an$ e."lore the city +hile +earing a re$ hunting hat- +hich is aeta"hor for his o+n uni3ueness/

As a coing*of*age no,el- &ol$en is "ercei,e$ as a teenager +ith

confuse$ feelings to+ar$s a$olescence- +hich gra$ually !ecoes ,i,i$ in the

no,el- re,ealing his self*$estructi,e si$e/ %he nu!er of "eo"le +ho relate

+ith &ol$en an$ e,en ake hi their hero is high/ )oething a!out his

$iscontent- an$ his ,i,i$ +ay of e."ressing it- akes hi "o+erfully a""eal

to rea$ers- e,en those +ho coe fro !ackgroun$s co"letely $i4erent

fro hi/

%he o!,ious signs that sho+ &ol$en is a trou!le$ !oy unfol$ throughout

the no,el8 he has !een e."elle$ fro four schools- he sho+s a co"lete

a"athy to+ar$s future9 he is hos"italize$- an$ is ,isite$ !y a "sychoanalyst-

or an uns"eci1e$ reason9 an$ he is una!le to entirely connect +ith other

"eo"le/ &is t+o trauas:the $eath of his !rother Allie9 an$ the suici$e of his

schoolate:has clearly soething to $o +ith his eotional state/


7/15

&ol$en has noticea!le traits or "eculiarities that cannot !e si"ly

e."laine$ a+ay as sy"tos of a ental $isor$er/ (irst- he is e.treely

=u$gental of e,erything an$ e,ery!o$y/ &e often criticizes an$

"hiloso"hizes a!out "eo"le +ho are !oring- "eo"le +ho are insecure- an$

"eo"le +ho are 6"hony0 as he +oul$ say it/ &e a""lies the ter 6"hony0 not

to "eo"le +ho are sincere !ut to those +ho are too con,entional or too

ty"ical:for instance- "eo"le +ho $ress an$ act like the other e!ers of

their social class/

Another fascinating "art of &ol$en2s "ersonality that is note*+orthy is his

attitu$e to+ar$s se./ &e is a ,irgin !ut he is ,ery intereste$ in se./ 'n fact- he

s"en$s ost of the tie trying to lose his ,irginity/ &e strongly !elie,es that

se. shoul$ ha""en !et+een "eo"le +ho care $ee"ly a!out an$ res"ect one

another/ %he fact that se. for soe "eo"le is =ust casual u"sets hi/

&o+e,er- he hiself is arouse$ !y +oen +ho he $oesn2t res"ect an$ care

for- like the !lon$e tourist he $ances +ith- an$ )ally &aynes- +ho +e refers

to as stu"i$ e,en +hile he arranges a $ate +ith her/

A note a!out &ol$en2s nae8 a caul2 is a e!rane that co,ers

the hea$ of a fetus $uring !irth/ %hus the caulin his nae ay !e

a eta"hor for a chil$ not !eing a!le to see the co"le.ity of

a$olescence/ &ol$en2s full nae can !e rea$ as &ol$*on Caul*1el$-

an$ this ight in$icate that he +ants to hol$ on to +hat he sees

as innocence- +hich is actually !lin$ness/


8/15

ser,es as a gui$e for the rea$ers- !ecause she kno+s her !rother !etter

than +e $o- an$ her =u$gents a!out her can !e truste$/

Phoe!e akes &ol$en2s ,isualization of chil$hoo$:+hich is chil$ren

ro"ing through a 1el$ of rye:see o,er si"li1e$ fantasy/ Phoe!e2s

character contrasts &ol$en2s +orl$ ,ie+8 although a chil$- she $oes not 1tinto &ol$en2s roanticize$ ,ersion of innocence/ )he realizes that

&ol$en2s !itterness to+ar$s the +orl$ is really !itterness to+ar$s hiself/

)he is a!le to see that he is a $ee"ly sa$- an$ insecure !oy +ho nee$s

lo,e an$ su""ort ost/ At the en$ of the !ook- +hen she sho+s u" at the

useu an$ $ean$s to =oin &ol$en in lea,ing- she sees not so uch

to nee$ &ol$en as to un$erstan$ that he nee$s her/

H/ Mr/ Antolini&ol$en2s forer English teacher at Elkton &ills- Mr/ Antolini is an a$ult

+ho coes closest to reaching &ol$en/ &e anages to a,oi$ alienating

&ol$en- an$ !eing la!ele$ as a 6"hony-0 !ecause he $oesn2t !eha,e like

other a$ults $o/ &e $oesn2t o!=ect to &ol$en2s calling in the i$$le of the

night- or call on &ol$en2s $rinking or soking/ An$ ost of all- !y o"ening

his $oor to &ol$en e,en at the ost incon,enient oent- he sho+s no

hin$rance in e."osing his "ri,ate self/

&e also recognizes that &ol$en is $i4erent fro other stu$ents-

an$ he ,ali$ates &ol$en2s su4ering an$ confusion !y suggesting

that one $ay they ay !e +orth +riting a!out/ &e re"resents

e$ucation as a "ath of confority !ut as a eans for &ol$en to

$e,elo" his uni3ue ,oice an$ 1n$ i$eas that he relate +ith/

&e $is"laye$ an o,erste" on the !oun$ary in sho+ing

a4ection an$ concern to+ar$s &ol$en- +hen he touches the !oy2s

forehea$ as he slee"s/ &ol$en sus"ects that he is aking a

hoose.ual o,erture- !ut there is e,i$ence that the !oy ust ha,e

isinter"rete$ his actions/ &ol$en entions in Cha"ter @ that he is

e.treely ner,ous aroun$ "ossi!le hoose.uals an$ that he +orries

a!out su$$enly !ecoing one/

Phoe!e akes &ol$en2s ,isualization of chil$hoo$:+hich is

chil$ren ro"ing through a 1el$ of rye:see o,er si"li1e$

fantasy/ Phoe!e2s character contrasts &ol$en2s +orl$ ,ie+8 although a


9/15

chil$- she $oes not 1t into &ol$en2s roanticize$ ,ersion of innocence/

)he realizes that &ol$en2s !itterness to+ar$s the +orl$ is really !itterness

to+ar$s hiself/ )he is a!le to see that he is a $ee"ly sa$- an$ insecure

!oy +ho nee$s lo,e an$ su""ort ost/ At the en$ of the !ook- +hen she

sho+s u" at the useu an$ $ean$s to =oin &ol$en in lea,ing- she

sees not so uch to nee$ &ol$en as to un$erstan$ that he nee$s her/

B/ Allie Caul1el$

&e is &ol$en2s younger !rother +ho $ie$ fro leukeia/ &ol$en often

reinisces a!out Allie- "articularly a!out his !ase!all itt- e,en using it

as a su!=ect for his rooate )tra$later2s essay/ 't is clari1e$ that &ol$en

lo,e$ Allie/ ;ut +hen he $ie$- &ol$en lost his ca"acity to truly lo,e

+ithout fear/ %he i$ea of "utting his heart on the line for soeone +hoight $isa""ear anytie has left &ol$en nu!/

&is $eath is one of the ost trauatizing eories of &ol$en/ 't

sha"e$ hi the +ay he is no+/

/ #ar$ )tra$later

Accor$ing to &ol$en- he is ,ail- self*centere$- an$ arrogant/ &e is

&ol$en2s rooate at Pencey Pre"/ &e asks &ol$en to +rite an Englishessay for hi- !ut he gets angry after 1n$ing the essay too o4*to"ic-

+hich +as a!out Allie2s itten/ &ol$en gets into a 1ght +ith )tra$later

after he sus"ects that his rooate se$uce$ Jane Gallagher- +ith +ho

&ol$en is in lo,e/ At his core- &ol$en sees to +ant to !e )tra$later an$

thus to coan$ "o+er o,er en an$ +oen alike/


10/15

/ Mr/ )"encer

&ol$enIs history teacher at Pencey- Mr/ )"encer $iscusses

&ol$enIs e."ulsion +ith hi !efore he lea,es the school &ea$,ises &ol$en to 1n$ $irection in his life/

/ Jane Gallagher

)tra$laterIs $ate for the e,ening- Jane +as a close frien$ of

&ol$en se,eral suers !efore/ &ol$en fre3uently reinisces

a!out s"en$ing tie +ith her/ Jane is one of the fe+ "eo"le

+ho &ol$en s"eaks a!out in entirely "ositi,e ters9 he is in

lo,e +ith her/

/ Maurice

%he ele,ator an at the E$on$ &otel +ho is also a "i"- Maurice

assaults &ol$en after he refuses to "ay a ten*$ollar fee to the "rostitute

he has arrange$ for &ol$en/ Maurice tol$ &ol$en the charge +oul$ only !e

1,e $ollars- !ut he later cheats hi on the "rice**"ueling &ol$en after

the !oy argues for the original "rice

/ )unny

A "rostitute +ho &ol$en hires for the e,ening !ut then re=ects/ )unny

$ean$s a ten*$ollar "ayent- !ut &ol$en ha$ !een le$ to !elie,e that the

charge +oul$ only !e 1,e/

@F/ Jaes Castle

&ol$en tells a story a!out ho+ Jaes Castle- a stu$ent at Elkton &ills-

coitte$ suici$e !y =u"ing out of his +in$o+ after an arguent/


11/15

PO%%he Catcher in the Rye is set aroun$ the @Fs an$ is narrate$

!y a young an nae$ &ol$en Caul1el$/ &ol$en is not s"eci1c a!out

his location +hile he2s telling the story- !ut he akes it clear that he

is un$ergoing treatent in a ental hos"ital or sanatoriu/ %he

e,ents he narrates take "lace in the fe+ $ays !et+een the en$ of

the fall school ter an$ Christas- +hen &ol$en is si.teen years

ol$/

&ol$en2s story !egins on the )atur$ay follo+ing the en$ of

classes at the Pencey "re" school in Agersto+n- Pennsyl,ania/ Pencey

is &ol$en2s fourth school9 he has alrea$y faile$ out of three others/ At

Pencey- he has faile$ four out of 1,e of his classes an$ has recei,e$notice that he is !eing e."elle$- !ut he is not sche$ule$ to return

hoe to Manhattan until #e$nes$ay/ &e ,isits his el$erly history

teacher- )"encer- to say goo$!ye- !ut +hen )"encer tries to re"rian$ hi

for his "oor aca$eic "erforance- &ol$en !ecoes annoye$/

;ack in the $oritory- &ol$en is further irritate$ !y his unhygienic

neigh!or- Ackley- an$ !y his o+n rooate- )tra$later/ )tra$later s"en$s

the e,ening on a $ate +ith Jane Gallagher- a girl +ho &ol$en use$ to $ate

an$ +ho he still a$ires/ During the course of the e,ening- &ol$en gro+s

increasingly ner,ous a!out )tra$later2s taking Jane out- an$ +hen )tra$later

returns- &ol$en 3uestions hi insistently a!out +hether he trie$ to ha,e se.

+ith her/ )tra$later teases &ol$en- +ho Lies into a rage an$ attacks

)tra$later/ )tra$later "ins &ol$en $o+n an$ !loo$ies his nose/ &ol$en

$eci$es that he2s ha$ enough of Pencey an$ +ill go to Manhattan three $ays

early- stay in a hotel- an$ not tell his "arents that he is !ack/

On the train to Ne+ ?ork- &ol$en eets the other of one of his fello+

Pencey stu$ents/ %hough he thinks this stu$ent is a co"lete 6!astar$-0 he

tells the +oan a$e*u" stories a!out ho+ shy her son is an$ ho+ +ellres"ecte$ he is at school/ #hen he arri,es at Penn )tation- he goes into a

"hone !ooth an$ consi$ers calling se,eral "eo"le- !ut for ,arious reasons he

$eci$es against it/ &e gets in a ca! an$ asks the ca! $ri,er +here the $ucks

in Central Park go +hen the lagoon freezes- !ut his 3uestion annoys the

$ri,er/ &ol$en has the ca! $ri,er take hi to the E$ont &otel- +here he

checks hiself in/


12/15

(ro his roo at the E$ont-

&ol$en can see into the roos of

soe of the guests in the o""osite

+ing/ &e o!ser,es a an

"utting on silk stockings-

high heels- a !ra- a

corset- an$ an e,ening

go+n/ &e also sees a

an an$ a +oan in

another roo taking

turns s"itting

outhfuls of their

$rinks into each other2s

faces an$ laughing

hysterically/ &e inter"retsthe cou"le2s !eha,ior as a

for of se.ual "lay an$ is

!oth u"set an$ arouse$

!y it/ After soking a

cou"le of cigarettes- he calls (aith

Ca,en$ish- a +oan he has ne,er

et !ut +hose nu!er he got fro

an ac3uaintance at Princeton/ &ol$en thinks he ree!ers hearing that she

use$ to !e a stri""er- an$ he !elie,es he can "ersua$e her to ha,e se. +ith

hi/ &e calls her- an$ though she is at 1rst annoye$ to !e calle$ at such a

late hour !y a co"lete stranger- she e,entually suggests that they eet

the ne.t $ay/ &ol$en $oesn2t +ant to +ait that long an$ +in$s u" hanging u"

+ithout arranging a eeting/

&ol$en goes $o+nstairs to the a,en$er Roo an$ sits at a ta!le- !ut

the +aiter realizes he2s a inor an$ refuses to ser,e hi/ &e Lirts +ith three

+oen in their thirties- +ho see like they2re fro out of to+n an$ are

ostly intereste$ in catching a gli"se of a cele!rity/ Ne,ertheless- &ol$en

$ances +ith the an$ feels that he is 6half in lo,e0 +ith the !lon$e one afterseeing ho+ +ell she $ances/ After aking soe +isecracks a!out his age-

they lea,e- letting hi "ay their entire ta!/

As &ol$en goes out to the lo!!y- he starts to think a!out Jane

Gallagher an$- in a Lash!ack- recounts ho+ he got to kno+ her/ %hey et

+hile s"en$ing a suer ,acation in Maine- "laye$ golf an$ checkers- an$


13/15

hel$ han$s at the o,ies/ One afternoon- $uring a gae of checkers- her

ste"father cae onto the "orch +here they +ere "laying- an$ +hen he left

Jane !egan to cry/ &ol$en ha$ o,e$ to sit !esi$e her an$ kisse$ her all o,er

her face- !ut she +oul$n2t let hi kiss her on the outh/ %hat +as the

closest they cae to 6necking/0

&ol$en lea,es the E$ont an$ takes a ca! to Ernie2s =azz clu! in

Green+ich >illage/ Again- he asks the ca! $ri,er +here the $ucks in Central

Park go in the +inter- an$ this ca!!ie is e,en ore irrita!le than the 1rst

one/ &ol$en sits alone at a ta!le in Ernie2s an$ o!ser,es the other "atrons

+ith $istaste/ &e runs into illian )ions- one of his ol$er !rother2s

forer girlfrien$s- +ho in,ites hi to sit +ith her an$ her $ate/

&ol$en says he has to eet soeone- lea,es- an$ +alks !ack to the

E$ont/

Maurice- the ele,ator o"erator at the E$ont- o4ers to sen$

a "rostitute to &ol$en2s roo for 1,e $ollars- an$ &ol$en agrees/

A young +oan- i$entifying herself as 6)unny-0 arri,es at

his $oor/ )he "ulls o4 her $ress- !ut &ol$en starts to feel

6"eculiar0 an$ tries to ake con,ersation +ith her/ &e clais that

he recently un$er+ent a s"inal o"eration an$ isn2t suciently

reco,ere$ to ha,e se. +ith her- !ut he o4ers to "ay her any+ay/ )he

sits on his la" an$ talks $irty to hi- !ut he insists on "aying her 1,e

$ollars an$ sho+ing her the $oor/ )unny returns +ith Maurice- +ho

$ean$s another 1,e $ollars fro &ol$en/ #hen &ol$en refuses to

"ay- Maurice "unches hi in the stoach an$ lea,es hi on the

Loor- +hile )unny takes 1,e $ollars fro his +allet/ &ol$en goes to !e$/

&e +akes u" at ten o2clock on )un$ay an$ calls )ally &ayes- an

attracti,e girl +ho he has $ate$ in the "ast/ %hey arrange to eet for a

atinee sho+ing of a ;roa$+ay "lay/ &e eats !reakfast at a san$+ich !ar-

+here he con,erses +ith t+o nuns a!out Roeo an$ Juliet/ &e gi,es the

nuns ten $ollars/ &e tries to tele"hone Jane Gallagher- !ut her other

ans+ers the "hone- an$ he hangs u"/ &e takes a ca! to Central Park to lookfor his younger sister- Phoe!e- !ut she isn2t there/ &e hel"s one of Phoe!e2s

schoolates tighten her skate- an$ the girl tells hi that Phoe!e ight !e in

the Museu of Natural &istory/ %hough he kno+s that Phoe!e2s class

+oul$n2t !e at the useu on a )un$ay- he goes there any+ay- !ut +hen

he gets there he $eci$es not to go in an$ instea$ takes a ca! to the ;iltore

&otel to eet )ally/


14/15

&ol$en an$ )ally go to the "lay- an$ &ol$en is annoye$ that )ally talks

+ith a !oy she kno+s fro An$o,er after+ar$/ At )ally2s suggestion- they go

to Ra$io City to ice skate/ %hey !oth skate "oorly an$ $eci$e to get a ta!le

instea$/ &ol$en tries to e."lain to )ally +hy he is unha""y at school- an$

actually urges her to run a+ay +ith hi to Massachusetts or >eront

an$ li,e in a ca!in/ #hen she refuses- he calls her a 6"ain in the

ass0 an$ laughs at her +hen she reacts angrily/ )he refuses to listen

to his a"ologies an$ lea,es/

&ol$en calls Jane again- !ut there is no ans+er/ &e calls Carl

uce- a young an +ho ha$ !een &ol$en2s stu$ent a$,isor at the

#hooton )chool an$ +ho is no+ a stu$ent at Colu!ia Uni,ersity/

uce arranges to eet hi for a $rink after $inner- an$ &ol$en

goes to a o,ie at Ra$io City to kill tie/ &ol$en an$ uce eet at

the #icker ;ar in the )eton &otel/ At #hooton- uce ha$ s"okenfrankly +ith soe of the !oys a!out se.- an$ &ol$en tries to $ra+

hi into a con,ersation a!out it once ore/ uce gro+s irritate$ !y

&ol$en2s =u,enile rearks a!out hoose.uals an$ a!out uce2s

Chinese girlfrien$- an$ he akes an e.cuse to lea,e early/ &ol$en

continues to $rink )cotch an$ listen to the "ianist an$ singer/

uite $runk- &ol$en tele"hones )ally &ayes an$ !a!!les a!out their

Christas E,e "lans/ %hen he goes to the lagoon in Central Park- +here he

use$ to +atch the $ucks as a chil$/ 't takes hi a long tie to 1n$ it- an$ !y

the tie he $oes- he is freezing col$/ &e then $eci$es to sneak into his o+n

a"artent !uil$ing an$ +ake his sister- Phoe!e/ &e is force$ to a$it to

Phoe!e that he +as kicke$ out of school- +hich akes her a$ at hi/ #hen

he tries to e."lain +hy he hates school- she accuses hi of not liking

anything/ &e tells her his fantasy of !eing 6the catcher in the rye-0 a "erson

+ho catches little chil$ren as they are a!out to fall o4 of a cli4/ Phoe!e tells

hi that he has isree!ere$ the "oe that he took the iage fro8

Ro!ert ;urns2s "oe says 6if a !o$y eet a !o$y- coing through the rye-0

not 6catch a !o$y/0


15/15

&ol$en calls his forer English teacher- Mr/ Antolini- +ho tells &ol$en

he can coe to his a"artent/ Mr/ Antolini asks &ol$en a!out his e."ulsion

an$ tries to counsel hi a!out his future/ &ol$en can2t hi$e his slee"iness-

an$ Mr/ Antolini "uts hi to !e$ on the couch/ &ol$en a+akens to 1n$ Mr/

Antolini stroking his forehea$/ %hinking that Mr/ Antolini is aking a

hoose.ual o,erture- &ol$en hastily e.cuses hiself an$ lea,es- slee"ing

for a fe+ hours on a !ench at Gran$ Central )tation/

&ol$en goes to Phoe!e2s school an$ sen$s her a note saying that he is

lea,ing hoe for goo$ an$ that she shoul$ eet hi at lunchtie at the

useu/ #hen Phoe!e arri,es- she is carrying a suitcase full of clothes- an$

she asks &ol$en to take her +ith hi/ &e refuses angrily- an$ she cries an$

then refuses to s"eak to hi/ Kno+ing she +ill follo+ hi- he +alks to the

zoo- an$ then takes her across the "ark to a carousel/ &e !uys her a ticket

an$ +atches her ri$e it/ 't starts to rain hea,ily- !ut &ol$en is so ha""y

+atching his sister ri$e the carousel that he is close to tears/

&ol$en en$s his narrati,e here- telling the rea$er that he is not going

to tell the story of ho+ he +ent hoe an$ got 6sick/0 &e "lans to go to a ne+school in the fall an$ is cautiously o"tiistic a!out his future/

catcher in the rye book review

Documents