Catcher in the Rye - Final Response

One of the biggest theme's i noticed was Phonies of adult world, because in the book he really just thought everyone was a phony. Whoever did anything good or amazing, he would call them phonies and would then feel sorry for them, just because you don't know someone doesn't mean you can judge them.
The most important motif i saw was loneliness, Holden was always trying to talk to someone, whether it was to talk to a hooker or to talk to nuns, Holden hated to be alone. He would always go out to clubs to talk to people and hardly ever slept.
To me Holden's Hunting hat was the biggest symbol in this book, it was like something that would fix everything. Every time he would wear it, it would make him feel comforted and make him feel sexy or whatever.

Catcher in the Rye - Chapter 21-26 Response

Holden is starting to loose it and go crazy, he thinks he is falling every time he crosses the street. I think he found the person in life that really makes him happy which is Phoebe. Every time he gets down he thinks about his sister and how much she means to him.

Catcher in the Rye - Chapter 26

Holden says that he will not talk about anything after that day that he and Phoebe shared. He says that he is telling the story from a rest home. He says that he is supposed to go to a new school soon and he might actually try while he is there. He wishes that he wouldn't have told about his experiences so much, even to D.B. He than says that if you know someone you start to miss everything.

Catcher in the Rye - Chapter 25

Holden stays the night on a bench, when he wakes up he starts to walk around, every time he came across onto a road, he thought he was falling and wanted Allie to help him, he would talk to himself out loud. He decides to never go home again and hitch hike west and never talk to anyone. He goes to Pheobe's school to leave a note saying to meet him at the Museum. Pheobe arrives at the Museum and asks to stay with him. He says she cant go. She gets mad and returns his hunting hat. They than go to a zoo, Holden than convinces Phoebe to go on a ride with him, this makes him very happy and he thought he was going to cry.

Catcher in the Rye - Chapter 24

Holden arrives at Mr. Antonili's place and he could tell that he had been drinking. They begin to talk about what happened at Pency and why he was leaving. Holden said he didnt like the rules. He talks about disgressions and how it made the debates more interesting. Mr. Antolini tells Holden that he is worried for him and that he is afraid that he is going to eventually fall into a big mess. Holden likes the conversation about this fall that he could experience but he goes to bed. He wakes up to find Mr. Antolini stroking his hair and he gets creeped out and thinks to himself what a pervert that Mr. Antonili is, he tells him that he would be back and that he forgot his bag, but he is not comming back.

Catcher in the Rye - Chapter 23

Holden leaves the room for a second to call his old English teacher. He is shocked that Holden has dropped out of another school and says Holden could come and stay with him. Holden goes back into the Phoebe's room and asks her to dance. They all of a sudden hear his parents entering, he hides in the closet, his mother asks if Phoebe was smoking, she says she just took one puff and threw it out, later after the went to bed Holden tells Phoebe that he has to leave now, Phobe gives him some money. He leaves for his English teachers house.

Catcher in the Rye - Chapter 22

He goes back into her room and he tries to explain to her why he has failed his classes. He tells her that he hates almost everything about school and she says that he hates absolutely everything. He claims he doesn't but she asks him to name anything that he doesn't hate. He tells her that he liked Allie but she said that doesn't count because she is dead. He than relates to the song Catcher in the Rye and tells her he just wants to be watching over a bunch of kids and would catch them if they were about to fall over the cliff, but she tells him that he heard wrong.

Catcher in the Rye - Chapter 21

Holden goes up into the elevator and tells the elevator person that he is going to go see a family, he tells him they are on a different floor but he will wait for them because he has a bad back. Once he gets into his apartment he goes to Phoebe's room but than realizes that she sleeps in D.B.'s room when he is out because it is bigger. She is excited to see him and she notices that he is home early and asks if he got kicked out. He says no but she thinks she knows he did and begins to say that dad will kill him. He than decides to go smoke some cigarettes.

Catcher in the Rye - Chapter 16-20 Response

Holden is starting to use his friends to sure his loneliness, but when he calls them he calls them for the wrong reason. He goes to the park and sees ducks, he starts to think of death and decides to go to Phoebe to help cure his loneliness inside of himself.

Catcher in the Rye - Chapter 20

After Luce leaves, Holden decides to get drink and gets very drunk, he calls up Jane and she gets angry for calling her and such a time at night. He walks to Central Park to see the ducks and drops and breaks his record for Phoebe. He thinks about the time when he missed Allie's funeral because he was at the hospital. He than decides to go see Phoebe for a bit then leave.

Catcher in the Rye - Chapter 19

Holden goes to the Bar. He thinks about Luce and how much of a funny and entertaining guy that he is. Luce later arrives and treats Holden like crap, Holden asks him weird questions. He suggests that Holden should get pycholanalysis. Holden remembers Luce's father is a psychoanalyst and asked if he was ever analyzed. He starts to get angry at Holden and leaves.

Catcher in the Rye - Chapter 18

Holden than goes to a grocery store of some sort and buys a Swiss cheese sandwich and a chocolate malt. He thinks about Jane again and wants to call her. He decides to call her. There was no answer. He then calls a boy named Carl Luce, whom he met at one of the schools he went to. Luce answers and they decide to go for drinks later that night. Holden goes to Radio City Music Hall. He thinks of a movie that he once saw and thought how he could never be in the war.

Catcher in the Rye - Chapter 17

Holden meets up with Sally and takes her to see a play, be begin to think that the people are all phonies and decides to take her ice skating. Later on Holden becomes very annoyed with her and calls her names. He leaves the skating ring alone.

Catcher in the Rye - Chapter 16

Holden goes to buy a record to give to Phoebe and he claims that he enjoys the way the music is sung even though it is music for children. He begans to think about talking to his sister Phoebe and how easy it is. He than sees a little boy singing the Catcher in the Rye song and makes his day, he looks for Phoebe in the park, but than meets up with a girl that knows her and said she might be at the museum, but then said that wast yesterday. He than remembers the past when he went to the museum and loved seeing it even though nothing ever changed.

Catcher in the Rye - Chapter 11-15 Response

Holden is becoming lonely and is still very depressed. He got beat up for not giving a prostitute ten dollars when he told her the man only said it was ten, he than asked out Sally on a date. He is also getting rejected from everyone he meets and wishes jsut to talk to someone.

Catcher in the Rye - Chapter 15

Holden checks out of the hotel, he calls Sally to take her on a date. Holden doesn't want to loose his money and talks about how his father hated it when he lost his money. He also is worried about how his mother is and what she would do if he was sick and if she would be worried. He then comes across two nuns, he gives them ten dollars because he think they would do a good cause with it, he wants to give them more but realizes he needs money for his date with Sally.

Catcher in the Rye - Chapter 14

Holden begins to think about the time he left Allie out from not going to go BBing with him and a firend, it makes him feel guilty and very depressed. Then he hears a knock on the door, the elevator man and the prostitute barge in and tells him he needs 10 not five, but Holden argues, he gets tackled by the pimp and they get his wallet, they only take out another five for what he owed. Holden then gets punched by the pimp and struggles to get into bed.

Catcher in the Rye - Chapter 13

Holden heads back to his hotel feeling like a coward and is depressed. Than the elevator person asks if he would like a prostitute for 5 dollars. He says yes, he waits anxiously. She gets there and they start to talk, she tries to get things started but Holden makes something up that he has surgery and cannot. She than asks for 10 dollars but Holden says it was only 5. She than leaves angrily.

Catcher in the Rye - Chapter 12

Holden decides to go to a club that his brother used to go to. He talks to a cab driver named Horwitz and asks him about the ducks, he gives him about the same answer as the last one. The only reason he went there was to hear Ernie play. He then meets on of his brothers old friends, her name was Lillian, he becomes very annoyed how she blocked the whole entrance. He then decides to leave.

Catcher in the Rye - Chapter 11

Holden in this chapter talks about with this Girl Jane in Maine. She used to have a dog and when he and Jane were playing checkers her dad came out and asked where the cigarettes were but she didn't answer. He kisses he on the head and tells her how much he loved her and comforted her. He then decides to go and grab a taxi.

Catcher in the Rye - Chapter 6-10 Response

Holden lies a lot in this chapter, especially with the mom in the train. Holden also is neglected a lot in this chapter, by the cab driver and the girls he danced with at the club. He seems to be getting more depressed every day and is not getting any sleep.

Catcher in the Rye - Chapter 10

Holden later decides to call Phoebe, but has second thoughts and doesn't, he then goes to a club nearby the hotel, he gets really drunk and buys drinks for some girls. He dances with girls and tells them how old he is because of his height and his gray hair. He starts to loose interest in the girls and goes home.

Catcher in the Rye - Chapter 9

Holden doesn't know to call when he arrives in New York, he then gets a cab. Later he asks the cab driver what might have happened to the ducks, the driver gets annoyed by this question and takes it too serious like as it were a dumb question. When he arrives at his room he calls one of his school gals. He talks to her and tells her to meet him somewhere around 2 O'clock but Holden doesn't want to wait and he can't go to bed.

Catcher in the Rye - Chapter 8

Holden gets on a train late at night. He meets a mother of a student at Pencey and thinks she is very attractive, he doesn't give her his real name because he doesn't want to raise suspicion. He tells his mother that he is one of the most popular boys in school, then he tells her he has to go because of a brain tumor.

Catcher in the Rye - Chapter 7

They talk about Stradlater in Ackley's room. Holden cannot stop thinking about Jane and if Stradlater went all the way with her. They get sick of t he conversation and Holden leaves. Holden then realizes school is not for him and decides to leave, he gets teary eyed. He says one last goodbye to Pency.

Catcher in the Rye - Chapter 6

Stradlater comes home from his date and is upset. Holden tries to ask how it went but Stradlater doesn't tell him. Holden starts to get in an argument with him and gets in a little fight. Stradlater breaks Holden's nose and becomes worried. Holden then leaves to Ackley's room.

Catcher in the Rye - Chapter 1-5 Response

Holden has gone through rough times as a child, he seems very lonely. He doesn't really have a lot of friends. He goes and sees a football game but doesn't sit with anyone. He has failed out of 4 schools because he doesn't care and is only good in about one or two classes.

Catcher in the Rye - Chapter 5

Holden and Mal decide to go to a movie and Holden convinces Mal to let Ackley go with them. They then decided to have a snowball fight and people start joining. They than go back inside, Holden then decides to write about his brother Allie's baseball glove, that he wrote poems in it with green ink, Allie passed away from leukemia.

Catcher in the Rye - Chapter 4

Holden follows Stradlater in the bathroom and he talks to him while he is getting ready. Holden talks about how Ackley and Stradlater both have a certain kind of hygiene that is gross. Stradlater asks Holden to write a paper for him because he won't have time. He tells hHolden that her name is Jane and Holdens remembers the good times they had and told Stradlater to tell her about the checkers but figures he wont.

Catcher in the Rye - Chapter 3

In this chapter Holden tells us about where he lives, he is reading a book with his hunting hat on, when a kid named Ackley comes in and bothers him, Holden keeps te3lling him to clip them over the table and finally does, Ackley also doesn't brush his teeth. Later on Stradlater comes in and Ackley leaves because he dosen't like him, Stradlater tells Holden he has to leave because of a date.

Catcher in the Rye - Chapter 2

In this chapter, Holden goes to his old English teachers house, his name is Spencer. He invites him in, he than starts to lecture him about his grades and why he failed English he tells him that its jsut not his thing. He is concerned about Holden's future and Holden leaves, but thanking him.

Catcher in the Rye - Chapter 1

Holding starts out by saying what has happened at Pency. He tells us something about his brother who lives in Hollywood but doesn't mention anything about his childhood. He says he gets kicked out often and that he is only passing one class, which is English. Holden is the manager of the fencing team but lost all of equipment. Holden is standing on the hill watching a big game and he is saying goodbye. He goes to see Mr. Spencer, who was the History teacher. Holden is a very heavy smoker.

Catcher in the Rye - Characters

Holden - 16 years old teenager, has been kick out of school numerous times. Thinks everyone in the world are phonies.
Ackley - Holden's neighbor at Pencey
Stradlater - Holden's roommate at Pencey, Goes out with a girl named Jane.
Jane - Girl that Holden used to hang out over the summer and still thinks about her.
Phoebe - 10 year old girl, Holden's sister. Holden loves her sister very much and is the only person he really cares about and listens to.
Allie - Holden's brother that died of leukemia. He wrote poems in his baseball mitt in green pen.
Sally - Girl that dated Holden for a long time.
Mr. Antonili - Holden's old English teacher.