The Catcher in the Rye

1
The Catcher in the Rye

• 194-214

2
Holdens Health

• I still had that headache. It was even worse.
  And I think I was more depressed than I ever was
  in my whole life. (194)
• What made it even worse, my eyes were sore and
  burny from not getting too much sleep. Besides
  that, I was getting sort of a cold. (195)

3
Holdens Health

• I started to sort of laugh. It was about the
  worst thing I couldve done, because the minute I
  started to laugh I thought I was going to vomit.
  (196)
• Only, I didnt eat the doughnuts. I couldnt
  swallow them too well. The thing is, if you get
  very depressed about something, its hard as hell
  to swallow. (196)

4
Holdens Health

• I could hardly get my breath, and I was still
  sweating like a bastard. (198)
• I sort of had diarrhea, if you want to know the
  truth. (204)

5
Holdens Health

• I sort of passed out. (204)
• I got sort of dizzy and I thought I was going to
  pass out or something again. (206)

6
Mr. Antolini

• Pages 194-195
• What is Holden doing?
• Justifying the possibly inappropriate behavior of
  Mr. Antolini
• Common behavior of victims

7
The Magazine

• Societal Expectations
• What influence do societal expectations have on
  adolescents in our society?

8
Crossing the Street

• Then all of a sudden, something very spooky
  started happening. Every time I came to the end
  of a block and stepped off the curb, I had this
  feeling that Id never get to the other side of
  the street. I thought Id just go down, down,
  down, and nobodyd ever see me again. (197)

9
Crossing the Street

• Boy did it scare me. You cant imagine. I
  started sweating like a bastardmy whole shirt
  and underwear and everything. Then I started
  doing something else. Every time Id get to the
  end of a block Id make believe I was talking to
  my brother Allie

10
Crossing the Street

• Id say to him, Allie, dont let me disappear.
  Allie, dont let me disappear. Allie, dont let
  me disappear. Please, Allie. And then when Id
  reach the other side of the street without
  disappearing, Id thank him. Then it would start
  all over again as soon as I got to the next
  corner. (198)

11
Crossing the Street

• What type of fall is Holden talking about?
• Mr. Antolini believed Holden was heading for a
  fall.
• Falling off the cliff while running in the field
  of rye?

12
Holdens New Plan

• Move out west where no one would know him
• Pretend he was a deaf-mute
• That way I wouldnt have to have any stupid
  useless conversations with anybody. (198)
• Marry a beautiful deaf-mute woman.

13
Holdens New Plan

• Live on the outer edge of the woods so it would
  be sunny all the time.
• If we had any children, wed hide them
  somewhere. (199)
• Keep them in glass cases
• Protect their innocence

14
Expletives on the Wall

• Holden sees expletives written on the walls in
  the school and museum.
• Who does Holden blame for writing these?
• I figured it was some perverty bum thatd
  sneaked in the school late at night to take a
  leak or something and then wrote it on the wall.
  (201)

15
Expletives on the Wall

• Who is really responsible for writing these
  expletives?
• Kids
• Evidence?
• One was written in crayon

16
Expletives on the Wall

• Purpose of this Scene?
• Flaws of extremism
• Not all kids are good
• Because Holden believes the expletives on the
  wall are bad things, he immediately assumes an
  adult did it.
• Not always true.

17
Holdens Conclusion

• Its hopeless, anyway. If you had a million
  years to do it in, you couldnt rub out even half
  the signs in the world. Its impossible. (202)
• Similar to his dream job
• He cannot catch every kid in the field of rye.
• Eventually, people will lose their innocence.

18
Holden and Phoebe

• Phoebe packs a bag so that she can go out west
  with Holden.
• Holdens reaction
• No. Shut up. (206)
• I was almost set to hit her. I thought I was
  going to smack her for a second. I really did.
  (206)
• That made her cry even harder. I was glad. All
  of a sudden I wanted her to cry till her eyes
  practically dropped out. I almost hated her.
  (207)

19
Why Does He Have This Reaction?

• I think I hated her most because she wouldnt be
  in that play any more if she went away with me.
  (207)

20
Why Does He Have This Reaction?

• The Play
• Represents Phoebes childhood
• Holdens actions are depriving Phoebe of her
  childhood.
• Therefore, he is responsible for taking away her
  innocence.

21
The Carrousel

• It played that same song about fifty years ago
  when I was a little kid. Thats one nice thing
  about carrousels, they always play the same
  songs. (210)
• Similar to the museum

22
The Carrousel

• All the kids kept trying to grab for the gold
  ring, and so was old Phoebe, and I was sort of
  afraid shed fall off the horse, but I didnt
  say anything or do anything. The thing with kids
  is, if they want to grab for the gold ring, you
  have to let them do it, and not say anything. If
  they fall off, they fall off, but its bad if you
  say anything to them.(211)

23
Reaching For The Gold Ring

• Represents change
• Risking falling off the horse to grab the ring
  falling of the cliff

24
The Red Hunting Hat

• Phoebe puts it on Holdens head
• Phoebe protects Holden
• People are always letting you down.
• Finally, someone helps Holden

25
The Rain

• Holden gets soaked
• Symbolism?
• Baptism or New Life?
• I was damn near bawling, I felt so damn happy,
  if you want to know the truth. I dont know why.
  It was just that she looked so damn nice, the way
  she going around and around, in her blue coat and
  all. God, I wish you couldve been there. (213)

26
What Happens To Holden?

• Pages 213-214
• Setting of the final chapter
• Holden is in a psychiatric facility in California
• Holden has a nervous breakdown

27
Final Lesson

• Dont ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you
  start missing everybody. (214)
• Consequences of taking risks
• Especially in forming relationships