The Catcher in the Rye

1
The Catcher in the Rye
2
Chapter 3

• most terrific liar you ever saw
• Reader believes him because he points out that he
  lies to OTHER people, not to the reader
• Ossenburger
• Understanding of man not correct hes an
  undertaker who shoves the dead in a sack and
  dumps them in a river.
• Concept of man is correct phony shallow
  (talks about Jesus in insincere manner)

3
Chapter 3

• Ackley
• Personal habits slob, mossy teeth, pimples,
  lousy manners
• Personality negative, grates on Holden
• Outcast
• Hates Stradlater because S is everything A is not
  (generous, outgoing, rich) says S is conceited
• Stradlater
• Told Ackley to brush his teeth
• Phony kind of friendliness
• Holden
• Feels sorry for Ackley
• Defends Stradlater saying good guy

4
Chapter 4

• Spencer, Ackley, Stradlater real people?
• Details given about each
• Spencer bumpy chest
• Ackley mossy teeth
• Stradlaters razor that was always rusty as hell
  and full of lather and hairs and crap
• Holdens observations accurate, though may seem
  exaggerated at times

5
Chapter 4

• Holden critical of negative behavior of others
  but also says positive things about people (ex.
  Stradlater being handsome)
• Holdens repetition of speech
• I really was and oughta go down and see Jane
• Conversational tone
• Trying to capture true patterns of speech

6
Chapter 5

• Holden shows sympathy for Ackley
• Invites A to go to town w/Mal and himself
• At end of chapter he says that w/all his physical
  problems, you had to feel a little sorry for the
  crazy sonuvabitch. (p. 39)

7
Chapter 5

• Allies death was difficult
• Punched out all windows in garage, tried to break
  out windows of car
• Talks about poems on glove
• Holden idealized memory
• Only mentions good memories of Allie great
  student, nicest person in family, never got mad
• Probably exaggerates good points

8
Chapter 5

• Quotation about red hair
• Doesnt reveal much about Allie
• Reveals how hard Allies death was for Holden
• Red cap symbol of alienation
• Putting cap on sets him apart
• People shooting hat (p. 22)
• Red color may subconsciously remind him of
  Allies red hair

9
Chapter 6

• Im a pacifist, if you want to know the truth.
• Comment comes immediately after Holden tried to
  sock Stradlater, with all my might, right smack
  in the toothbrush, so it would split his goddamn
  throat open. (p. 43)
• Holdens anger with Stradlater
• Stradlater took Jane out on date
• Afraid S made sexual advances toward J
• J is innocent in Hs eyes not Jean

10
Chapter 7

• Focused on Stradlaters advances on Jane
• H wants to protect J
• H is upset because S has had sex with girls all
  the time and H hates him for that
• H may be envious since still virgin (p. 48-49)
• At end of chapter, sad lonesome, being kicked
  out, disappointment to parents, and unable to
  relate to anyone

11
Chapter 8

• Holden tells lies to Mrs. Morrow
• Wants to make her feel good about her son
• Gives her false name
• Saves a lot of explaining
• Feels comfortable in anonymity
• He focuses on her wealth with his comment about
  her rocks

12
Chapter 9

• Holdens separation from others
• Wants to call people (D.B., Phoebe, Janes
  mother, Sally Hayes, Carl Luce) but rejects each
  one
• Inability to have relationships with others

13
Chapter 9

• Man dresses in womens clothing
• Couple squirting water out of their mouths at
  each other
• Holden says hes the only normal bastard in the
  whole place and that isnt saying much

14
Chapter 9

• Ducks asks the cab driver where they go in the
  winter
• Shows true concern for something he can connect
  with since he cant connect with any people

15
Chapter 9

• Admits confusion about sex
• Says guys shouldnt horse around with girls
  they dont like
• Girls should be treated properly
• Says he wont have anything to do w/girls he
  doesnt like but calls Faith Cavendish, who
  wasnt exactly a whore or anything but that
  didnt mind doing it once in a while. (p. 63)

16
Chapter 10

• Phoebe
• Holden can relate to her ( Allie) views her
  w/parental affection
• Girls in the bar
• Morons shallow
• Bernice (the blonde)
• Sounds unintelligent
• Ignores Holden on dance floor
• Looks for celebrities

17
Chapter 11

• Jane represents innocence
• Flashback to when Holden met Jane
• Significance of keeping kings in back row
  (checkers)
• Her teardrop on checkerboard (Mr. Cudahy)
• Her possible involvement w/Stradlater is
  difficult for Holden to deal with
• Tries to comfort Jane

18
Chapter 12

• Comic interlude w/Horwitz (cabby)
• Cabby is loud, matter-of-fact
• Holden is over-analytical
• Ernies Club
• Ernie is snobby, only talks to big shots
• Complacent w/his work in front of people
• Would do better in a closet playing for himself

19
Chapter 12

• Lillian Simmons
• Thinks probably her date doesnt like her also
• Naval officer
• Hyperbole He was one of those guys that think
  theyre being a pansy if they dont break around
  forty of your fingers when they shake hands with
  you.

20
Chapter 13

• Holdens feelings about sex
• Tries to refrain from viewing girls as sex
  objects
• Thinks that when a girl gets passionate she loses
  her brains apparently boys do not

21
Chapter 13/14

• Holden, Maurice, Sunny
• Holden agrees to prostitute
• Unwilling to have sex w/her, wants to talk
• Wanted to somehow relate to her as a human being
• Fearful of losing virginity

22
Chapter 14

• Holden, Maurice, Sunny
• Refuses to pay Maurice more
• Doesnt want to be taken advantage of
• Holden willing to risk beating for the principle
  of the thing
• Fantasy about bullet wound
• Criticizes Sunny for her reliance on movies
  during day
• Loner-type personality
• Straight from Hollywood B movie