From Another Point of View
If you don't trust Holden as a reliable narrator, how about if you tell your version of the story? YOU, of course, are NOT you. You will now retell some part of the Holden chronicles from the point of view of any one of the characters in the book, like Mr. Spencer, Phoebe, Stradlater, Ackley, Jane Gallagher, Sally Hayes, Mr. Antolini, etc. If you don't want to retell any one incident, then just tell me what you think of this Holden character.In completing this assignment, try to imagine how your character would "talk" to the reader. In other words, don't make your character sound like Holden.
Any worthwhile and creative assignment of this type is going to be at least a FULL page long.
posted by JTF @ 9:25 AM
43 comments
43 Comments:
(This is a GREAT assignment! I've always wanted to do something like this for a grade instead of just for fun. Anyway, I've chosen to tell a portion of the story from Carl Luce's point of view. If I have to tell why, it's because I like him as a person, slightly aloof, arrogant, calm... So, here is my journal. I had a TON of fun writing it.)
When I received the call from Holden Caulfield, I was slightly shocked. I had not seen or heard from him in a while, so this call was quite unexpected.
In my surprise, I nearly missed his invitation to dinner. I would have liked to go, yes, but since I had already made plans to meet with a friend, so I told him I would meet him at ten for a drink at the Wicker Bar.
As I hung up and turned to put a shirt on, I could not help but ponder on what had made me go. Caulfield... he was certainly different. He was confused, not knowing what was right or wrong, or even what he wanted. Sometimes he was mature as hell, and others times he was no more mature than a child. In my opinion, I think he is merely a child in a young man's body, not that I would ever tell him that.
When I left to fulfill my first obligation, I told myself that I would not think about Holden until it was time to meet with him. Easier said than done, unfortunately. Being the enigma that he is, Holden is a difficult person to forget. It is hard to not dwell on his faults and virtues, faults mostly, and try to figure out what makes him himself. Therefore, instead of forcing myself to think of more pleasant topics, I decided to dwell on the creature that fate named Holden Caulfield.
I did not know what to begin with, though. There is so much to that boy that an entire lifetime of study could not reveal all of it. For one thing, he is much too cynical as though every person in New York, or the world for that matter, was trying to bring about his quick and painful demise. In the time that we went to school together, he never really trusted anyone fully, or at least that is what it seemed to me. Then again, I was only his student adviser and never got to know him as a close friend might. Not that he would ALLOW anyone to become his friend…
The hours preceding ten o’clock passed as they normally would, if not faster as my first engagement neared its end. For some reason I wanted time to move more quickly just so I could meet with Caulfield just to see if he had changed since I had last seen him. I did not expect a change, but anything could have happened since then.
I kept glancing at my watch every so often, which actually turned out to be every four or five minuets. Nine o’ clock, nine o’ five, nine-twenty… When nine thirty came around, I nearly sighed audibly, but caught myself. I did not want to appear rude or bored to my friend. I stood and departed with a smile and a quick good-bye, pushing the door open to immerse myself once more in December in New York City. I pulled my coat tighter around my body and jammed my hands into my pockets to stave off the cold. I had half an hour until I had to meet Holden, a half hour that I was probably going to need to find a ride.
Exactly thirty minuets later I exited the cab quickly outside the Wicker Bar, relived that I had made it. As I entered, I put a bit of a swagger in my step and put on a mask of aloofness. I really do not know why, but I suppose it was to make it look as though I was better at Caulfield and I KNEW it. It was stupid, yes, but what is done is done.
After I sat down next to him at the bar, I ordered a martini, dry, without an olive, and told him that I could only stay for a few minuets because I had a date. It was a good thing that he wasn’t very good at reading people. Otherwise, he would have realized that I was lying. I really didn’t have a date that night. All I wanted to do was keep the meeting with Holden short for reasons that are now unknown to me.
The first thing he said to me was, “Hey, I’ve got a flit for you. At the end of the bar. Don’t look now. I’ve been saving him for you.”
“Very funny,” I replied, snorting slightly. “Same old Caulfield. When are you ever going to grow up?” The statement sounded harsh in my ears, but it was true. He really did need to grow up.
Seemingly unfazed, he asked, “How’s your sex life?”
Despite the fact that I flaunted my knowledge of sex when we went to Whooton, I felt quite indignant. What business of his was it? Therefore, I told him to relax, but the conversation stayed on the topic of sex. As the conversation progressed, I became more and more agitated as we began to discuss MY sex life and my relationship with my girlfriend. No matter how many times or how many ways I told him, Holden just would not stop talking about sex. It only helped to strengthen my opinion of what an immature little boy he was.
As the conversation continued, I eventually found myself telling Holden that his mind is immature. While he verbally agreed with me, I find it hard to believe that he actually meant it. What helped to reinforce it was the fact that he continued to complain about his lousy sex life, not that he had one in the first place, but it was irrelevant. All I told him was to go see a psychoanalyst as I had the last time I saw him. He seemed to calm down at that point, but not completely. I explained to him that he would just talk to the psychoanalyst, my father, and that was that. I also told him that I didn’t care what he did, to which he replied that I was a “friendly bastard”, It was then that I asked for my bill and made ready to leave, having tired of the conversation. He asked me to stay for one more drink, but I told him that I was late and left.
I shook my head as the door closed behind me, hoping that Holden would be able to sort himself out before he decided to do something stupid. I decided not to dwell on it, however, and hitched a ride back to my place, trying to think of something other than Holden Caulfield, the child in an adult’s body.
(Please forgive the length, my plot bunny ran away. If it seems like I rushed the end, sorry, but I really didn't feel like copying the whole conversation verbatum from the book.)
(I decided to write from the point of view of Mr. Antolini. I will retell the scene of when Holden comes to his house late at night.)
The door bell rang. At first I was shocked, who would be visiting at this hour, but suddenly I realized I had told Holden to come over if he wanted. To tell you the truth I didn’t really think he would show, but I was happy to have him. I rushed to the door, I had kept him waiting long enough, and I was very interested in what new problem he had created for himself. I opened up the door, and OH MY had he grown! I invited him in and we exchanged the normal how are you’s and how you been’s. My wife was embarrassed as hell to have company over. Women. They always are caring so much about there looks, when truth be told not that many people care. I’m not gonna lie, I like a nice looking gal, but for Christsake give it a rest, she looked fine! Anyway she would be going to bed soon and I knew I should have my talk with Holden now. You never know when that kid will disappear on you. He has so much potential, but he is just so troubled that he doesn’t know how to use it. I poured myself a drink and sat down. I started to ask how Pencey was. I knew the poor guy probably didn’t want to talk about getting kicked out of another school, but if that’s the choice he made then he can at least back it up with an argument. Of coarse I wanted to know how he did in English. I mean I taught him so much when I had him, and he excelled in the class. He could not have forgotten it all. Oral Expression! He failed Oral Expression! That has to be one of the easiest classes. Holden started to get all worked about how he likes a little digressing and if a kid wants to then let him. Well I guess what he forgot was that THAT was the purpose of the class! It’s true. Digressing a little isn’t such a bad thing. It makes a speech better if you don’t just stick to the cold hard facts, but when that is the lesson trying to be taught, you just learn it. He just has to disagree and find a problem with everything. Maybe I am being a little too fatherly in worrying about Holden, but I’ll admit, he was one my favorite students, and with no kids of my own, I feel like it’s my duty to take him under my wing. Him and his father’s relationship is not that great, so I feel like I should guide him since he trusts me. We talked for a while longer. He seemed as though he was getting sleepy and I had one more very important piece of advice to give him. So I thought if I wrote it down he could think about it tonight and then keep it with him forever. So I wrote down “The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of a mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one.” I knew this didn’t mean much now but I hoped it would later. We both finally went to bed. Holden was about to pass out anyway, but I ended up staying awake. I couldn’t fall asleep. I was too worried about Holden and where his life would end up. I had a few more drinks, and began watch him sleep. I’ve always wanted to watch my children as they fall asleep, but I have none of my on. I guess I got a little to into the moment and started rub his head. He woke up, and was terrified. I don’t know what exactly he thought I was trying to do, but honestly I was just being a father. He jumped up, got dressed, and left. He said he would come back, but didn’t. He probably thought I was some pervert, but honestly I had just had too much to drink, and a strong want for my own children. The next morning I had to explain to my wife what had happened. I just told her that he had to get up really early to be somewhere. She believed me, but I just hope he comes back to see me. I wasn’t done advising him yet, and he is the closest thing I have to a son.
im going to be stradlater in this little assignment. the only reason is because i found this encounter rather funny and interesting
so i get back from my date with whatever her name is and i come into the room and hoden is there. i asked him if he did that little assignment i asked him to do for me. he told me he did so i read through it a little bit. it was about a goddamn baseball mit for chrissake. what an idiot. the one thing he is supposedly half decent at and he cant even just right about a stupid room. then he really got stupid on me. when i told him i didnt like it he ripped the damn thing up. that sonuvabitch didnt help me one bit. then he started smoking and asking me about my date with whats her face. he started asking me all these questions about checkers and new york and what we did and stuff. then he seemed to be getting a little testy and he asked me if i 'gave her the time in ed bankys car.' i told him it was no bussiness of his. next thing i know the moron tries to sock me one as im brushing my teeth. he missed and i put him on the ground so fast and put my knee on his chest and just put all my weight on him. i was holding him down trying to keep cool and ask him whats the matter with him. all he kept doing was yelling and cursing and finally i told him i would let him up if her would shut his mouth. i released him and he started calling me a moron. i hate when people do that. no-stop he was just talking to me about how much of a moron i am. i told him to shut his goddamn mouth but he didnt listen. then, i socked him a god one. then i felt pretty bad and told him to get up and wash his face but he was still going the little shit. so i walked off to the can . i felt pretty bad about whacking him but then again he did have it coming.
Some really good, creative writing here! Great work.
For this assignment I will be taking on the role of Phoebe after she has recieved the note from Holden saying that he is going to leave.
I felt many things when I first read that note, I was shocked, scared, angry, confused, and very sad. I couldn't concentrate on my school work for the rest of the time before lunch. I kept thinking of something that I could do to try and keep him from going. I know that he just wanted to meet me at the museum to say good bye and give me my money back, but I had to make sure that he didn't go. So I went home and packed my things as if I were coming along with him. I am sure he was surprised when he saw me with a big suitcase coming down the street. When he started to tell me that he didn't need anything I knew that he had already decided that he defineatly going to leave. Then when I told him that I wanted to go with him I knew that he was going to say no because I know how much he cares about me. I could see that he was getting mad so I started getting mad and I threw the hat into his face and just stood there on the sidewalk. He tried to convince me that he was going to stay but I had to be sure so he finally said that he was going to take me to the zoo and that I could skip the rest of the school day. So I just ran across the street with out looking and started to walk to the zoo kind of following him like he thought I would. When we got there I continued to pretend that I was mad at him keeping my distance and when he tried to hug me I slipped out of his arms. I finally stopped pretending that I was mad at him when we were looking at the polar bears. After that we walked to the carousel at the park. He encouraged me to get on the carousel even though I said that I felt to big. I told him that he should come on to but he just watched me as I road on it multiple times even when it started to rain he just stood there watching me. After that we went home and talked to our parents about Holden getting kicked out of Pencey and we eventually got him the psychological help that I think he needed. He is doing well and will be going back to school next yer.
(I think for this assignment I am going to re-tell the scene at the end of the book when Phoebe meets Holden at the museum. I, of course will be re-telling this scene from Phoebe’s point of view.)
When I received a note from Holden, in the middle of school, saying that he was leaving, I was completely shocked. Only a couple days before, he told me that he would be “officially” coming home on Wednesday. I just couldn’t understand why he would suddenly change his mind and decide to just up and leave. So, when the bell rang to go home for lunch, instead of going straight to see Holden, I took a little detour. I went home and I took out a suitcase and began to pack. I didn’t pack much, just a few dresses, underclothes, and a couple other things. I was packed fairly quickly and I was on my way to see Holden. I walked to the museum and saw Holden standing outside waiting for me. I’m sure when I came across the street with a suitcase he was pretty puzzled. Anyway, I went to him and he asked me what I was doing with the suitcase because his were back at the station. I told him I knew his suitcases were at the station and that this suitcase wasn’t for him it was for me. When I told him I was going with him he practically flipped out. He told me I wasn’t and kept telling me to give him the suitcase because I wasn’t going with him. I kept insisting that I was and after a little while, he told me to “shut up!” I couldn’t believe that my brother had just told me to shut up, so I chucked the red hunting cap that he had given me back in his face. I was extremely angry with him and I didn’t want to talk to him at all! Then, he kept insisting that I go back to school. I told him to shut up and that I wasn’t going back. Hearing “shut up” out of me probably made him feel lousy. He then said that he had changed his mind about going and that he was going to stay here. He also agreed to let me not go back to school if we walked down to the zoo and talked. The whole way to the zoo I walked on the other side of the street and even once we entered the zoo I wouldn’t let him hold my hand. We were looking at the animals and for a brief second I forgot I was mad at him and I spoke to him. I quickly remembered, however, and I became silent again. We walked from the zoo to the park, not speaking the entire time. We came to the carousel and Holden insisted that I ride. I told him no, but he went and bought me a ticket anyway. I told him to come ride with me, but he refused and said that he would just watch me. I rode once and when I got off, Holden gave me money to go buy another ticket. As I took the money from him I told him that I wasn’t mad at him anymore and I gave him a kiss. Then, I also took the red hunting cap out of his pocket and put it on his head. I love my brother and I guess I just finally realized that it was stupid to be mad at him for practically no reason at all.
(I am going to re-tell the scene when Holden comes home and goes into Phoebe's room and talks to her.)
While I was sleeping, I thought that I heard someone come into my house. I crept out of bed to check, but I did not see anyone. I decided just to go back to bed and forget about the noise. Much to my surprise, I found my older brother, Holden in my room that night! I wasn't actually in my room; I was in my other brother D.B.'s room. I like to sleep in his room sometimes. Anyway, I was so excited to see my brother again. I immediately hugged him. I began to tell Holden about the play I am in. I am the part of Benedict Arnold. If he is able to come and see h me in the play I would be so ecstatic. I then realized that he was home early from Pencey. Mother told me that Holden would not be home until Wednesday. Holden tried to change the subject and he gave me a broken record. Even though that it was broken, I was still happy that he thought of me and brought me a present. I asked Holden if he got kicked out of Pencey. I just knew that he did. Why else would he be home so early? Daddy is going to kill him! Holden said that Daddy was not going to kill him, but I have different thoughts! He told me that he didn’t fail all of his classes, he passed English class. Holden started to go on and on about what he didn’t like about Pencey. He just kept going on and on about negative things. He swore so much when he talked! I asked him if he actually liked anything. Holden is always being negative and I wondered if he actually liked anything in life. I could think of many things that I like. I like to play with my friends and go to some of the museums in the city. I waited a long time for Holden to try and think of something. The only thing that he could think of was Allie! Allie is not even alive anymore! Then Holden tells me a weird story about him being in a rye field. He says that this is something that he likes. He wants to go to a rye field and catch the little kids falling off of the cliff. Holden says that he would be the catcher in the rye. It sounded a little crazy to me. Holden said that he had to go make a telephone call and that he would be right back. When he got back he asked me if I wanted to dance. I was so excited when Holden asked me if I wanted to dance. I really love to dance with Holden. I am getting a lot better at dancing, and I am pretty good for just a kid. Suddenly, our parents arrived home and Holden ran into the closet. Holden said that he had to go and I was very sad to see him leave. He said that he needed some money so I gave him $8.65. Before Holden left he gave me his hunting hat. I really loved that hat and I was so happy he gave it to me. I was really sad to see him leave but I hoped to see him soon.
I’d like to start off saying that I really don’t like this assignment. I guess it’s just that I’m not that “creative”, but whatever. Sorry for the negativity. I’m going to be Sunny when she visits Holden in the hotel room.
Maurice came in and woke me up. He told me that I have a client waiting for me in room twelve twenty-two. I said alright and started getting myself prepared. I admit, I was extremely nervous. I was kinda new to this whole business and didn’t really know what to expect. I hope nobody could tell I looked nervous. I grabbed my coat and headed to the room. Boy was I anxious, I had no idea what to expect. I kept thinking to myself, “Don’t show nervousness. Act tough.” I got there and knocked on the door. I heard someone trip and tried not to laugh. The door was opened and I saw a tall, skinny boy who looked around 18. He smelled like scotch and cigarettes. I made sure it wasn’t a mistake, and he said that he was the guy. He invited me inside. I threw my coat on the bed and sat down sideways in a chair so I could get a better look at him. He looked around my age, what’s he doin’ is calling up a prostitute anyways? I noticed my foot was moving up and down and I quickly stopped. It’s always been a nervous habit o’ mine. I kept thinking, this kid better not be wasting my time. I’m trying to make a living here. I asked him if he had a watch. Boy did he look young. He said he was twenty- two. I could definitely tell he was lying. It was all over his face. I was getting rather annoyed. He kept asking all these stupid questions, like he was actually trying to get to know me or somethin’. I finally just took off my dress and threw it on the floow, trying to look experienced. He kept asking if I wanted to talk. What the heck does this kid wanna talk about? For a second I thought I should have left right then. “This kid doesn’t know what he wants”, I kept thinking. Then I realized that I couldn’t just leave. This was my job. I finally gave in and sat down. I figured the kid, Jim, or whatever he said his name was, would talk if he felt like talkin’ so darn bad. He asked me where I was from and I told him. I glanced at my dress on the floor and decided to hang it up. Was I supposed to hang up my dress? I’m still not very sure. He wouldn’t stop asking me questions. I tried to hurry things along but he kept makin’ excuses. He finally explained about how he didn’t feel like doin’ it and all but I kept trying to push it. I got on his lap and all. He really was a cute kid, especially compared to some other people I’m used to seein’. He said he just got an operation. Like fun he did. I knew he was lyin’ the whole time. I started to get a little mad. Why’d he tell crazy Maurice he wanted a girl anyway? He said he’d still pay me, and he handed me a 5. Five dollars? Maurice told me I’d be gettin’ 10. He wouldn’t give out the other five. I just thought I’d go get Maurice to deal with this, I didn’t feel like it too much. I got my dress and said so long to that crumby kid.
I am telling the scene from Maurice's point of view when he meets Holden.
It was pretty late one night, when I was still working as a bell boy, I meet this kid, i can't even remember his name now,but i remember him because he looked pretty old but i could tell he was a lot younger, also because he was acting really weird. I thought he would never say yes, but he did, so i went and woke up Sunny, boy she was mad. She was a nice girl when we first meet, and she is still pretty young. Well I no I told that kid ten bucks, and I don't no what happened but Sunny came back and she said he only gave her half, so i had to do something about that. When he came out of his room he was crying about how I told him five bucks, but I never get it wrong. Well that was a pretty slow night, and that kid was just one of those things i remember once in a while, ill probably remember his name later.
(I am writing this from Stradlater's point of view after the date)
Oh wow that was such a great date. I didn't get far this time, but I am sure I will get farther with her next time. I wonder if Holden has finished that paper yet. I hope he didn’t pull anything this time. I swear if he starts acting weird again I am going to have to take care of him. I knew it; the minute I walk in the room he is asking a million questions about what’s her name. Why can’t he just leave well enough alone and stop bothering me about everything? He is such an idiot! He asked me if I gave her the time. It seems like he is always in my business when it comes to girls. Why can’t he just go out and get one for himself. God, he is annoying. OH great now he is telling me that story about his brother again. God, if I hadn’t heard it enough times. He wrote my paper on his brother’s baseball mitt? No teacher is going to believe I wrote that! I am not that sensitive. Great, if he couldn’t make things worse. God I wish he would just leave Pency already. I knew he would get kicked out sooner or later. The only thing he is good for is this stupid jacket that feels small anyway. He is always bothering me about something. No wonder he has no friends. He is so negative about everything. He seems so immature. Why doesn’t he just grow up for Christ sakes? God he looks old enough to be 40 but acts like he is 4 sometimes. I can’t wait until he leaves. Maybe then I can have a roommate that is more like me. He won’t bother me all the time and will know when to ask things and when to just do what he is told. I don’t think I can take anymore of his complaining; I am going to have to take care of him.
Hmm...how about I be Sally Hayes, and you be the reader? Do we have a deal?
I got out of the cab and began walking up the steps towards where I said I'd meet Nancy (that's the codename for Holden; don't worry, I'll get into all that later). He greeted me pretty enthusiastically when I reached the top, which I wasn't surprised about. I wasn't wearing that beret for my health, you know.
I was pretty curious as to what we were going to see, so as we were walking down the steps, I asked.
"I don't know. The Lunts," he replied. That made me pretty excited. Oh, how I love the Lunts! I could go on about them for hours.
Nancy hailed a cab at the bottom of the steps, and we got in. He was feeling pretty frisky, so I figured I might as well go along with it. Then he told me he loved me. I thought it was pretty sweet, and I told him I loved him too. I didn't even remotely mean it, but I saw it as a chance to remark about his hair. You'll never guess what I told him! I said his hair was lovely. Ha! Isn't that grand! Nancy had about the least loveliest hair I'd ever seen in my life. One side was grey. Sixteen, and he's already greying! That really cracked me up. What a dope that Nancy could be.
We finally arrived at the theatre, and the show turned out to be swell. It told the story of this couple, and it goes through their entire life, from when their just kids to when their old. Some parts were very touching and sad, and the acting was phenominal! It didn't look like Nancy was really enjoying himself, though. He just sort of slouched in his seat the whole time. I swear, there really isn't much he enjoys.
Then, at the end of the first act, when we went out so Nancy could smoke his lungs out, I spotted somebody I recognized. I guess he noticed that I had been staring at him, because he came over and said hello. Then I remembered! It was old Georgey McShmitzenheimer! We had lived in the same building as each other a few years back. He was pretty good looking, too; it was just too bad he was a flit. Anyway, Georgey and I spent practically the whole intermission talking about the play. Both intermissions, in fact. We talked a little about people two. Boy, we sure knew a lot of the same people. We had so much in common, too. Like I said before, it's just too bad he was a flit. After the play, we kept talking for a little while, but eventually he said he had to go meet some friends for cocktails. It was then when I remembered all about Nancy. I had practically forgot that it was him whom I was on the date with! I imagine he was pretty sore about ignoring him the whole time, so I figured I'd make it up to him. I suggested going ice-skating at Radio City, which he agreed to. He might not have been too crazy about the skating, but I knew he'd change his mind once he saw me in one of those darling little skating skirts.
I hadn't gone ice-skating in a while, and it didn't exactly help that they'd given be just about the worst skates ever. They couldn't even support my ankles. They kept bending all over the place, and after a while I couldn't stand it anymore. Nancy must have known it too, because he asked me if I wanted to rest and go get a table. We took off our skates and went and sat down. Nancy ordered us a couple Cokes. He kept doing that dumb thing he does where he just lights up his matches for no reason, too. I got tired of watching it, so I figured I better get down to business. I asked if he wanted to come help trim the tree Christmas Eve. He said he would, but it was the way he said it that sort of made me mad. Then all of the sudden he started talking about school, and how much he hated it. That's just about all he ever wanted to talk about; how much he hates everything. He was asking me questions, probably just to see if I was listening to him, which I wasn't. I was just giving him one-word answers. I didn't mean to be rude or anything, it's just that I've heard all his rants about a million times before, not to mention I just couldn't get my mind off that Georgey McShmitzenheimer. By that point, Nancy had begun raising his voice, so I asked him to please stop. Boy, I really wished he'd change the subject. I'd try to chime in but he'd just cut me off. Finally, he really started to annoy me. He asked me if I'd run away with him and get married. It was rediculous! I told him that too, but then he started raising his voice. He was rambling on about moving up to Vermont. One minute he was screaming, the next he was mumbling. He starting talking about Newsreels, and how much he hated them and all. Newsreels! By then I'd just about lost it. Then, you'll never believe what he did. He told me I was a pain in the ass. I just about exploded! After I'd just sat through his rambling rants for twenty minutes, he said I was a pain in the ass! After he said it he started to apologize, but he'd already said enough. He wasn't sorry anyhow. He offered to take me home, but I refused. I told him he had a lot of nerve, because no boy had ever called me a pain in the ass in my life. Then, all of a sudden, he laughed. As if he hadn't done enough already! Finally, he left, thank God.
I eventually left the place. I got a cab and it took me home. Immediately after getting out of the cab however, the government agents showed up again. That's right. Two of them. They were g-men or something.
"How is Operation Trim the Tree coming along?" one of them asked.
"I never want to see that boy again," I answered firmly.
"Well, you have no choice," he replied. "Nancy must be eliminated. He is a communist revolutionary and a threat to the United States Government."
I had learned about all this about a year before. They had kidnapped me at school, and took me to some deserted warehouse. There they informed me about Holden working for the Russians and all. They told me about Operation Trim the Tree, in which I would have to invite Holden, codename "Nancy", to my house the next Christmas Eve to help decorate the tree. They would then "eliminate him". I was not allowed to share the details of the mission to anyone, for fear of being eliminated myself.
"I still think you've got the wrong guy," I said. "Are you sure you want Holden Cau--"
"Nancy," I was corrected. "And yes, there's no mistaking a commie."
Then they departed, and I went inside for a smoke.
Sally Haye's impression of Holden in the book:
Holden Caulfield is quite a character. I’ve known him for quite a while now. We used to go steady (or at least I thought we were going steady). My mother can’t stand him though. Every time I talk about him around her she says something degrading about him, like “he’s a wild boy” or “he will never do anything with his life”. I know Holden isn’t like all guys. He tries to be different, and it is pretty obvious. However, I think it is because of his rebellious attitude to everything that I like him even more. But don’t get me wrong I don’t love him enough at all to be married to him, especially ever since this past Christmas vacation when Holden really messed up.
It all started before Christmas vacation had begun when I wrote him a long letter which at the end of I asked him if he would like to come over to my house Christmas Eve to trim our Christmas tree with me. In response to my letter, he wrote me an extremely short letter in which he replied that he would come over to my house on Christmas Eve, but he showed no emotion. I have no clue if he really meant it. I really wanted him, to want to come.
One morning, shortly before Christmas Eve, Holden called me and asked me to go to a show with him that afternoon. I thought that was a marvelous idea, and so I told him so. This way I could see him and make sure he really wanted to come over on Christmas Eve. If he didn’t really want to come over, than I’d rather invite over one of the boys from Harvard or West Point that like me. After his call I spent the next couple hours getting ready for our date. It took me quite some time to get prepared; I didn’t want to look like I had just woken up. After I left my house I walked over to the clock at the Biltmore; it was around two tenish, ten minuets after I was supposed to meet Holden. However he probably expected that I would be late anyway, because I’m always late to everything.
When I first saw him I felt like I hadn’t seen him in years. He looked great! It was so splendid to see him, so many memories. I was extremely excited about seeing the Lunts. I, myself, know quite a bit about theater and literature and want to be an actress when I grow up. We took a cab over to Broadway, and what we did in the car would be very unlady-like to repeat. But, something that struck me odd was the way he said “I love you” to me. It just didn’t seem like something he would say. Naturally I said it back, but I don’t think I meant it in a very loving way as a boyfriend, I meant it more as a brother or friend.
The show was marvelous. I absolutely adore the acting the Lunts do. The acting seems so natural. During intermission, we walked out to the lobby where I recognized a boy, but couldn’t name him. I think I annoyed Holden a little while we were standing in the lobby, because I kept repeating that I recognized that boy from somewhere; at that Holden got a little irritated. The boy finally came over and told me that his name was George Rode. I soon as he told me his name I remembered that I had a friend who was good friends with George at one time. We hugged and talked about the play for the rest of the intermission. Then we all sat together for the rest of the show. I don’t really think Holden liked George. When Holden doesn’t really like something or someone, he usually gets pretty quiet.
When we got back in the cab I still hadn’t gotten a chance to ask him about Christmas Eve, so I invited him to go ice skating at the Rockefeller Rink with me, even though I don’t really love to ice skate; it hurts my legs and ankles so much, because unfortunately I have extremely flat feet. Another reason I really wanted to go ice skating, was so that I could wear one of those short skirts the real ice skaters wore; I really wanted Holden to think I was cute so that he would come over on Christmas Eve. He agreed to go ice skating, and soon we were on the ice at the rink trying to ice skate. We were decent ice skaters, but there was always a bunch of people who were much better than us.
Eventually he asked if I would like to go into the café attached to the rink and have a drink. I loved that idea! My ankles were killing me, and I think it showed because I kept rubbing them once we were seated at a table. At the table he ordered us Cokes and then he started to light matches and then let the matches burn to the bottom of the stick- stupid. It was then that I decided to break the silence by asking if was definitely coming over on Christmas Eve. Unfortunately he gave me the same answer I got in the letter he sent me “Yes- you asked me. Sure I am.” That wasn’t the exact answer I was going for. Next I know he starts asking me questions about how I like school and telling me about how he absolutely hates it. Then he started shouting about how he can’t stand living in New York and how I was the only reason he was still there. I wasn’t really sure how to respond to that, because he never really seemed to enjoy my company all that much. The next thing I know he asks me to runaway with him and become his wife. I couldn’t imagine any worse idea than that, at that moment. I tried to argue my point, but every time I tried to say something he would butt in with his own ideas. I knew that he didn’t like that I thought his idea was stupid, because he called me a royal pain in the ass. I had never seen that side of Holden ever! At that point I knew that I could do better than him and left the ice skating rink. I was awfully infuriated with him. I was so angry that I didn’t go out that night. I had to hide my anger, though, because if my mother knew it was due to Holden’s behavior she would surely kill him and I would never hear the end of it.
Just before I was going to bed later that night, Holden called my house and got my grandmother on the telephone. My grandmother tried to get him to call the next day, but Holden wouldn’t listen to her; I think he was very drunk- he likes to drink often. Finally I took the phone from my grandmother and listened to how Holden slurred that he wanted to come over Christmas Eve. I was so surprised to hear from him and I was more concerned about him getting sober and home, so I just said “yes, you’re coming over on Christmas Eve.” Eventually I got him to tell me that he was going to go home, but it didn’t happen.
A few days after my conversation with Holden in the middle of the night, my mother got word from Mrs. Caulfield about Holden. My mother and his are very good friends. I had no idea that Holden had been yet again kicked out of school. Now him telling me about how much he hates school makes sense. I would never have guessed that Holden had been living in crappy hotels and bumming it for those three days. I wished I had known, maybe I could’ve helped him; then again, he probably wouldn’t have wanted it.
Now Holden is seeing therapists and is trying to work out his depression. He’s still the same Holden though with his same singular thoughts and comments on everything. Somehow it makes me sad to see him so depressed; I guess I never really realized it before, I guess I was always more focused on myself. I wish I could be the kind of person in his life, like that girl that knew him before me, Jane Gallagher (he told me about her once). She seemed to make him happy inside and outside, and when he talked about her he glowed; that has always made me jealous.
He never made it to trim the tree on Christmas Eve that year or any other. However, I keep wishing that one Christmas Eve, he will come.
I’ll start of by saying I do not really get what were supposed to do in this journal when we were a character, so I decided to just say what Holden was like as a character.
Holden’s character hates mostly everything. He tells the reader of things and events that happen in the past. He is often uncertain about some things. He has trouble making decisions and even telling the truth. Holden thinks that almost everyone if fake or phony. He constantly raves about people being fake. Holden hates most of the other boys at prep school, much like himself. He even dislikes the Ivy League boys. I think Holden does not like people that remind him of himself. Holden hates people who lie, coincidentally, Holden himself is a liar. He raves so much about other people faults and mistakes, but never talks about his. He also talks about people being fake; he never says that he is fake. Whenever Holden says nice to meet you and does not mean it, he never talks about how that was “so bad” and “everything I do is fake,” it’s just not a big deal. I think Holden should stop talking about other people so much and talk more about himself. He makes himself out to be this “perfect” person with no faults. He only points out the faults of other people because he is Holden and so “wonderful” that he never do anything wrong in his whole life. If you ask me I think Holden has messed up his whole entire life. Holden goes to all of the best school, but never seems to stay in them. He never gets good grades and fails out. If Holden tried more I don’t think he’d complain as much. He could make friends and then maybe everyone wouldn’t seem so phony to him. I think he needs to just focus and actually try in school. If he did, I think his whole life would be better for him. He wouldn’t have to keep changing schools, meeting all these new people and teachers. It would all be the same for him. Holden is always confused about situations and has mixed feelings. He tells Sally that he loves her and wants to marry her. Then he wonders why he even said that. Then Holden hates her and call her a pin in the ass. Holden is very insecure. If he had more close friends I do not think he would feel so badly. He is very fascinated about the ducks. This I wonder because a normal person his age would not have the same curiosity about these ducks in a lagoon at central park that Holden has. Holden, in a sense does not want to grow up. He thinks every aspect of the adult world is phony or fake. He hates how adults materialize things such as Christmas. However, in a sense Holden is still a child. He may do adult thinks such as drink at bars and get a prostitute, but ultimately, Holden is more like a child. He has childish fantasies. Holden is extremely fascinated with the ducks and other childish subjects. He even asks the cab driver about the ducks. Holden wants to know where the ducks go in the winter. Holden chooses to leave the school early because there is no one there he likes. Why does he choose to leave then? Did he think it was a good idea to just rome New York on his own? I would not have done that if I were him. A big city, all alone does not seem like my kind of thing. Holden never told his parents that he wasn’t allowed back at school after the break? I wonder why he never shared this information with them. I certainly would have said something. If Holden choose to mention this to his parents, I think they would have let him return home. Then he wouldn’t have been in New York unaccompanied. Holden could have been home with his parents and Phoebe instead of sneaking around. In my opinion, Holden does not make good decisions and his life reflects his choices. He has no friends and is very miserable. He never wants to grow up, but in some ways he already has. I think he should stop trying to be a kid, and grow up already.
(I am going to be talking about holden from Stradlater's point of view.)
This Holden kid had some problems. They say if you want to know a guy, just live with them. That's what I did. I mean this kid was psychotic on so many levels.
For instance, the night of the big game I ask him if I can borrow his Houndstooth jacket, and he's reluctant because he thinks I'll stretch it out or something. Please! I would be doing the poor guy a favor that darn jacket didn't fit him right anyway. And before I leave to go on a date with this girl Jean Something, He asks me all these crazy questions about her and gosh, I just met the girl! And then he tells me all these stories about how they've known each other since they were kids and all and how she used to keep her kings in the back row. I mean does he really think i care about all this? For Chrissake. And that guy has the nerve to get in my light while I'm shaving like he's stupid or something. He must be if he's dropping out.
So when I got back, he asks me some pretty personal stuff about my date. He should know that that is a professional secret that only guys like me have a right to know. Anyway, so that same night while we're in the can discussing this Jean chic, He out of no where decides to jump on my damn back and knock me to the ground. I told you this kid was crazy, so I layed on him. I hit him so hard the guy couldn't even get up and fight back. But when I punched him I was kinda worried that I had broken his nose or something. Sometimes I don't know my own strength you know.
O yea I forgot, before I left for my date, I had asked Holden if he could write a composition for me(Even though the guy was failing out of the school, he was at least passing English so I figured why not.)I told him it had to be something descriptive like a room or a house. And what does he do? He writes it on some Allie guy and a baseball mit for Chrissake I mean what the heck is that?
Well I ended up handing in the stupid composition the next day, but I didn't talk to Holden the rest of the night. Who knows what happened to that kid.
This is definently a "creative" assignment, so let's see what I can do. I will be taking the point of view of Ackley after the fight with Stradlater.
I was asleep at the time, and then I heard a loud noise in the other room.Apparently Holden and Stradlater got into a fight. Over what, I don't know. So anyways, now I'm awake and then Holden comes barging in asking if I'm awake. I get kind of annoyed at this, and then he goes and turns on the light. He asks me if I want to play Canasta. Canasta!? I know I like the game but not at this hour. He was still bleeding from his nose, which annoyed me. I continued to ask him what the fight was about, but being the person that he is, he continued to change the subject. He asked me if I had any cigarettes. Then he asked me if he could sleep in Ely's bed. I was getting really annoyed now. I just wanted to go to sleep. I had to get up and go to Mass in the morning. I didn't have time for Holden's antics. He still wouldn't leave. All I could think about was how the heck am I going to get up in the morning to go to Mass? Then, of all the stupid, ridiculous things to ask, he asks me to tell him about my life. I finally just told him to turn the light out. He was being very obnoxious about it but eventually he left. He didn't come back the rest of the night and I was able to sleep in peace. I thought I heard some talking in the other room but I let it go because I was so tired. Good night everyone.
(I'm going to tell the part about when Holden drops off the letter to Pheobe at her school and tells her that he's leaving.)
I was sitting in class jus waiting for the bell to ring because I really couldn't wait for recess. Then all of a sudden a lady called me out of the room and said there was a not for me from my brother. I was rather excited to see what Holden wanted to tell me. I opened it and it said he was going to be leaving for the West today and to meet him in front of the museum of art. I didn't want him to leave. It would be horrible to not see my big brother ever again. I decided if he was going then I was going to.
I ran home as quick as I possibly could. I quickly packed up a small suit case with a few changes of clothes and some necessary items. I didn't want to pack too much though. I was scared though because I think I might miss my parents if he'd actually let me go. They'd be so worried about me, but I can't risk losing my favorite brother. I really hoped he was going to still be there when I got there because I was late.
I finally arrived at the museum of art and found Holden there. He told me he was leaving then. He asked me what my bag was for and I told him I was going with him. He refused to and got horribly angry at me. He yelled at me and told me I couldn't come. I thought he might hit me and possibly hurt me. He just seemed so violent. I couldn't hold my emotions anymore and I started crying. I had never seen my brother like this he almost seemed sickly. He kept telling me I couldn't go. He finally told me he'd stay home if I went back to school. He promised, but I didn't no if I could believe him. Then he tried to persuade me by saying I could skip school and go to the zoo with him. He was just trying to make me not angry at him. But, I wasn't having it. I threw his hunting cap at him and ran across the street almost being hit by cars. I can be very careless sometimes when I'm very angry. Holden started walking to the museum. I followed him, but kept my distance. I tried to act like I wasn't looking at him. I can't believe Holden was so mean to me. Holden walked to the zoo and I followed him. He finally entered the zoo so I ran across the street and ran in with him, but I wasn't forgetting about how mean he was to me. I'm going to give him the silent treatment for the rest of the day. We'll see how he'll like that.
I am going to talking about Holden from Stradlater's point of view
This Holden guy is one bad apple. He smokes in the dorms and breaks countless rules which really cooks my goose. He needs to set his priorities striaght. He obviously doesn't care about his hair nearly as much as he should. And don't even get me started on his sexuality, for Chrissake, what mature teenage kid doesn't love stroking their chest with their shirt off for minutes at a time? I'll tell ya, he has way too many feelings bottling up inside that are just gonna explode. He cares way too much about people's lives and backgrounds and not enough about skipping to the sexy stuff. I swear sometimes i think that he thinks that he's some sort of saint. He can't even write descriptively about rooms and houses and whatnot, he's got to write about some goddamn baseball glove. I don't even think he plays sports! No wonder he doesn't get the ladies, hes got no muscle mass whatsoever to him and he hits like some wussy little girl. Unlike me, hes got no future. I can already see his ass 10 years from now all haggard and homeless in the inner city. Oh well, at least I get a dose of reality that not everyone's as perfect as me.
(I am going to retell the part of the story when Holden sneaks into Phoebe's room, from Phoebe's point of view.)
As i was peacefully sleeping, I heard some bangs coming from the doorway. My mom and dad weren't home. It was just me and the maid. I knew it wouldn't have been the maid making noises, because she was probabely sleeping. I didn't want to get up, so I stayed tucked into my bed. After a few minutes I didn't hear anymore noise, so I fell back asleep. When I woke up(I'm guessing a few minutes later) Holden was in my room. I was so excited! I jumped right up in my bad and hugged him and gave him a kiss. I had missed him so much! It didn't even matter how tired I was. I was easily up in a quick second.
I was suddenly very hyper and was telling Holden everyhting that was going on. I retold him about the play i was in. I showed him how I could make my forhead really hot all of a sudden. But when I demonstrated, I don't think he really believed me. But I know it works. I laid out a pretty good belch for my size. I have been taking lessons form my friend at school. Holden was very worried about mom and dad coming into the room and seeing him. I was quite confused why he was home two days early. And I knew it! He got kicked out of Pencey. He tried denying it, but I could tell. I'm good at that stuff. Even when he denys it, I knew he did. He said he was going to be fine, and had this big plan of what he was going to do with his life, and that he didn't like Pencey much anyways. But Holden doesn't like ANYTHING. I asked him a simple question of, 'what do you actually like?' and he couldn't even give me a good answer.
I knew daddy was going to kill him. I just knew it! He got pretty irritated with me, but it was the truth. He went a smoked a few cigerettes. When he came back we danced. I showed him new my dance moves, which he was very impressed with. I have been working on them and they've gotten a lot better. Holden was still worried about out parents coming in, so he had to run off. He needed some money though so i gave him all my christmas money. I didn't mind much, I mean, he needed it. He got very sensitive about it and started crying histarically for about 10 minutes! But he eventually took the money and said he was going to pay me back when he came to watch me in the play.
I think I'll write the point of view of Mrs. Morrow.
It was late. I was at the train station in Trenton when the train came. I got on the train and sat next to this one boy, and I put my bag in the aisle. I looked at the boy, and he seemed very tired. All of a sudden, I noticeed a Pencey Prep sticker on his suitcasse. I figured maybe he knew Ernest. "Excuse me," I said, "But isn't that a Pencey Prep sticker?" He looked at me. "Yes, it is," he replied. "Oh, do you go to Pencey?" I know it seems like a dumb question, but I didn't know if maybe he graduated. "Yes, I do," he said. He sounded so tired. I thought maybe I should stop talking, but I wanted to know if he knew Ernest. "Oh, how lovely! Perhaps you know my son, then, Ernest Morrow? He goes to Pencey." This was exciting! I had never spoken to one of Earnest's classmates before! "Yes, I do. He's in my class." I asked him what his name was, and he told me it was Rudolf Schmidt. I knew he was making it up, but I let him think that I believed him. We started talking about Pencey. I asked if he liked it and he told me he did. I told him that Ernest liked it too and he believed it. He told me that ernest was a good student, adapted himself easily, all that nice stuff moms like to hear. I didn't know how much of it was true, I certainly knew he was makng up the fact that he adapted himself. He's never ben agood mixer, I even told him that. Then again, kids always act different when they're away from their parents. Then he said something that shocked me. He asked if I wanted a cigarette. I'd never had someone his age offer me a smoke. I told him that I didn't think this was a smkking car, but he didn't seem to care. So I took a cigarette from him and just started smoking it. Not too heavily though, I've always been very calm when I smoked. I notioced his nose was bleeding and he told me he got hit with an icey snowball. what a bunch of crap! After sixteen years of being a mother I think I would know snowball damage when I saw it! But I didn't feel like making him explain what really happened, so I let it go. Then he started saying something that I knew he was making up. He started telling me that Ernest was really popular and should run for student government. Now, I knew earnest wouldn't make a very good leader, no, matter how different he may be around his friends. I was starting to think that maybe this kid was a pathological liar. Either that, or there was another Ernest Morrow that went to Pencey, which I found to be very unlikely.
After the conductor came for my ticket, "Rudolf" asked if I want a cocktail. I told him he was too young to order drinks, but he told me that because he was so tall that he could usually get them anyway. Then I remembered something. Ernest had told me break didn't start untill Wednesday. I told this to "Rudolf" and he told me that he was home early so he could get a brain tumor removed. That must have been it. The tumor was probably messing with his memmory. I decided not to bother him anymore. I sat and read some magazines untill my stop. I stil don't know his name, but I sure hope that his operation went well and that he'd doing fine now.
I will be writing from Horwitz's Point of View
So one night I’m driving my cab along, minding my own business, Ya know? It’s late at night and theres not too many people fiending for a cab right away, but this one peculiar looking fella comes and hails me down. So I think to myself this guy, he must be 16 but I see gray hair and can’t tell if hes 40! So he asks to go to Ernie’s in the village and I was like yeah, yeah whatever, just a usual youngster tryin’ to get into the clubs. But when we get chatting, it’s a decent length away, he keeps asking about these stupid ducks at some pond. I think it was something about the central park pond or lagoon or something. So I says to him, “I dunno, mac.” But he keeps bringing up the question “But where do the ducks go?” I dont know where the ducks go. All i cared about was getting this crazy kid outta my cab and onto the streets for someone else to deal with. But the kid, he just dont stop, I think he muttered hsi name was Holder or Holden or something, I dunno. So i’m thinking to myself, ‘Why don’t I juat make up some dumb reason to get this kid off my back?’ That seems like a smart thing, ya know? So I says to him “Look mac, it’s like the dumb fish in the pond, what do you think happens when they are frozen for God’s sake?” Like the kid wont shut up, he’s always blabberin. He says, “I dunno” I say again “Mother nature is gonna take care of the fish. You don’t think that the fish just die every year when the lagoon freezes do ya?” Well he just gets al quiet and the car is silent for the rest of the ride until we get to ernies when I say “ Look mac, mother nature is gonna take damn good care of the ducks and e fish. So if you was a duck mother nature would take care of yous right?” Then I got his cash and zoomed out of that joint as quick as I could.
(I will be Sunny when shes going to vist Holden)
Oh my god here comes that darn Maurice comes with a grin on his face, I bet he has another job for me. I swear to god if it is another drunk old man I think I am going to vomit. They stink so bad and they always have a smirk on their face like they won some big prize. So Maurice just told me I have a new client, one that I might like. I grab my things and head for the elevator. I was so nervous I could barely push the numbers to get to what floor I was going to. The elevator comes to a stop and to tell you the truth I was regretting this whole process. I really have only done this a couple of times so I'm really no pro or anything. I have almost no idea what I am doing and how I know what to do at all was from one of Maurice's other girls LaLa she kinda gave me a few pointers. Here it is, his room. I knock on his door waiting and praying he feel asleep. He answers I look at him strangely, he looks as though he could be my age. My nerves clam a little, maybe this wont be so bad after all. So I really just want to get this over with so I strip off my coat and the guy just stands there looking at me like I am a chicken that just cut off my head. I look down at my coat and reliaze I should hang it up since it was new or whatever. As I am hanging up my coat the kid decied he wants to talk like we have been long lost friends. At this point I am already humliated enough I don't want to sit here and have some phony conversation with him about stuff that really doesn't matter. Then he does the strangest thing he tells me hes not in the mood. If you werent in the mood why did he have me come here in the first place. So after my time has been wasted I grab my coat and get my money and hurry out of this place before anything can be done.
[So.. i get to choose a character? I'd have to say, being Pheobe, the biggest thing in Holden's life, would be pretty awesome, so let's go with her. I will be Pheobe.]
I was sleeping in my brother D.B's room, when I saw my door across the hall open up. I knew something was up when i had looked at the clock and realized it was only about 1130 PM. I hadn't thought that my parents would have been hoem for atleast another half an hour. Anyways, who ever it was must have noticed I wasn't in there because they came straight to D.B's room afterwards. I tried to pretend that I was asleep though, just incase it was really my parents. Then, I felt a light tap on my shoulder, and then a suddle shake. "HOLDEN!" I screamed! "OMG! HOLDEN! YOU ARE HOME!"
I wanted him to know everything. I mean, I hadn't seen my older brother in a while, I think he deserved to know what had been going on at home. I put in most detail about my play at school. I was so excited that I got to act ON STAGE, IN FRONT OF PEOPLE! I wanted most for him to be there opening night in the front row, centered, just to see me. Although i didn't tell him this short to nothing dream, I could still think about it. I mean I truley always knew how Hodlen really feels about plays and broadways and stuff. He hates them. I could tell he truley did.
Even though i was so thrilled to see my brother I knew something was up. "He's home two days early" i thought to myself. "You got yourself kicked out of Pency prep didn't you?" I asked, sort of nervous. He didn't respond at that very second, but he didn't have to. I knew he had, just by looking into his eyes. Even though I felt so sympathetic for my brother, all i could say was "DADDY'S GONNA KILL YOU!" I could tell he didn't like that, but he had to admit, it was the truth. Then, he kept ranting on about why he always fails, and why he ahtes school, and how he doesn't really need stuff liek that.
In my mind, his words were shut out, because I was only screaming deafening inside. Plus, the pillow also helped to drown him out. Eventually, he decided that he needed to leave the room. He smoked cigarettes in the other room. I think he only left so I didn't see the smoke. Either way, I knew he was smoking heavily. I could smell the smoke strong and powerful from down the hall.
By the time he had come back, I had calmed down a bit. The deafening screaming had narrowed down to a slight shriek in the back of my ears. He tried to explain all of this dreadful hate again. "YOU HATE EVERYTHING! WHY DO YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO HATE EVERYTHING? THE WORLD IS NOT AS CRUEL AS IT SEEMS! " I pointed out. "You only make it that way." "I do like something or someone." Holden tried to explain. I reallyw anted to know what that one thing was because all he ever told me about was what he hated. I was beginning to think sometimes, he even hated me. It hurt me real bad inside to think that though.
"I like Allie." he stated. "ALLIE'S DEAD!" I screamed. Now I was just about furious. I couldn't believe that he was now putting our dead brother into this! It was torture. This was hurting me inside even more than before. I couldn't believe that the one thing or someone he liked at all was DEAD! If the only person he liked was dead, I reallyw anted to know what he wanted to be. He wanted to be "The catcher in the Rye". I thought it was hilarious. He started to chant the words, "If a body catch a body comin' thro the rye." I thought his life goal/dream was interesting. Even thought I had known that his words were wrong, I listened to what he had to say. I finally had to correct him on his lyrics.
My brother decided to leave the room again after that. I really had no clue what was going on though. All I could think about was the hate my brother always had. He finally came back and asked me to dance. To dance?! I couldn't believe it! I loved dancing! It was my passion, and it was something I was really good at. He held me close while we danced and I had wished that my brother would never leave me. His chest was warm and his hands were freezing from the outside. The dances had lasted very long to me, even though it had been a few songs.
We then heard our parents come in. Hodlen decided to hide in the closet for some reason? I knew he didn't want mommy and daddy to see him, but seriously, the closet? Well, anyways, when my parents had gotten done with me and went back to their rooms, Holden finally came out. Although my room had still smelled like smoke, I didn't mind. Especially after the news he told me.
"NEW YORK!?" that's all that filled my mind all that night. "New York." I couldn't believe it. He was leaveing completely for New York. I felt a tear drop run down my skin, but I don't think Holden had really noticed, ebing so dark and all. Before he left I gave him my christmas money I had been saving. 8 dollars and some change.My body was weak because of the news that I could not handle. That shriek was now a deadening scream all over again. The rest was a blank. All I remember was him giving me his red hunting cap. It wasn't very nice and it was very dirty, but I still treasured it. It was my big brother's. How could I not?
(from the view of Maurice)
Well one night I was working late as I usually do, riding up and down in some stupid hotel elevator and dealing with wannabe players. So this kid walks in and he looked like he was alone so I decided to ask him if he might be lonely. I guess I knew he was just some kid trying to act mature but he looked old enough to me so I thought he could handle it. So I charged him five bucks for a girl to go visit him and he told me what room he was in. So later that night I went to go wake up Sunny, this girl who thought she could come to New York and instantly become a star but I assured her that she could work with me and get a little money to get her feet on the ground. I told her to go down to that kid's room and that he should pay her ten bucks, I knew he would end up paying it because after all he was just a kid. So anyway a little later she comes back and says not only does he wuss out, the little bastard didn't pay her the ten bucks. So obviously I had to teach the kid that when you make a deal you pay up, not anything serious I just roughed him up a little. Of course if Sunny hadn't been there I might have hit him up for even more money because I knew he have the guts to call the cops, but Sunny was bugging me to let him alone so I just took the ten bucks and left. I don't really remember what he was like he was just some whinny kid who I knew I could make a little money off of and I didn't see him in the hotel after that night, he was probably too scared and embarrased to show his face.
chose to do this writing assignment from the perspective of Stradlater.
I remember that Holden Caulfield used to be my roommate at Pencey Prep. When he first moved in he seemed to be pretty weird. I mean he was always just sort of roaming around. I mean for Chrissake he used to sit or stand for hours sometimes doing nothing at all. I wasn’t really interested in making friends with him until I needed to do a composition for English. My typewriter had broken so I asked to use his when out of nowhere he offered to do it for me. He said he needed something to lose himself in. Well I don’t know why anyone would turn down having something done for him or her for Chrissake so I let the poor sap do it. It was probably one of the best assignments I ever turned in, but that drew the attention of my teacher so I had to be careful from then on. Sometimes when I saw Holden really down I tried to be nice to him at least somewhat, but he often just kind of threw it back in my face. We still got along even though I had to shoot him down before. I tried to double date with him once, but I could tell that he wasn’t comfortable with me there. I saw him looking back with a sick face on. Not sick like vomit, but sick like he was jealous of me. I don’t really blame him for being jealous though. After all, it was me who he was stuck with. I get a new girl every weekend basically and have plenty of memorable moments. That night that Holden was watching me I could tell he was studying my moves, so I decided to help him out by pushing it a bit further. There was no way the kid would go that far on his own unless he had a master to study. From that day on he was always interrogating me about my dates. What I remember most about Holden was the night that I had a date with this girl named Jean Gallagher or something like that. He wouldn’t stop talking about her after I mentioned that she knew him. That sort of annoyed me because I needed another composition done that night, but he was much more interested in my date for the evening. Nothing special happened that night except for everything with Holden. The crazy sonuvabitch wrote me that composition like I asked, but it was about a stupid baseball mitt for Chrissake and then he got mad at me when I told him how stupid it was. That really made me angry. I told him how stupid he was and hoe he couldn’t do anything, but then he tried to attack me. I easily took him down, but the boy just didn’t learn so I had to hurt him. I didn’t really want to hurt him though. I was only trying to settle him down. After that night I woke up to find Holden gone. I never got a chance to say goodbye, but if I would have known he was leaving that night I would have at least told him it was a pleasure to meet him and that I wished him good luck with his next school.
chose to do this writing assignment from the perspective of Stradlater.
I remember that Holden Caulfield used to be my roommate at Pencey Prep. When he first moved in he seemed to be pretty weird. I mean he was always just sort of roaming around. I mean for Chrissake he used to sit or stand for hours sometimes doing nothing at all. I wasn’t really interested in making friends with him until I needed to do a composition for English. My typewriter had broken so I asked to use his when out of nowhere he offered to do it for me. He said he needed something to lose himself in. Well I don’t know why anyone would turn down having something done for him or her for Chrissake so I let the poor sap do it. It was probably one of the best assignments I ever turned in, but that drew the attention of my teacher so I had to be careful from then on. Sometimes when I saw Holden really down I tried to be nice to him at least somewhat, but he often just kind of threw it back in my face. We still got along even though I had to shoot him down before. I tried to double date with him once, but I could tell that he wasn’t comfortable with me there. I saw him looking back with a sick face on. Not sick like vomit, but sick like he was jealous of me. I don’t really blame him for being jealous though. After all, it was me who he was stuck with. I get a new girl every weekend basically and have plenty of memorable moments. That night that Holden was watching me I could tell he was studying my moves, so I decided to help him out by pushing it a bit further. There was no way the kid would go that far on his own unless he had a master to study. From that day on he was always interrogating me about my dates. What I remember most about Holden was the night that I had a date with this girl named Jean Gallagher or something like that. He wouldn’t stop talking about her after I mentioned that she knew him. That sort of annoyed me because I needed another composition done that night, but he was much more interested in my date for the evening. Nothing special happened that night except for everything with Holden. The crazy sonuvabitch wrote me that composition like I asked, but it was about a stupid baseball mitt for Chrissake and then he got mad at me when I told him how stupid it was. That really made me angry. I told him how stupid he was and hoe he couldn’t do anything, but then he tried to attack me. I easily took him down, but the boy just didn’t learn so I had to hurt him. I didn’t really want to hurt him though. I was only trying to settle him down. After that night I woke up to find Holden gone. I never got a chance to say goodbye, but if I would have known he was leaving that night I would have at least told him it was a pleasure to meet him and that I wished him good luck with his next school.
I'm going tell a part of the story form Phoebe's point of view until right when the parents got home.
I was in the middle of a pretty nice dream when i got up and saw my big brother in my room. I was so happy! Mother told me he was coming home on Wednesday so i didn't expect to see him here so early. He asked me about my Christmas play and I didn't wanna be a snob or anything, but I told him that I basically have the biggest part. I started telling him all about the story and how interesting it was and all and asked if he got the letter I sent him about coming to the play. He said yes, so I was happy. I was a little bummed to tell him that daddy couldn't come to my play cus he was going to California. He's always going places and I sorta get sad when everyone else's dad comes to the play. I was still so excited that my favorite brother had come home early to surprise me adn I guess I got a little loud so he kept telling me to shh. I don't really like it all that much when people shh me so I told him there was nothing to shh about cus mother and daddy went to a party and wouldn't be back until really late. I couldn't wait to tell him all about the things he missed like this really good movie I saw this afternoon and how we have a radio in our car now and I love it, but mother won't let us play it when we are in traffic. He told me about this record he bought me but it broke but I didn't care cus I needed a display to show my class about the effects of drugs so I was pretty happy. I also told him about this boy in my class who pushed me down the stairs. I said I didn't know why he did it but I thought he hated me. That was sort of a little lie cus I know he likes me and I like him but its just more fun to tease each other instead of getting into all that mushy stuff. I asked him again why he was home so early. I thought he got kicked out again but when he answered he did this little thing with his eye so I knew he was lying. Daddy was gonna kill him. Daddy was just talking about how much money he wasted on Holden and the next time he gets kicked out that Daddy was gonna wring his neck. I started laughing really hard so I put the pillow over my head so Holden couldn't see my face. I remember mother saying that it was un-lady-like or something to laugh really hard with your mouth open but I still thought it was funny so I kept laughing. He told me about why he got kicked out of school again but I wasn't really listening. I wondered if Holden had a girlfriend. I bet she would've been nice. I get sorta lonely being the only girl besides mother and all but she doesn't really count. She's actually pretty mean if you thinka bout it. Always telling me what to do, what to wear, and it really just gets annoying sometimes. I heard him say something and told him that he doesn't like anything. He said he did so I asked him what. He couldn't think for a while but then he said Allie. Allie's dead I told him. He always says Allie. The truth is he's really a bitter old man. He said he had to make a phone call so I just waited on my bed for him to come back. I started looking at myself in the mirroe and realized y haircut was really ugly like Holden said. I wondered if I should've fixed it but then he came back. The nicest thing happened too. We started dancing. I haven't danced with him in such a long time but I was still so much better than him. We got tired really quick and i told him to feel y forehead. I wanted to show him this trick I learned from Alice Holmberg. I thought I heard something then and the door opened. Uh oh!
I am going to retell the story from Sunny's point of view.
"Sunny, you got yourself another customer. Hurry the hell up. He's waitin." I opened my drowsy eyes, put on my new green dress, and followed Maurice up the elevator. "It's room twelve twenty-two. Don't be too long." As I walked down the hall, I was dreading working that night. My parents died last year, so I came to New York City to become an actress on Broadway. Never did I expect myself to end up prostituting. Things just didn't go my way. I guess I wasn't good enough to act. So I had no money, house, or even food. And guess where I ended up? It's happened to a lot of us. Coming to New York City to achieve a dream and just having it fall to pieces right in front of our face. And the only person we could turn to was Maurice. Anyway, I knocked on the door. I heard footsteps and then a loud bang. I figured he tripped over something. As the door opened, a tall, skinny, dark haired man peeked out. "How do you do?", he said. Great. It was one of those fake sophisticated guys.
His name was Jim Steele and he claimed to be twenty-two, but I knew he was lying. He looked about my age. I walked in and just sat down on this big chair. He offered me a cigarette. Why is it that everybody seems to think that all prostitutes smoke? I was actually really nervous. I just sat there jiggling my foot up and down. Finally, I just pulled my dress off and was left standing there in my pink slip. Then, he asked if I wanted to just talk. That was new. I had never had someone just want to talk to me. I really just wanted to get this all over with so that I could get back to sleep. I told him to hang up my dress. It was brand new. I bought it with last week's money. It was so nice and made me feel so glamorous. I didn't want it getting ruined. He kept asking me all these questions about my life. I tried to make it a dead end conversation, but he just kept it going. He was becoming very annoying. Finally, I just told him that I wanted to hurry up and get this done with. He came up with some excuse that he had surgery done on his clavichord. But I knew the real reason he didn't want to do it. He was a virgin. I could tell. Any other guy would have had me done with in a few minutes. I figured that maybe I would get him to change his mind. I started playfully flirting with him. But still he refused and just pulled five dollars out of his wallet. I decided to get him back for having me wake up for nothing. I told him it was ten. He wouldn't give me any more money though and made me leave. I was so mad. I hurried to go tell Maurice. Once he found out how he treated me, he stomped back up to his room. This time he was wearing his pajamas. How embarrassing. Maurice asked for five more bucks, but the guy still wouldn't give it up. I grabbed his wallet and took the five dollars myeself. Maurice and I were getting ready to leave when Jim called him a "dirty moron". Maurice doesn't take anything from anybody. So he walked right over and socked him one in the stomach. It was the first time I had seen Maurice actually have to beat somebody up.
I am going to tell the story from the cab driver Horwitz.
I was on my daily route around New York City. It was late and I saw a kid waving me down so I pulled over and let him in. After awhile the boy asked me about the ducks that lived in Central Park. I don't think the boy relized that i was clearly uninterested in anything he was saying. He kept asking where they went during the winter, as if i knew. I'm only a New York City cab driver. So I replied to him I told him that they went away. He then began to ask me if they came back. I thought,"My God this kid asks so many questions." I said of course they do. To stop the kid from asking anymore questions about the stupid ducks I began to talk about the fish. I told him that the fish would freeze up in the pond and stay there until spring came and thawed them out. That didn't stop the boy though. He then asked how the fish ate. I thought,"What a stupid question." I told him that they eat the nutrients from the plants through the ice with their pores. He stayed quite until we reached the hotel that he asked me to take him to. As he stepped out of the car I said to him that if he were like the frozen fish that mother nature would take care of you too. The boy paid me said thanks and walked away.
I decided to portray the story from Horwitz's point of view because that was one of the most symbolical scenes in the book. And thought that if we could understand what Horwitz was thinking then maybe we could understand what the symbolism trully is.
I will be telling this scene from Catcher as Horwitz, the cab driver.
Yeah, so I was cruising around on a dreary Saturday night. I picks up this kid about 15 or 16 but who cares about all that jazz. I just drive this cabby to make some change, ya know feed the kids and all that garbage. I'd say the one goddamned thing I hate the most is when punks try to make nice with ya when they really don’t know nothing about nothing. So Holden or whatever in the hell his name is one of those kids. He starts askin' me about some sort of lagoon by the park. He's asking where the stupid ducks go when it’s cold outside. I'm thinking how the hell should I know, what do I look like a biolysis or whatever you want to call it? So I'm thinking that I've just got to get this annoyance to Ernie's 'cause he's wild. "How the hell should I know," I asked him. I was wondering why a little brat would give a rat's behind about a buncha birds. And then he's calling me out about being sore on the subject, but I had to keep my cool because Ernie's is a pretty penny in taxi fare. The kid started to grow on me though, he had spunk and I liked that. I tried to relate to the guy ya know? So I started talking about the fish, they freeze and eat their own bodies and such. Now I'm a cabby, and it’s a tough job, so I realize I'm going to have to bear with Heldan and try to understand him. This was a tough one and he tested me to the point where I didn't even care what he thought of me. A little boy was challenging that the fish stay in the ice, like he would know for chrissake. He was the one wondering about the god forsaken birds on the lake goon or whatever he called it. Holdener looked shocked when I turned around and told him about the ice and the fish. He was startled like a fairy princess like I was some kinda killer or something. I was thinkin' that even though we had this big quarrel I had taken a liking to the kid I guess, but he didn't like me. Yeah so then this kid tried to get all fresh with me, trying to be my best friend or some crap, asking me to join him for a drink. I told it like it was, although I wish I might have had the chance to join him. I didn’t got time be drinking with some boy when I could be earning cake just driving people around. I tried to teach him just like one more thing about the fish, but he was wanting to go to the bar and all that jazz. So that was it I had to be right on my way, so I put the pedal to the metal and I was out.
MCD GREEn
HOlden Caulfeild is a very strange teenager. He is negative to the point that it gets irritating. The sad thing is I know kids that act like that also and it really bugs me. Holden acts like there is something wrong with everything like all of the prep schools that he has been to. Obviously if he has failed out of multiple schools, they are not the problem. It is him and he needs to take that hint and straighten himself out. Holden also never wants to take advice from anybody. He would not take advice from teachers to get himself together and he did not want to take Mr. A's advice about life. He is stuck in his childhood and needs to grow up. All of the good memories that he has are from his childhood. Holden thinks that everyone is a pervert or they are stupid or a jerk. I think that Holden is the one that is stupid or even a jerk for criticizing people too harshly. He is also a mean person a lot of times, such as when he scolded his sister in the middle of the street when she did nothing wrong. Holden Caulfeild needs to lighten up and be a happier person. I am glad we are all not like Holden.
[this is the scene when Holden wakes Phoebe up after he sneaks into his house]
I woke up suddenly and you never would have guessed; I saw my older brother Holden sitting right there next to me. Of course I was happy to see him, but who knows why he is here and why this late at night. I gave him a really big hug. The first thing I asked him was if he had gotten my letter. He better have gotten it. That letter was five pages long! There was no way I was going to re-write that thing; it’s not like I could remember it word for word either. Anyway, me and Holden, we started talking, you know about my Christmas play, important stuff, and then I mentioned to Holden that mom said he wouldn’t be back until Wednesday. He said something about how he got out early, and then he asked about mom and dad. I told him they were out or something, but then, oh my gosh! I almost forgot! I had to tell Holden about the movie I saw this afternoon. It was called “The Doctor”. The movie, in my opinion, was very good. I started to go into detail about the movie to Holden, and I just couldn’t stop. There was so much that happened there was no way I could explain it briefly. Anyway, Holden kept interrupting me, asking me about why mom and dad would be home late, but I just ignored him and kept going on about the movie. It was a swell movie actually. Except for the fact that Alice’s mother kept reaching in front of me, which I thought was very rude, and annoying. Eventually, I could tell Holden was getting annoyed because I wouldn’t answer him, so I stopped and answered his question. After I told Holden that they went out and wouldn’t be home till late, he seemed to relax a little bit. Who knows why? Next Holden pulled out this record that he had bought for me. Even though it was broken into, I’d day, a million pieces, I still liked it. So I took it and put it away. We talked for a little after that, and then I realized that there had to be some reason why Holden was home before Wednesday. Then I knew the real reason he was here. Holden had gotten kicked out of school again! Holden admitted it sooner than I thought he would. I kept telling him daddy was going to kill him, but he didn’t listen. If I were daddy, I would probably wanna kill Holden too. I mean, how many schools is this now, fifty? Holden makes me so mad sometimes. He is my big brother and I care about him, but why can’t he just be good. I was so mad at Holden that I put my pillow over my head and didn’t come out. He begged and begged, but I didn’t budge. I kinda felt bad, but Holden really needs to learn his lesson. I sure do hope he does someday.
(I’m going to be talking from Selma Thurmer’s, the headmaster’s daughter, point of view. I know the book only mentions her once or twice but I think she’s an interesting character.)
Gee, I hate football. It is such a silly sport, just a bunch of boys running after a little ball while trying to push the other team into the ground. It’s just such a juvenile sport and I really do hate watching it. But, of course, my father forces me go to the Pencey Prep games. He can’t seem to face that no one will “take a liking to me” at these ridiculous things. Plus whenever I go it’s freezing outside! Really, why does it have to be played during the winter? Don’t those bear-like players have to hibernate or something? Anyway, back to how Father refuses to admit that I’m plain looking and none of these self-absorb Pencey boys will ever talk to me. They’re only interested in those cute, perky girls. As a victim of an all-girls boarding school, I must add that those girls are never that cute and perky in the morning; honestly they’re quite scary. Any who, I always see them hanging on the seniors’ arms and laughing at all their jokes. None the boys pay any attention to me; it has to be because of my big nose. I inherited the Thurmer nose unfortunately, and it’s really quite large.
The only Pencey boy that was ever nice to me was Holden Caulfield. He’s handsome, I guess, in a different way than most boys are. He’s very tall and his hair on one side is going gray, I think it makes him look rather dignified. He sat next to me on the bus from Agerstown and actually began a conversation with me. I was taken aback mostly because I had been absorbed in my thoughts. You see, my mother had agreed to let me get those false nails for the first time a few weeks back and they were starting to get tattered. I was wondering if I should try to take them off myself or go back to the salon so that they could do it. They were becoming quite bothersome. At any rate, it surprised me when Holden struck up a conversation, because as I’ve said most boys from Pencey don’t talk to me at all. We talked about little things like books, the classes we were taking, and movies. I just love the movies; they’re so romantic! He didn’t seem to care much for them; he kept mumbling something about how all the actors are phonies. We talked about my father briefly, but Holden was a little put off it so I changed the subject. Once again Holden was mumbling something about phonies and how he dislikes them. It was a nice chat though, seeing as how I don’t get to chat with boys to often. He seemed to have a nice time too. I think it’s rather sad that he was expelled for his grades, since he appeared so smart in his own way. I do hope I get to chat with him again sometime; I don’t even think my big nose bothered him that much!
(I am retelling the scene when Phoebe shows up at the museum with a suitcase and expects to go on the trip with Holden.)
“I have to hurry up….I won’t make it to the museum in time to see Holden if I don’t hurry up!” I hastily packed all of my clothes and anything else I wanted to take with me. I was tired of my school, tired of everything else. I just wanted to live a life like Holden’s! Exciting things happening, no school, and wandering New York sounded wonderful to me. When that old lady that works in the principal’s office gave me the note, I knew that Holden was going somewhere, so I made up my mind. “I’m going with Holden. I don’t care where he’s going, but I’m coming too, this time,” I said to myself, glad of my decision.
When I got closer to the museum, I saw Holden on the steps. I crossed Fifth Avenue and headed to the big doors to meet Holden. “Hi,” said Phoebe, when she finally got to where Holden was. That suitcase was heavy! He said to me, “I thought maybe you weren’t coming. What the hell’s in the bag? I don’t need anything. I’m just going the way I am. I’m not even picking up the bags I got at the station. What the hellya got in there?” Wow, he sounded arrogant. Of course he would need his bags! He can’t make it to wherever he’s going on just Christmas money! I told him I was going with him. He said, “What?” and almost fell over. I swear he did.
I explained that my suitcase wasn’t heavy, but he wouldn’t listen. All he said was: “No, shut up.” That took me by surprise, but I wasn’t about to give up and go back to school now. I told him that I wouldn’t even take my suitcase with me if he didn’t want me to, but he interrupted me and said: “You can’t take anything. Because you’re not going. I’m going alone. So shut up.” I wasn’t giving up yet. I pleaded with him. I really did. I pleaded with him so strongly that I couldn’t even finish my sentences. He cut me off, though. He was so rude. “You’re not going. Now, shut up! Gimme that bag.” He ripped the bag out of my hands. I was then overcome with sadness. Out of all people, I thought he would understand! But, no of course not! All he cares about is his stupid trip and his stupid self. He won’t even take his own sister! I thought all of this at once, and I was so much that I just started to cry.
From page 206 of The Catcher in the Rye.
(I am going to retell the scene in chapter 6 when Holden and Stradlater get into a fight.)
Crack, the door swings open abruptly. “Thank God I am so good looking, Holden. You know what I think my purpose in life is to get all the babes and not even have to try.” Stradlater bragged. “Shut the hell up Stradlater you aren’t that special trust me,” said Holden. “Then how do you explain my date with that Jane Gallagher chick?” asked Stradlater. “Don’t talk about her like that you don’t even know her; you think everything is a joke, Stradlater.” said Holden. “Chill out, Holden you always get so worked up about things. What’s this? Looks like you didn’t get a very good grade again Holden what a surprise.” Said Stradlater. “It’s nothing don’t touch it. I’m serious Stradlater!” exclaimed Holden. “A baseball glove with a poem in it, what is this Holden? I told you the assignment was suppose to be about a description of a room or a house. No wonder your being expelled. You can’t even follow a simple assignment,”exclaimed Stradlater. “You know what Stradlater, I'm getting tired of you and you mouth. So what if I wrote about a glove with poems in it, I didn’t want to write about some stupid house. That stupid glove your talking about means a lot to me so just shut up!” barked Holden. “I’m glad you leaving Holden you don’t even deserve to be at this school,” pronounced Stradlater. Then Holden takes his stupid paper and rips it up and throws it on the floor. “Okay, I’ll be the bigger man and end this dumb fight. Well do you know your friend Jane?” asked Stradlater. “Yea what about her? How was the date?” asked Holden. Stradlater reflects, Do you see what I have to deal with every day in these rooms? I have to deal with Holden 24/7, and all of his negativity. He is so annoying. I can’t stand him anymore, it is actually such a relief his is being expelled. See what I mean he is still talking and asking about my dumb date. Why does he even care? What happened on the date Stradlater tell me? What did you do, and where did you go? Before I can even answer he does one of the things that annoys me the most about him. Holden takes out his cigarette and lights up. I know the only reason he did that was to piss me off even more. It just seemed like he was looking for trouble with me tonight. “You better put the cigarette out, you know I hate when you do that,” said Stradlater. “Then why don’t you answer my questions Stradlater?” asked Holden. “It’s none of your business I don’t have to tell you anything,” Stradlater answered. The next thing I know Holden is coming at me with a full head of steam looking to hurt me. I didn’t see it coming and Holden tackles me to the ground in rage. I guess he doesn’t know who I am I thought as I flipped him on to his back. Holden fidgeted uncontrollably trying to escape my hold. Then he got a hand free and hit me. That was all I could take from him. He had crossed the line. While on top of him I threw punches until my arms were too tired to throw another. My knuckles were covered in blood and so was his face. I rolled off him and he did not move. I realized that every ounce of anger I had in my body I had used to beat Holden, and I felt bad. Holden still wasn’t moving and I thought he was seriously hurt. Luckily he was still conscious but badly hurt. The only reason I cleaned up his face and got him off the ground was because I felt so bad after the fight, and I thought I owed it to him. After I rinsed his face and my knuckles I put him in his bad. He was till cursing under his breath at me, but was too weak to move or strike me. His eyes were swelled shut and his lips were cut. I didn’t realize I was capable of doing this to someone but on this night my patience and limits were tested and I gave in. It was going to happen eventually I just wished I could have stopped after a couple of punches. I really didn’t want to hurt him that badly. I tried to go to bed after I got Holden in his bed but I had so much on my mind, and I was feeling so bad. I looked back on the night and wished I hadn’t said some of those mean things to Holden. I wish I had never fought him. I felt completely wrong and unsure about myself as I lay in bed and thought about things. I kept trying to make excuses for my actions like well he pushed me to my breaking point, and he did that to himself. I couldn’t get the guilty feeling out of my head. That night was the longest night I think of my life. I just sat there thinking and wondering. I couldn’t work things out in my head. I was so lost. I hoped for morning to come soon because I knew I wasn’t going to bed tonight.
Hello, my name is Mr. Spencer and I’m going to tell you all about the confused and misguided Holden Caulfield. When Holden first stepped into my classroom I knew he was going to be trouble. He never caused mischief but it seemed as though he didn’t care. He almost never did assignments and he never participated in the class discussions. I knew Holden was smart but I failed to turn him into the adult he can potentially be.
I took Holden under my wing in the beginning of the year because he reminded me of myself at the young and ignorant age of sixteen. I too came from a rich family and was the “dumb” one of the four children. My sister always outsmarted me, and my brothers were always the most popular guys in the school. My parents loved me but somehow I never felt connected to them, or the rest of the world. Finally, at the age of eighteen I met a girl. She made me understand that the world is not just made up of phonies, “sure there are a few” she told me “but we’re not all bad, there are some honest people”. I later married this woman and I went back to school (which I had dropped out of) to become a history professor. The most noteworthy reason I became a teacher was I wanted to help other confused young men and inform them that life does get better. However, I failed to teach Holden Caulfield this. Someday he will learn, but it doesn’t look like it will be because of my advice.
Holden Caulfield is not brilliant at history, or any subject, but there is no reason why he should of failed almost all of his classes at Pency Prep. The day I read his exam paper I was not surprised to see that he had written about five lines in the essay part of the test. In this essay the students were supposed to tell me about the Ancient Egyptians, but Holden decided to write four lines on the Ancient Egyptians and then at the end he informed me why he was “no good” at history. He told me that he expected an F and he wouldn’t be mad at me if I gave it to him. To many teachers they would think this was a joke, or he was very stupid but I know he is just very confused.
Now I am an old man, incapable of throwing a magazine onto my bed sitting three feet away. I may not be able to help Holden anymore but I am sure someday that he will be able to put his life together. Someone will help him discover that there is more to the world then just a bunch of phonies. This person may be his younger sister Phoebe, his girlfriend Sally, or maybe even his old teacher Mr. Antolini.
Holden’s character to me seemed like someone who was scared. He was so scared of failing, so scared being nobody. I feel that he was so scared of failing that he had to hide behind this ego of his. Yes, I do think that he has quite an ego. An ego that he couldn’t live down, it was to be the kid that didn’t care. Truthfully, I feel that Holden’s character really didn’t like himself. He felt that he was a waste of space that he wasn’t going to amount to anything. Every time throughout the book when Holden would call somebody a phony, he was really just referring to a character trait that he despised about himself. Whenever he would call someone out for doing something that was considered being a phony, he was really just saying that he didn’t like the person because he thinks that is something that he would do. The reason I feel this way is because throughout the book he was never really happy. With the exception for the time with Phoebe, he never really had any fun. He felt like an idiot when he forgot the fencing equipment on the train. But he just laughed about it to hide because he didn’t want to feel sorry for the fact that they traveled all that way just to do nothing. I think he hid behind a false ego that he was using as a barrier in order to not have to get close to anyone. The only time that Holden was a true person was when he was with Phoebe. When he was at the bar he was acting like he was older than his age and the same situation obviously with the prostitute. When he lied to the mother on the train about the kid who was really a jerk, but told the kids mother that they were close friends. If he saw someone else do that he would name them as a phony very quickly. Holden hid behind an ego simply because he was scared that people would find out whom he really was and that he really was a good guy. You can tell he didn’t like who he was because at the end he stopped Phoebe from going with him because he didn’t want to lead Phoebe down the same path he did. He knew he messed up in life, at that point he could accept that for himself, but he wouldn’t let Phoebe do the same. What I was glad about was how he matured at the end and decided he was going to try in school for now on and give an effort. That’s who I think Holden is, someone who was just waiting for a big event to give him a reality check and for him to realize it was time to grow up.
Well… this is certainly an interesting assignment. Pretend to be a character from Catcher In The Rye and from their point of view describe Holden. I’ve really never had an assignment quite like this. Anyway, for my character I think I’ll use Holden’s teacher Mr. Spencer. Why? Just because I think he’s a teacher that we’ve all had at one point or another.
I always did like that Holden Caulfield. Even if I did have to flunk him in history. I still liked him. His biggest problem though was just himself. If he had actually applied himself, then he really could have been something.
Don’t believe me that he didn’t apply himself? Well then just look at the paper he wrote for me on the ancient Egyptians. It was the saddest excuse for a history paper I had ever seen. I think it was something like a paragraph long and then it just said that was all he knew on the Egyptians. Not only that, but what was typed on the paper wasn’t even accurate. Called the Egyptians and ancient race of Caucasians I don’t care who you are, that takes a lot of nerve to do. The boy knew absolutely nothing when it came to history. I could ask him who our first president was and he would say Abe Lincoln. He even went and told me himself that he had only glanced at the book a few times the entire semester. I’ll never understand what goes through that boy’s head.
I even tried talking some sense into the boy, telling him that you need to apply yourself, because life is a game. A game you have to play according to the rules. I tried talking sense into the boy, I really did. I showed him his paper, and it almost seemed like he really didn’t care. He game me some sort of wicked stare when I did it too. Like I had done something wrong. I was just trying to help the boy. I told I was flunking him, too, in fact from what I understand he was failing four of his classes. That is if I remember correctly he was.
But Holden was a nice boy, I swear. He just had a few problems with confidence is all. And I don’t know where he got ‘em from either because I once had the pleasure of meeting his folks and they sure were swell people. Real grand. But could you believe that the boy had actually gone through I think four other schools before Pency. Unbelievable, absolutely unbelievable. He didn’t show to much care for his future either. But I do say that I care for it.
I don’t exactly remember what happened to Holden after that. Think he left earlier then he was supposed. Not sure why either, Christmas break was just around the corner and he was getting kicked out anyway. Why even bother leaving early? It’s not like it’ll do you any good.
(Look Mr. Fiorelli, Im gonna be totally honest with you. Its 3:45 in the morning and I don't have enough energy to tell a story; so Im gonna tell you about what I thought of Holden's character.)
At first I just thought of him as a regular kid who just got kicked out of a prep school. But as I began to read the story I realized, more and more, how messed up this kid really is. He always has to call everything and everyone he doesn't particulerlly care for, phony. Peronally I think he may be a bit jealous at the fact that he isn't being treated the way these "phony" people are. Also he keeps making up excuses for himself. He always ays he's not in the mood to do something. Now what I think is that he either has hard times making deciions and/or he doesn't have any guts to step up to do something. And I liked how he always went of subject talking about the geese. Then later in the book he explains this by telling about the class were you yell digression. But all-in-all I feel strongly that Holden is scared, scared to jump into the unknown without anyone their to guide him. Which thi is were him wanting to preserve the innocents of youth comes in; because he himslf, does no want to grow up.
I don’t think I can get too creative just talking about Holden but I really like him as a character in this book. So here goes.
Holden Caufield. First of all, Salinger gave him a great name. It just fits him. I don’t know where you come up with a name like that, but it’s good. The character is so complex and well developed in the book. He is like one of those characters that by the end of the book you feel like you know them, and have known them forever. Like if you were walking in a crowd, you could pick him out like an old friend. Salinger developed him so well throughout the book. He’s so much of a pessimist that in everything and everyone he picks out every single fault and oddity. I don’t know what it would be like to know a guy like this, not that he lets anybody actually get to know him, other than maybe Phoebe that is. Holden claims everyone is a phony if they’re not like him. For example, James Castle is one of the few things he says he likes in life, the boy who commits suicide. Why? Why doesn’t he like someone who chose to live instead? Throughout the book he analyzes every character that we encounter. Yet, he doesn’t like being analyzed by Spencer or Antolini; it bores him. Even though most of this has a negative connotation, I really like Holden as a character.
The way he likes to digress really “gives me a kick”, as Holden would say. It just represents him as a character. His unwillingness to conform to society, or just to his english class. He is terrified of adulthood and growing up and that is why the only occupation he can imagine doing is being the catcher in the rye. He is passionate about it; he wants to save the children from growing up and falling off the cliff into adulthood. All the while, Holden is slowly falling off the cliff himself. I think that is why he rebels so much and chooses not to do well in school and life. In the end, I think Holden realizes it’s inevitable to stay young and immature forever. He figures out that eventually he has to grow up and I think it takes Phoebe to help him come to terms with that. When he is in some sort of clinic at the end everyone wants to know if he is going to be a different person and apply himself. He says he will try but how can he be sure until it is time for him to return to school. This is a typical Holden response but it actually makes sense. No one can really know what is going happen before it actually does. I don’t think Holden will actually ever change.
Jeez, there's a lot here... If everyone's intros were this long when I roleplayed, I'd have a blast. Anyway, great work everyone and I'm sorry that you have to read all of this, Mr. Fiorelli. Hope mine wasn't too boring... ^^
I, personally, don't think this holden caulfield character is such a bad egg. I'm not saying that i would be friends with him but i wouldn't despize(sp?) him. Like many other kids his age, holden seems confused about or doesnt want to except who he is. So, in turn he likes to act older, more mature, and put up a fake identity. Ironically this just makes him seem more immature to the people that see right through him. Every school has kids like this and this is why i don't see holden as a great nuisance. Quite honestly, i feel kind of sorry for a person with such a narrow point of view. Also, the way he thinks everyone is phony is just an insight to himself. At heart, though, i think holden is just like any other kid. I mean if you consider what hes been through such as the death of your brother, anybody would probably be confused too. It's also apparent that holden doesn't want to grow up, and quite frankly, is terrified of adulthood. I believe this is the reason why he chooses to do bad in school and not really care about life so that he can stay young and innocent forever. That's why he's so intent on being the catcher in rye, to save children from falling down the cliff of adulthood. Ironically as he does this he seems to be falling into the exact "trap" he's trying to prevent from happening. Maybe he doesnt quite know what he wants if life but he should heed the wise words of Mr. Antollini, "the mark of an immature man is dying for a cause, the mark of a mature man is living for a cause".
(from the view of Mr. Antolini)
It seemed like it was about three in the morning when I got a call from Holden Caulfield, a former student of mine. I wondered what on earth he could be calling me for at this hour. I asked him if anything was wrong and he told me about being kicked out Pencey Prep and how he'd very much like to stay at my place for a few days. I sort of laughed about it to be honest. I mean, this being the third school he's been kicked out of and all. It's just I always pictured this sort of thing happening with Holden and seemed like deja vu to me. Anyway, I told him he could come over anytime he felt like and I went back to sleep. I figured I'd just get up again whenever he rung the bell.
He finally rang and I answered. I looked like the epitome of sophisticated with my bathrobe and slippers on, and my highball in one hand. Holden must think I'm some sort of raging alcoholic from the way he usually sees me drink but that's another story entirely. So as Holden entered, we exchanged some normal greetings that adults and children share and I took his coat.
We talked for a bit while my wife made coffee and desserts and Holden appeared to be quite tired. I offered him a cigarette and Mrs. Antolini finally brought out the refreshments. We both nibbled a little bit and continued our conversation for some time even after my wife went to sleep. After a while, Holden seemed very tired so I fixed up the couch for him and let him rest. I, meanwhile, went into to kitchen because I really wasn't tired at all.
Later that night I got rather bored and I had started drinking mre heavily once Holden went to bed. I felt rather intoxicated and decided to go check up on Holden. I went into the living room and watched him sleep, the poor soul. I began to stroke his head and I wondered about what the boy's future would be like. All of the sudden, he woke up! The look on his face was one of surprise and anger as he exclaimed "What the hellya doing?" The thing was, I couldn't really think of anything to say. Holden got real jumpy and started talkin about going to Grand Central to get his bags. I said this was nonsense of course but he insisted so I let him go on the condition that he came right back. He said ok and disappeared into the dim hallway. He never did return that night and I suppose he slept at the station or went home. At any rate, I went to bed and planned to see Holden sometime in the near future.
Holden. What can be said about him? Too many things. He strikes me as a very controversial person. One can either love him or hate him. One could love him because of his love for his siblings. His brother Allie, he, in a way, idolizes. He never says that out loud, but by his actions one can tell. This is shown by the way that Holden keeps his brother's baseball glove and it has sentimental value to him. Also in the way that he wrote Stradlater's essay about Allie's glove. Holden also has a deep love for Phoebe, his younger sister. he constantly patronizes her for her intellect. Holden also shows his affection for her in how much he weighs on her opinions to his life. Holden could also be loved for his simple-mindedness. It is enviable how Holden can be in the middle of the city in the back of a taxi, with so many other important things that should be on his mind, and all that he can think of is where the ducks go in the winter. However, there are also a few reasons to dislike Holden. One reason is that he is quick to judge. After Holden judges someone, his feelings are somewhat pre-felt as to whether he wil like the person or not. Holden is also a hypocrite. He criticizes people oftenly about how he thinks that they are 'fake'; yet, many times afterwards, he is guilty of the same thing. All in all, i like Holden, he is very down to earth, just very opinionated as well. But aren't we all?
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