The Catcher in the Rye

1. The Catcher in the Rye • Chapters 24-26

2. Holden’s 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) • Nearing end of breakdown mentally and physically • Questions his interpretation of Mr. A’s actions

3. Ugliness • Christmas tree • Should represent innocence and purity • The men defile Holden’s image with profanity (child’s image) • Vulgar image of society that man accepts • Profanity in school and museum • “Somebody’d written ‘Fuck you’ on the wall. It drove me damn near crazy. I thought how Phoebe and all the other little kids would see it, and how they’d wonder what the hell it meant, and how they’d all think about it and maybe even worry about it for a couple of days. I kept wanting to kill whoever’d written it” (201) • Wants to protect the innocence of children

4. Expletives on the Wall • Who is really responsible for writing these expletives? • One is written in crayon • “I figured it was some perverty bum that’d sneaked in the school late at night to take a leak or something and then wrote it on the wall.” (201) • Not all kids are “good” • Because Holden believes the expletives on the wall are bad things, he immediately assumes an adult did it.

5. Holden’s Breakdown • “Every time I came to the end of a block and stepped off the goddam curb, I had this feeling that I’d just go down, down, down, and nobody’d ever see me again…Every time I’d get to the end of a block I’d make believe I was talking to my brother Allie. I’d say to him ‘Allie, don’t let me disappear’… And then when I’d reach the other side of the street without disappearing, I’d thank him” (198). • Prays to Allie to not disappear • He wants to vanish, disappear from the harshness and the ugliness but is afraid - wants to be saved • Decides to run away

6. Holden’s New Plan • Live on the outer edge of the woods so it would be sunny all the time. • “If we had any children, we’d hide them somewhere.” (199) • Keep them in glass cases • Protect their innocence • Idealistic fantasy

7. Holden’s Conclusion • “It’s hopeless, anyway. If you had a million years to do it in, you couldn’t rub out even half the … signs in the world. It’s impossible.” (202) • Similar to his dream job • He cannot catch every kid in the field of rye. • Eventually, people will lose their innocence.

8. Phoebe • “All of a sudden I wanted her to cry till her eyes practically dropped out. I almost hated her. I think I hated her most because she wouldn’t be in that play anymore if she went away with me” (207). • “I’m not going anywhere. I changed my mind. So stop crying and shut up” (207). • Represents Phoebe’s childhood • Holden’s actions are depriving Phoebe of her childhood. • Therefore, he is responsible for taking away her innocence.

9. The Carrousel • “It played that same song about fifty years ago when I was a little kid. That’s one nice thing about carrousels, they always play the same songs.” (210) • Similar to the museum

10. Phoebe and Holden • Realizes his dream to be “catcher” is unrealistic • “All the kids kept trying to grab for the gold ring, and so was old Phoebe, and I was sort of afraid she’d fall off the godamn horse, but I didn’t say 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 it’s bad if you say anything to them” (211). • Grabbing for the ring is a risk of falling off horse= falling off the cliff • Has to let children experience life and make mistakes • Reality sets in, healing begins

11. Phoebe and Holden • First time Holden shows maturity • Selfless relationship (hat) • Phoebe represents innocence and purity • Someone is finally helping Holden • “I felt so damn happy all of a sudden, the way old Phoebe kept going around and around. I was damn near bawling, I felt so damn happy, if you want to know the truth. I don’t know why. It was just that she looked so damn nice, the way she kept going around and around, in her blue coat and all. God, I wish you could’ve been there” (213).

12. The End for Holden? • “I’m sorry I told so many people about it. About all I know is, I sort of miss everyone I told about…It’s funny. Don’t ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody” (214). • Consequences of forming relationships • Still lonely and confused • Still doesn’t communicate problems • Lacks bitter and cynical tone