#4 Sophs--From a Different 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.
Publish before Friday night for three extra credit points.
posted by JTF @ 10:32 PM
21 comments
21 Comments:
My part is when Holden goes and visits Mr. Antolini form Mr. Antolini's point of view. It starts like this:
I had just finished saying goodbye to the last of the party guests and boy was it pretty late. By that time I was pretty drunk from the party. Even though I'm normally a fairly heavy drinker. I had sat down while my wife went into the kitchen to make some coffee to steady the nerve. About five minutes later I hear someone knocking at my door. When I answered it I saw this kid all dressed up but, he looked like he was about to freeze to death. But, then I noticed something so familiar about him. Then it clicked in my head. It was none other than good old Holden Caulfield. Boy did he look awful. So I invited him to join me for coffee. As we were sitting on the couch catching up a bit. My yelled into the room "Holden Caulfield don't you dare look at me when I come in." Naturally I thought she'd said that because, she looking a little bad on account of the party. Right before my wife came in I gave Holden some important advice based on what he had told me about what was going on in his life. Basically what I told him that sooner or later he was bound for a great fall. My wife brought in the coffee and some coffee cakes. she said she was going to bed and that she could make up the couch for Holden. I said I would do it instead. So she went to bed. Holden drank some coffee and by the disgusted look on his face I could tell he either didn't caremuch for the coffee cake or that he had a pretty rough day. I think it was the first one. I was starting to get a hankering for some more alcohol. So I told Holden he could stay the night and that I would just be in the kitchen for a drink or two. After about an hour of drinking and after Holden had gone to bed. I thought about getting a little shut eye. It was as dark as anything in the room Holden was sleeping in. I didn't want to wake him so I stumbled around the room searching for the right way. The fact that I was so drunk I couldn't see straight didn't help matters much. I must have tripped over something because, I wound up sitting right next to the couch that Holden was sleeping on. However, I forgot that Holden was sleeping there. I thought I saw my cat on the couch so I started to pet it. After a few minutes I thought my cat had gotten startled or something and when it jumped up I had just realized that I was petting Holden's hair. He seemed really frightened and confused. He stumbled to get dressed and he even left his tie behind. I tried to get him to come back in my house but, he insisted on leaving on account the fact that he said he'd left his bags at the train station. I really hope he didn't think I was being a pervert or anything. I thought to myself that maybe this was a sign to cut back on my drinking habit just a little bit.
I think that Holden is not a very mentally healthy person. I think that he has way too much on his mind. He is mainly looks at everything from a pessimistic view. Reading this book and listening to him say time after time how much he hates everything makes you kind of in a sad mood after a while. The fact that he is so depressed about his life and so unhappy makes me sort of sad. I would never want anyone to be as unhappy as he seems to be. I think that he takes everything way to seriously or not serious enough. He acts sometimes like that he never had a childhood and sometimes like he is still a kid. For example, when Holden goes into these bars and sits down and has drinks and gives “the old eye” to these girls he’s acting like he is not much of a child at all and wants to be this grown person already. Also, he tells Phoebe to come with him and runaway and go to a ranch, and asks Sally before that. He acts sometimes like he wants to through his whole childhood away and be grown and on his own. Other times he acts like he is still just a little kid. For example, he loves talking with Phoebe and just hanging out with her and she is a little kid. He doesn’t show much interest in anything at his house other than Phoebe. Also, when he says he wants to be a catcher in the rye and catch little kids before they fall [into adulthood]. He is a very angry person and I personally think that he needs to lighten up and just enjoy life and its beauty rather than saying everything is depressing him or nauseating him. I think it would help him out a lot if he had actual friends that he could go and talk to. It doesn’t really seem like he has too many good friends other than Jane. If he had at least one person to talk to about how he felt I think he wouldn’t have so much animosity towards the world.
I am going to retell a part of the story in Phoebe's point of view. This part of the story takes place when Holden comes to see Phoebe and the next day gives her a note at her school. I will also tell what happened in the beginning when Phoebe and Holden met up.
I had just gotten a surprise visit from my brother, Holden, who I had not seen for a long time. Although I was shocked, especially by the fact that he came to visit in the middle of the night, I was extremely happy to see him and missed him very much. As soon as I saw him I woke up right away, it felt like I had never even been sleeping. We began talking and he explained how he had snuck into the house. He snuck in to come talk to me because he didn’t want our parents to hear him come in. I told him that mom and dad weren’t home though, and that they said they wouldn’t be home till late. After that, Holden eased up a little. He wasn’t supposed to return home from school for a couple of days and he didn’t want to tell mom and dad he had gotten kicked out of another school. When I found out Holden got kicked out of another school, all I could say was dad is going to kill you. I can't believe he got kicked out again, when will this end? I kept telling him daddy's going to kill you over and over again, but all Holden said was no, no he won’t. He also said the worst daddy could do was just make him go to military school. All of a sudden, after we had been talking for a while, we heard our parents come in. I got scared and Holden hurried up to hide in the closet. Mommy came in to talk to me and say goodnight. I asked her how her night was and she said it was fine but that didn’t sound very assuring. She also said she had a headache. She usually does. When she left I was relieved she had not found Holden. Before Holden left, I lent him some of my money. He told me that he would pay me back eventually. He said he only wanted a little, but I gave him all my money in my piggy bank. I know he needed it more then I did. The following day I got a note from him at school. The note said to meet him during lunch out front of the museum because he would be leaving town and wanted to give me back my money and say goodbye. Before I met him, I went home to get a suitcase packed with some clothes, hoping Holden would let me come with him. When I
met him there I told him I was going to leave with him and he got mad at me said I couldn't go with him. He kept telling me to shut up and I got very upset and started to cry. Then, I wouldn't even look at him. I didn’t want him to leave. When he talked to me, I just ignored what he said. He told me he changed his mind and really wasn’t going to go away anymore. That made me feel a little better. Then, when Holden told me he wanted to go to the zoo, I felt even better.
There are lots of mysterious people in the world and they aren’t all useless because they actually make a contribution to the world, but some are just worthless. There is this kid I know, Holden Caulfield; he is someone whom you would categorize as a mystery/unpredictable. I used to teach Holden at the whooten academy, I heard he got kicked out of so many schools because he wasn’t so smart. After I quit, I used to go over to their house and still helped him in English, then he told me he got kicked out of the whooten academy-his second school- because he flunked every subject, well except English of course and I was just speechless. So I helped his family in the search of a new school and he ended up at pencey prep.
Here’s the deal, Holden hates everything, he hates the world, he hates people, he thinks something is wrong with everybody, and that there are very little things likeable about anyone. The thing is he lost his little brother Allie to leukemia, –and anyone who lost someone before knows how it feels like- his older brother D.B. who is a writer went off to Hollywood to write movies, and then he got shipped off to boarding school. I received this phone call from him one evening and he tells me he got kicked out of pencey prep and his parents don’t know yet. He needed a place to sleep, so I offered him my house. When he came, I was so surprised to see him because it looks like he had grown another twenty inches since I had last seen him. So he came over and we talked, he told me about how he failed pencey prep again and passed only English, he told me about this English class he had-oral expression-and how you had to yell ‘digression’ every time a kid digresses and how he hates his English teacher. After he told me about his life, I gave him my own ideas on how his parents were dead worried about him and how I felt about him being judgmental about everything and everyone and I really think he listened to me and I hope he took my advice. I know you are thinking what a freak of a kid. But the matter of fact was just that he was lost between moving on and staying the same but the problem is that he just doesn’t want to do anything. I have faith in the kid and I know he is destined for greatness.
I heard Mrs. Spencer open the door and let Holden in. I picked up a copy of the Atlantic Monthly that had been sitting on the ground and pretended to read it. I could hear him talking to my wife, getting the pleasantries over with. I heard his footsteps in the hall and then he paused, hovering in the doorway for a moment, unsure. I laughed to myself, same old Caulfield. Then he peered in a little ways and knocked timidly. I looked over and, just to annoy him, I yelled at him, I know all the boys hate it when I yell for no reason. “Who’s that?” my voice was rough from the grippe, “Caulfield? Come in, boy.” He came in and stood just inside the doorway, as if he wanted to bolt. “Hello, sir,” he replied. “I got your note. Thanks a lot.” I guess the administration felt they had had enough of the slouch Holden Caulfield at the honorable Pencey Prep. He had been kicked out and I wrote him a letter asking him to stop by before he left. “You didn’t have to do that.” he said, nervously, shifting his weight from foot to foot, “I’d have come over to say good-by anyway.” I had hoped for as much, but I didn’t want to risk it. I wanted to make sure he didn’t walk out into the world totally empty handed, seeing as how he didn’t get much out of his schooling at Pencey. “Have a seat there, boy,” I nodded at the bed and he went and sat down on the very edge. “How’s your grippe, sir?” he asked, surprisingly he actually looked worried. I took a moment to reply; I choose my words carefully as not to make him worry anymore than was necessary; he had enough to deal with as it was. “M’boy, if I felt any better I’d have to send out for the doctor,” I laughed long and hard at that one, but I finally straightened myself out and began to wonder what he was doing up here now. “Why aren’t you down at the game? I thought this was the day of the big game.” He kind of rolled his eyes just then and answered, “It is. I was. Only, I just got back from New York with the fencing team.” I nod slowly, getting the idea I should move on and get serious before he decides to up and go. “So you’re leaving us, eh?” I ask, eyeing him, trying to figure out what he thinks about all of it. “Yes, sir. I guess I am.” I nodded some more, and continued; boy, did he look like he wanted to bolt! “What did Dr. Thurmer say to you, boy? I understand you had quite a little chat.” He took in a deep breath, “Yes, we did. We really did. I was in his office for around two hours, I guess.” I frowned and nodded some more, “What’d he say to you?” Holden sighed, “Oh… well, about Life being a game and all. And how you should play it according to the rules. He was pretty nice about it. I mean he didn’t hit the ceiling or anything. He just kept talking about Life being a game and all. You know.” I smiled and sighed, “Life is a game, boy. Life is a game that one plays according to the rules.” He nodded his head slightly, trying to hide his shifting position on the bed. “Yes, sir. I know it is. I know it.” I nodded and smiled again; good, at least he knows that much. “Has Dr. Thurmer written to your parents yet?” He frowned slightly, brow furrowing, understandable, I suppose. “He said he was going to write them Monday.” I tipped my head towards him, knowing full well the answer, “Have you yourself communicated with them?” He shifted uncomfortably again, “No, sir, I haven’t communicated with them, because I’ll probably see them Wednesday night when I get home.” I shook my head at him, “And how do you think they’ll take the news?” He shrugged, and then frowned again, “Well… they’ll be pretty irritated about it. They really will. This is about the fourth school I’ve gone to.” He shook his head. Stopped. Then shook it again, thinking, and when he was finished all he had to say was, “Boy!” I shook my head, then started nodding again, wondering where a good place to continue was. “I had the privilege of meeting your mother and dad when they had their little chat with Dr. Thurmer some weeks ago. They’re grand people.” He shrugged his shoulders, “Yes, they are. They’re very nice.” I had a back spasm then, and sat up straighter to stretch it out; Holden looked up expectantly, but sank back down, disappointed when I picked the Atlantic Monthly up off my lap and missed tossing it on the bed and ended up with it on the floor. Holden hopped off the bed and leaned over to pick it up, I really thought he was gonna bolt then, but he sat back down on the bed anyway. I sighed, ready to get down to business. I figured I should just get to the point, “What’s the matter with you, boy?” I shook my head and sat up straighter in my chair, leaning towards him a bit, “How many subjects did you carry this term?” He winced a little and leaned back, “Five, sir.” I nodded, “Five. And how many are you failing in?” He shifted again, “Four. I passed English all right because I had all that Beowulf and Lord Randal My Son stuff when I was at the Whooton School. I mean I didn’t have to da any work in English at all hardly, except write compositions once in a while.” Boy, listening to this boy speak, it’s hard to believe he passed English. “I flunked you in history because you knew absolutely nothing.” He shook his head, almost sadly, like he was sorry for it, “I know that, sir. Boy, I know it. You couldn’t help it.” I closed my eyes and leaned back in my chair, pulling my robe and blanket tighter around me and muttered, “Absolutely nothing.”
I don’t know what is wrong with that Holden Caulfield. He always seems to be mad at something or someone. He never goes to any school functions like football games, activities, and etc. He is also the worst sports manager ever because he left all of the fencing teams equipment on the bus and they were unable to compete. How can you forget to do the one thing you are asked to do, and I don’t want to even imagine what the bus ride back to school was like for him. I am also so tired of him also stinking up the entire dorm with his cigarettes that he constantly smokes. He is also always asking me to borrow clothes. He appreciates me when I give them to him, but like five minutes later he will be mean and bitter. He is apparently failing all of his classes and is being kicked out of Pencey Predatory School. I am sort of glad that he is leaving because he makes everyone around him depressed because he sulks in his own pity. He also for some reason has a problem with me borrowing me basketball coaches car. I don’t see what is wrong with that, it is just a coach helping out his fellow athlete. Besides all of the coaches do that with their athletes, and I don’t know why Holden just go out for a sport. I don’t know what could be the matter with him, I mean he is filthy rich, and is going to one of the best schools in the nation. All he has to do is apply himself and then he will be fine for the rest of his life. I also recently got into a big fight with him in which he asked me how my date with Jane Gallagher went. I simply told him that I gave her the time and he just flipped out. I guess he had a major crush on her. Anyway, he tried to hit me but he missed and then I got him to the ground. From the ground he kept calling me names, so I taught him a lesson by giving him the bloodiest nose of his life. He then acted like a coward and left for Ackley’s room to sleep with him so he could get away from me. But later he left Pencey and I have no idea where he went. All I know is that Holden Caulfield needs some major help.
I’m writing the scene where Phoebe asks Holden what he likes, from the point of view of Phoebe: I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw my big brother home. I was overjoyed to see him! I told him everything from the school play that I’m playing Benedict Arnold in, to a movie D.B was working on. I just couldn’t believe it was him! Then I realized Holden wasn’t supposed to be home for two days. I knew right then that he had been kicked out of Pencey Prep. Yeah my parents weren’t going to be so thrilled, but more than that this news worried truly me. I always worried about Holden, but now being kicked out of his third school, I was almost dreading what was next for him. Nobody quite understood Holden as I did. While most people could easily see my big brother as a cynical, hypocritical, immature boy, I saw him completely different. Holden was much more complex than he wanted to accept. Although he’ll never admit it, Allie’s death was traumatizing for him. Don’t get me wrong, Allie’s death is something that saddens me everyday, but for Holden it truly scarred him. Holden has a lot more issues than just being overly judgmental. He has such a severe fear of growing up, and change all together. His criticisms of the world and the people around him are simply a way of him hiding from his real issues. I truly feel bad for him because he longs for meaningful connections with people, but is too frightened he will get hurt. He longs for affection and love, but when it comes close to him he pushes it away, and pretends he doesn’t care. He is confused and hurt inside, and lashes out at others as a result of his own pain he can’t deal with. He is so afraid that people will just vanish as Allie did, that he alienates himself, which then causes him to be miserable and depressed. Oh I wish there was something I could say to get through to him, but it seems like Holden is just too scarred from the world around him and Allie’s death. Frustrated I told Holden that he didn’t like anything that was happening. Of course he then got defensive by saying there were things he liked, and I challenged him to name one. There was a long silence and I knew that Holden’s mind was wondering off somewhere else. He couldn’t even think of ONE thing he liked. Typical Holden. I asked him again and he replied saying he liked Allie. This frustrated me even more. It once again just showed how out of touch with reality my brother was. Then I asked him something he’d like to be. I honestly had no idea what he would say. He then said something that’ll stick with me forever, it really will. He said he’d like to be the catcher in the rye, from the poem by Robert Burns. I explained to him that he had the lyrics wrong but he went on to describe what he imagined the catcher in the rye to be. He said he pictured a bunch of little kids playing in a big field of rye, and he would be standing on the edge of a cliff. All he would do all day, was catch little kids who start to go off the cliff by accident. At first I really didn’t understand what he was saying, and it sounded really ridiculous. Then I thought about it, and it seemed like Holden was the one in need of being caught. Of course I didn’t say that, I actually didn’t say anything for quite a bit. I thought of how Holden had this crazy idea of childhood, and Allie. How Holden seemed deeply disturbed by childhood death, and was angry at the world for it. He just seemed so angry at the world for children growing up. It almost seemed like he was angry at the world for not giving Allie a chance to grow up. I guess he felt out of control, and the only thing he could control were his judgments of people. His own feelings scared him and made him feel out of control. Poor Holden. As frustrated as I may get with him at times, he’ll always be my big brother who I love no matter what. When he left that night I gave him all my Christmas money. I was so worried about him that night I didn’t sleep. I just couldn’t.
Dear Notebook,
My name is Phoebe Weatherfield Caulfield. Actually, my middle name is not Weatherfield, I love changing my middle name every so often. My brother Holden doesn't really like that. My brother Holden doesn't like much. He doesn't Like School, or our family, actors, you name it, and he has something to say about it. I just asked him what he actually likes and he just sat there silent. I told him he didn’t like anything. Then he said "I like Allie". He cannot say that, to me, it doesn’t count. Allie is gone. Allie is my other brother, we lost him a while back, and Holden loved him. Wait, I think Holden might like dancing. He and I were just dancing. We dance for almost 5 songs! Boy, dancing is my favorite! He was the one who taught me to dance. To him it was just fun, but me, I love it but I’m serious about it. And he might like music, he bought me a record! But then again, it was broken when he got here. Holden is very confusing. He just got kicked out of another school! I worry for him sometimes, he’s my brother and he just doesn’t have the life I do. He could have this good life though, I feel like he goes out of his way to not have it. Boy is my daddy going to kill that boy. This is like the millionth school he’s been kicked out of. He says he doesn’t’ belong there but after all these times getting kicked out I think he does it on purpose. But, I love my brother and I’ve always looked up to him, so if he says he doesn’t belong there, I believe him. Holden just left, he says he’ll be back home Wednesday. I really hope he isn’t lying or something comes up and he doesn’t come. I miss him a lot. He coming to see me tonight made me ecstatic!
Dear notebook,
I just received this letter from Holden! He wants me to meet him right after lunch. This is great! I want to see him. He says he can’t take it anymore here though. He wants to leave today and not even come Wednesday. Right after lunch I ran home and packed myself a suitcase. I feel like I should go with him! I really want to though. When I got to our meeting place he saw my suitcase. He tried talking me out of going with him, he kept telling me to shut up every time I begged and begged to go. His answer was no, every time. I didn’t mean to start crying, but of course I did. We walked to the carousel. I tried not talking to him the whole way there but I just couldn’t! I’ve never said shut up before to my brother but he kept badgering me and getting me so mad. I told Holden to shut up. He was shocked. I also ran across the street! I never do that without looking! He just has me upset! Holden wouldn’t get on the carousel with me. He sat on the bench. I got on the once more and I was so happy. Holden and I were BOTH going home once I got off that ride. I think I got him to stay! And boy is that good. I missed my brother. I’m so glad he’s home.
My part that I’m going to tell in my own way is when Sally Hayes and Holden go ice-skating. As soon as the Lunts was over, which was so marvelous, I had the most brilliant idea. I asked Holden if we would like to go ice-skating at Radio City. I really wanted to go especially because it was Christmas time. Also Jeannette Cultz rented the most darling little skirt you could wear while skating. Holden didn’t seem so crazy about that idea but I was too excited over the idea now. So as soon as we got there, they gave us our skates and I a lovely blue skirt. Then we got on the rink. I was getting very frustrated because my skates had been too big on me and my feet were turning in. My feet were hurting so bad. Then Holden had the most marvelous idea to go sit inside and get a drink. I was so glad he had suggested that because my feet were really starting to hurt more and more. As soon as I took those skates off I felt so much better. Holden and I sat down at the bar and Holden ordered a Coke for me because he knows I don’t drink. Holden tried to order a scotch and soda but the waiter didn’t allow him one so he got a Coke also. Every since I saw Holden it had been on my mind to ask him if he was going to come over and trim the Christmas tree. I had to make sure he was coming. I just needed to know. So when we were sipping our Cokes, I asked him if we were sure he was coming over to trim the tree. He told me of course he was going to come and he had told me on the phone he was. That pleased me very much because having a guy come trim your tree is a big deal. Then very randomly Holden asked me if I was getting fed up of everything and if I enjoyed school. I had told Holden that school was a terrific bore but I didn’t hate it. Then he starts telling me everything he hates. This boy just jumped from one subject to the next. I couldn’t even keep place of where the conversation was. I don’t even think he knew what he was talking about. Holden had always had something crazy to say but this just shocked me. He started talking about how I should come with him to Vermont and live there with him. Once his money ran out he would get a job and we would get married and all. I told Holden that we would have plenty of time after we are done school and we couldn’t just do something like that anyhow. He was pretty crumby after I had told him that. He kept raising his voice and I couldn’t stand it anymore. I kept telling him he didn’t know what he was saying. Then Holden said that we should just get out of hear and then he said I was a royal pain in his ass! The nerve that Holden Caulfield had to say that to me! How dare he say that! That was the crudest thing anyone had ever said to me. No other guy would have said that to me. That made me cry and I got so upset. I just hit the ceiling when he told me that. I couldn’t believe what I heard. He tried to apologize but I wouldn’t accept. He offered to take me home but I told him I’d find my own way home. Then he just left me there. I would never ever speak to Holden Caulfield again, so I thought. A couple nights later Holden called me very late at night insisting he talk to me. He kept rambling on how we was still coming to trim the tree. He was obviously drunk. I just told him to call me in the morning even though I was still upset about our recent event. Ever since that night I had never heard from my old dear friend Holden Caulfield.
I just wanted to go ice skating! Holden always had to be so difficult! Why is it that Jeannette Cultz can always get handsome gentlemen to take walks with her and take her ice skating. The only half-handsome gentleman I can find is Holden, and he barely can pass as that! Well at least it was something to do on a Saturday night. We got our skates, and I changed into that darling dress. Oh it was so beautiful; I just wanted to wear it, forever! It’s blue satin lace and sparkly skirt was just so delightful. We skated for a little while, but boy was he clumsy! He kept tripping over his own feet and making us both fall down. I wish I could have skated without him. I felt like a princess and all I wanted to do was whirl and twirl around in the center of the rink by myself. He suggested we should go inside and get something to drink, so I acted like it was the most marvelous thing he had said all day. We took off our skates and went inside the warm little cabin. He offered me a cigarette, so I’m guessing he sensed how unhappy I was that I wasn’t able to ice skate the way I intended to. I think the only time he acted like a true gentleman the entire night is when he ordered my Coke and his stupid drink of some sort. Oh that Holden!, he always has to try and impress me all the time. He knows for sure well that he isn’t old enough to be drinking, trying to order a Scotch and soda! He then started lighting matches, another “impressive” trick he tries to impress girls with. I didn’t feel like just sitting around, so I brought up a conversation with him. I invited him over to help us trim the Christmas tree. Oh why did I do that? Holden, out of all people! I could find a more suitable gentleman than him to come help. I mean, I’m sure that Jeannette Cultz has dozens of men wanting her to come over and help them trim their tree. Oh how jealous I was of her sometimes. But then again, I hadn’t invited anyone over yet and I needed a date. He half answered my question and then went into this whole hate rant. How he hated school and NewYork and elevators. He was creating quite a ruckus, and when I asked him to quiet down he just got louder. He told me how he hated cars, new cars, old cars, all cars! Then he started telling me that I was the only reason he was in NewYork. I mean me, out of all girls, me. It was sweet, and I was just about to give him another chance when he went into another shouting spiel about how he hated phonies and college cliques. He went on and on and on, jumping from one topic to another. I had no idea what to do, when he offered to take me up to Greenwich Village. At this point, I couldn’t stand ten more minutes with Holden, let alone a couple of weeks. He was out of his mind, and I politely rejected the offer. That sent him on another rave about all of his plans for the future for me and him. Wow, that Holden can really get ahead of himself.
The part that I am going to retell is the part when Holden visits Mr. Antolini. I will be retelling it through Mr. Antolini’s eyes.
This evening, I had a very special visitor. Holden Caulfield came to see me. It was an interesting visit with a few misunderstandings. I was just starting to clean up from the party we had for Lillian’s friends when I heard a knock on the door. And there he was standing, Holden Caulfield. He looked exactly how I remembered him only he probably grew about 6 inches or so. I got Holden settled in just fine. I was dying for a cup of coffee but Lillian was taking ages with it for some reason. As I was talking to Holden, Lillian kept interrupting saying how he shouldn’t look at her because she was a mess. Holden and I started talking about his life at Pencey. I was really curious as to what happened. The first thought on my mind was if he passed English or not and as I was asking him that I realized that notion was absurd, considering he was an ace composition writer. He said he flunked Oral Expression. I didn’t really know what that was but I couldn’t show it. Holden began to explain what had happened and he wasn’t making any sense at all. He kept saying how he likes it when people get off subject. I believe you should stick to the point when telling stories. You shouldn’t beat around the bush. But Holden kept defending his argument. He was babbling on trying to make me agree with him. He definitely wasn’t the most precocious young lad. Holden then either started to see my point of view or he just agreed with me so we could stop talking about it. I could see in his face that he was getting annoyed and exhausted with this. Finally Lillian came in with the coffee. She really did look a mess. But I loved her all the while. Anyway, Holden and I talked and drank for a while. Oh how I do love those highballs. But I think they were starting to catch up to me. As Holden and I were talking, I bestowed wisdom upon his young soul. I tried to explain his “falling” situation. And how he won’t feel or hear it until he hits the bottom. I tried hard to make Holden embrace what I was saying and although he says he did, I don’t believe he ever really understood it. I then tried to explain his academic situation to him in a way I thought he’d understand but again, I doubt he really did. While I was thinking of what to say, the boy yawned. I felt kind of sorry for him, I had forgotten the time and how tired he was. He had put up with my lectures long enough so I got him ready for bed. Then the misunderstanding occurred. As Holden was sleeping, I had begun to think about my father and how he would always kind of pat my head right before I was asleep. I thought about how much it calmed me down and made me feel safe and sort of at peace. So I did it to Holden. I have never seen a boy wake up so fast. That boy flinched like I had just shocked him or something. Holden started getting dressed and sweating a lot too. I kept telling him to relax and that I was only petting him but he wouldn’t listen. He ended up leaving after some awkward silence. He said he will come back after he runs an errand. I think I freaked him out a little bit. I had been drinking and really can’t remember the way he reacted completely but I think his face was mortified. I think he misinterpreted my gesture but I’m not positive. I highly doubt I’ll be seeing that boy again but it was nice to visit with him.
The part that I am going to retell is the part when Holden visits Mr. Antolini. I will be retelling it through Mr. Antolini’s eyes.
This evening, I had a very special visitor. Holden Caulfield came to see me. It was an interesting visit with a few misunderstandings. I was just starting to clean up from the party we had for Lillian’s friends when I heard a knock on the door. And there he was standing, Holden Caulfield. He looked exactly how I remembered him only he probably grew about 6 inches or so. I got Holden settled in just fine. I was dying for a cup of coffee but Lillian was taking ages with it for some reason. As I was talking to Holden, Lillian kept interrupting saying how he shouldn’t look at her because she was a mess. Holden and I started talking about his life at Pencey. I was really curious as to what happened. The first thought on my mind was if he passed English or not and as I was asking him that I realized that notion was absurd, considering he was an ace composition writer. He said he flunked Oral Expression. I didn’t really know what that was but I couldn’t show it. Holden began to explain what had happened and he wasn’t making any sense at all. He kept saying how he likes it when people get off subject. I believe you should stick to the point when telling stories. You shouldn’t beat around the bush. But Holden kept defending his argument. He was babbling on trying to make me agree with him. He definitely wasn’t the most precocious young lad. Holden then either started to see my point of view or he just agreed with me so we could stop talking about it. I could see in his face that he was getting annoyed and exhausted with this. Finally Lillian came in with the coffee. She really did look a mess. But I loved her all the while. Anyway, Holden and I talked and drank for a while. Oh how I do love those highballs. But I think they were starting to catch up to me. As Holden and I were talking, I bestowed wisdom upon his young soul. I tried to explain his “falling” situation. And how he won’t feel or hear it until he hits the bottom. I tried hard to make Holden embrace what I was saying and although he says he did, I don’t believe he ever really understood it. I then tried to explain his academic situation to him in a way I thought he’d understand but again, I doubt he really did. While I was thinking of what to say, the boy yawned. I felt kind of sorry for him, I had forgotten the time and how tired he was. He had put up with my lectures long enough so I got him ready for bed. Then the misunderstanding occurred. As Holden was sleeping, I had begun to think about my father and how he would always kind of pat my head right before I was asleep. I thought about how much it calmed me down and made me feel safe and sort of at peace. So I did it to Holden. I have never seen a boy wake up so fast. That boy flinched like I had just shocked him or something. Holden started getting dressed and sweating a lot too. I kept telling him to relax and that I was only petting him but he wouldn’t listen. He ended up leaving after some awkward silence. He said he will come back after he runs an errand. I think I freaked him out a little bit. I had been drinking and really can’t remember the way he reacted completely but I think his face was mortified. I think he misinterpreted my gesture but I’m not positive. I highly doubt I’ll be seeing that boy again but it was nice to visit with him.
The part I am going to tell is when Stradlater is just getting home from his date with Jane Gallagher as Stradlater::
I was walking down the corridor to try and get to my room. It was freezin outside. I got in and was wondering where everyone was. I asked, “Where the hell is everybody? It’s like a goddam morgue around here.” Holden didn’t look like he was going to answer me, let alone say anything. So I just decided to get undressed. I didn’t say one goddam word to that boy. He was so crazy when I told him about Jane. Did he really think I would give his regards to this girl for Chrissake? Yeah right. He didn’t say anything either. I thanked him for letting me wear his hound’s tooth. I hung it up on a hanger and put it in the closet. When I was taking off my tie, I remembered that goddam composition. So I asked him if he wrote it for me. He told me it was over on my goddam bed. I walked over and was unbuttoning my shirt when I read it. I was reading it and realized I was stroking my chest and stomach, confused about the whole composition. It wasn’t even close to what I wanted. “For Chrissake, Holden. This is about a goddam baseball glove.” A little too cold, he said, “So what?” I got mad. “Wuddaya mean so what? I told ya it had to be about a goddam room or something.” He said back, “You said it had to be descriptive. What the hell’s the difference if it’s about a baseball glove?” I really think Holden is stupid sometimes. Everyone knows the difference between a baseball glove and a house or a goddam room for Chrissakes. “God damn it,” I said. I was so furious. “You always do everything backasswards.” I looked at him. “No wonder you’re flunking the hell out of here. You don’t do one damn thing the way you’re supposed to. I mean it. Not one damn thing.” I was glad. He’s so goddam stupid and doesn’t care. So, he said, “All right, give it back to me, then.” He came over and grabbed it out of my hand. Then he tore it up. How more goddam stupid can he get? “What the hellja do that for?” I said. He didn’t answer and threw the pieces into the wastebasket. I kept on undressing while he lay down on his bed. I wasn’t gonna say anything. I was angry as hell then. Holden then lit a cigarette. Pencey didn’t allow people to smoke, but you could do it when no one could smell the smoke. And I hate when people break the rules. They’re goddam rules for Chrissakes. I wasn’t trying to get kicked out of Pencey. I knew Holden was just trying to annoy the hell out of me. He knew how I hated that. He always smoked in the dorm, and I never did. He prolly broke all the other rules of the school too. I sat down and started clippin my toenails. They needed a good trimming. He suddenly said, “You’re back pretty goddam late if she only signed out for nine-thirty. Did you make her be late signing in?” I replied, “Coupla minutes. Who the hell signs out for nine- thirty on a Saturday night?” Holden asked if we went to New York. I said, “Ya crazy? How the hell could we go to New York if she only signed out for nine-thirty?” He said “That’s tough.” I looked at him. “Listen. If you’re gonna smoke in the room, how bout going down to the can and doing it? You may be getting the hell out of here, but I have to stick around long enough to graduate.” I think he ignored me. He kept on smokin like crazy. He turned to his side and watched me cut my toenails. He didn’t care that’s for sure. I’m glad as hell he’s getting out of Pencey. He asked, “Did you give her my regards?” I just said yeah, hoping he would stop annoyin me about my night. He asked what she said. And if I asked her if she still keeps all her kings in the back row. I told him, “No, I didn’t ask her. What the hell ya think we did all night-play checkers, for Chrissake?” He kept on asking me about where we went, and what we did. He was prolly jealous I went out with Jane. Yeah, he needs to get over that. He looked real nervous. I finished with my toenails, and started messin with him in my shorts. I got a good laugh to myself. He told me to cut it out and asked again where I went with her. I told him we just sat in the car and gave him another sock on his shoulder. He asked what car. I told him Ed Banky’s. He’s a good bud of mine and always lets me borrow the car when I got hot dates anytime. I kept playfully punchin his shoulder and started brushing my teeth. He asked with a shaking voice what we did in Banky’s car, if I gave her the time. I told him it’s a secret, messin with him still. He got up quickly and tried to hurt me in the head. I immediately put him to the floor and sat on his chest. I was read mad. I could tell my face was red but I didn’t care. Goddam it, I was so glad he was leaving.
I am going to tell part of the story from Phoebe’s point of view. The part I am going to tell is the part where Holden and Phoebe meet up for the first time since Holden has been back from school.
Suddenly, I was woken from a light sleep. I saw Holden standing over me. I was very excited to see him because I hadn’t seen him since he left for school. I shouted his name excitedly and wrapped my arms around him. I miss him so much when he’s gone and I was so glad to see him, though I didn’t think he was supposed to be home until Wednesday. So, I asked him why he was back so soon. As I was asking him question after question, he kept telling me to talk quieter. Holden asked me about my play, so we talked about it for a while, but he was still telling me not to talk so loud. Once I told him that Mom and Dad were out for the night, he seemed to become more comfortable and relax. I was trying to tell him about a movie, The Doctor, that I had seen earlier with my friend, Alice, but he kept asking me about Mom and Dad and when they would be home and everything. Then I finally told him that they’d be back late, and then he asked me about the picture and Alice. He then told me about a record he bought me that broke before he could give it to me. I wanted to save the broken pieces anyways, though. We talked for a while about a bunch of things, and then I remembered that he wasn’t supposed to be home yet. Then Holden told me that he got kicked out of Pencey, and I was furious. All I could do was say, “Daddy’s gonna kill you”, and put a pillow over my head. He kept begging me to take the pillow away, but I was so mad and I couldn’t think of anything to say. So, he talked for a while and I kept saying the same thing over, and boy did he swear a lot. Finally, I asked him to name something he really liked and what he’d like to be. He couldn’t think of anything, and I knew it, I knew he wouldn’t be able to. He said a Robert Burns quote that I had to correct and said he wanted to be the “catcher in the rye”. Then he left for a while, came back, and we talked a bit more, until Mom and Dad came back home. Holden had to hide in the closet while I said goodnight to Mom. When Mom left, Holden came out, and said he had to leave. I begged him not to go, but he said he had to, and he asked me if I had any money. I only had my Christmas money, and I offered it to him. He took it reluctantly, and he gave me a really nice hat. Finally we hugged and he went out the window, and told me he’d call me sometime. I was so glad he came back early and came to see me.
I am going to retell the part where Holden comes to visit Phoebe at their house. I am going to tell it through the eyes of Phoebe and tell how I think she saw it.
One night I was fast asleep. When I heard someone tell me to wake up I saw that it was Holden. I was so excited to see him. It felt like I hadn’t seen him in forever. I hugged him right away. I was wide awake as soon as I saw him. I asked him when he got home but he just said to not be so loud. Then I asked him if he got my letter. I really hoped he did because I spent a lot of time on it. He said he did and he liked it. He asked me about the play that I am going to be in. I really want him to go and will be upset if he doesn’t. I told him that I am playing Benedict Arnold and have one of the biggest parts in the play. He said that he was going which was really good news to me. Unfortunately my dad can’t go because he is going to be in California. It was weird that Holden was home already, mom told me that he would be home on Wednesday. He just said that he got out early. I wasn’t so sure about his answer because he sort of tried to change the subject really quick. I told him that our parents said that wouldn’t be home until really late. Then I remember the movie I saw that afternoon. I told him all about the movie but he didn’t seem too interested in what I was saying. Holden kept asking what time mom and dad would be home and I just said late. Then I kept telling him about the movie and how I was so annoyed at Mrs. Holmberg because she kept reaching over me to see if Alice needed anything. She was practically ruining the movie. I still don’t see why they didn’t sit next to each other. Then Holden said he had bought me a record but showed me the broken pieces. Even though it was broken I still wanted to keep them because it meant a lot to me that Holden would get me a present for no occasion. We talked about D.B. for a little bit then I told him about the cut on my arm. I was still wondering why he was home now so I asked him again. He just said that he got let out early. This time I could tell he was lying. Holden always moves his eyebrows when he lies. I knew it I knew he had gotten kicked out. I told him Dad was going to kill him but he said that he would be fine. I was so mad at him for getting kicked out of another school I knew dad would be so angry with him so I hid under my pillow. He kept talking but I ignored him. I didn’t hear anything for a while so I took the pillow off my head and just waited for him to comeback in. I was so angry at him I barely paid attention to him all I said was daddy is going to kill you. I kept asking why he got kicked out. I was so disappointed in him and I was afraid to see what mom and dad would do to him. He just kept talking about his school and I was so fed up with him I didn’t catch all of what he said. I told him that he didn’t like anything. He kept trying to think of things that he liked but none of them were good. He was thinking a lot about this and it took him a while to give me a good answer. He told me that he wanted to save kids from falling down a cliff while they are playing. I didn’t quite understand it but I just figured you had to be older to understand. Holden went out to make a call so I turned the radio on and started dancing. When he came back in we danced for a couple songs. All of a sudden I heard the front door and I told Holden to be quiet and I sat up in bed. Holden ran and turned the lights off and went in the closet. Mom saw the light and asked what I was doing up. I just said I couldn’t sleep. She must have smelled smoke because she asked if I was smoking. I said that I had one puff. She kept asking me questions but I was trying to end the conversation so finally I said goodnight and she left. Holden came out and said he was going to leave I gave him some money because he said he didn’t have a lot. Holden gave me his hat which I loved. After he left I couldn’t fall asleep for another hour I stayed up thinking what would happen to him. After awhile I fell asleep.
So i got this unexpected phone call from a freind of mine the other night, Holden Caulfield. What an interesting fella he turned out to be. Holden and I attended Whooton together, a private school that was for younger kids. Although i was a couple years older than him, i used to talk with him, mostly joking. I made him and his buddies belived i knew a great deal about sex and women, but i was immature then. Anyway, back to what i was explaining before, this kid called me up. He asked me if i wanted to have a drink with him up at the old Wicker bar, not a bad place at all. I told him i could only stay for a little bit. On my way to the bar, I thought of something. Holden wants me to meet him at a bar, however I guessed he was around 16 years old. What a crazy bastard he was, trying to drink underage. When i arrived the kid practically started on me as soon as i made eye contact with him. I dont remember much, except the fact he kept talking extremely fast, and seemed to have an attention span of a little boy without his favorite toy. He seemed a little off to me, kinda funny. He kept asking me about my sex life, a little too personal for me! I couldnt believe the immaturity this kid still had in em, it was like he was learning about sex and girls for the first time. I got pretty fed up after a while, and i said i had to go. Boy, was that a waste of time. I also believe that this kid needs some help. He seemed disturbed to me, and lonely. Thats just what i think, but hey, he's just a young curious kid.
Holden is just like many other sixteen year old boys, he is confused about life. Many people throught the story tell him this including Mr. Spencer, Mr. Antolini, and even his younger sister phoebe. Holden hears it time after time but just keeps shrugging it off. Holden throught the story likes to think other people are weird or “phonies”, and I think tat the only reason he’s doing this is because it’s easier to blame the world for your problems then it is to blame yourself. Holden is pretty funny though how he talks about everyone else. Holden is extremely confused about girls and sex. Holden keeps trying to find answers about everything on the subject of sex but seems too timid to explore it for himself. He even contacts an old friend who is attending Columbia, and has a few drinks with him at a bar and keeps blasting the guy with questions about sex relating to the guys sex life. He becomes very annoyed with the questions and there late night drink session is very short. I think Holden wants sex like all other boys his age but it leads back to the big problem of not wanting to grow up, and sex is a grownup thing. That is the whole problem with Holden, he’s to afraid to o grow up with the fear of taking life to seriously of the fact that it wont be fun, we never know the real answer. Holden is overly mean to a lot of people including girls. He even calls a girl a pain in his ass. Mr. Antolini has a chance to save Holden because he really grasped the problem of Holden’s. He said that Holden was falling and that he didn’t know it himself and he would only know he would when he hit rock bottom. Unfortunately Mr. Antolini’s and Holden’s time together was cut short by homosexual move by Mr. Antolini. I believe Holden will eventually grow up and he’ll find his way in the world. H has a lot to live up to but eventually he’ll get over it.
I figured i should shut down the party since it was a getting a little out of control. So after i said my goodbyes I figured, hell, I'm still up, might as well keep drinking. Normally I'm not so much of a lightweight but boy was I drunk. I figured i should catch a little nap on the couch and try to sleep some of it off so that i wouldn't break my goddam neck trying to go up the steps. My eyes had just shut when I hear a knock at the door. I just guessed that someone from the party left their coat or somethin, but when I opened the door, it was Holden Caulfield! He looked like hell. Naturally I invited him in, us bein good friends and all. My wife was happy to see him here, but she damn sure didn't want him to see her here. She was still a mess from the party. I could see that Holden was pretty stressed out and i gave him some advice that I've been wanting to tell him for a while. He was ready to crash and burn. I told him it is time for him to grow up,
stop acting so damn immature and it is time to get a move on with his life. He needed to start applying himself in school because without an education, it is hard as hell to get a barely-good-paying-job. He must've been pretty tired so I set up the couch for him to sleep on. He thanked me, and I only had a little bit of liquor left so i went into the kitchen to finish it off. I though that Holden might need some comforting and my father would always make me feel safe by patting me on the head. I can tell you I have never seen anyone get up so fast. He left just as quick as he came. I think I freaked him out a little bit, but i Didn't mean any harm...
I used to teach HoIden before he went to old Pencey. I always liked him and I tried to act like act like a good role model to him, sort of like a father figure. When he called me that one night I was happy to help him. So I invited him to come over right away. I was expecting him to come to me with a problem. because he is the type of boy that would have a problem. However he said that nothing was wrong with him. He said that he failed out of Pencey, but this did not surprise me at all. He never really cared about his grades. He always said grades were important, but I kept telling him that even though he thought they were stupid he still had to do good in school. It was just something that he had to do. Not because it is fun, but because he has to do it. After we shot the breeze for a while Holden started to get tired so I helped him get ready for bed. He fell asleep quickly fell asleep after that. While he was sleeping I got a couple more drinks and just sat their and relaxed for a little, because I was not tired at all. We had a party earlier that night and I was still wound up from it. After relaxing for a while I walked over to Holden and just tapped him on the head. It was just a gentle harmless tap, but I think I might have startled him. Because I woke him up and he seemed worried. He quickly got up and got ready to leave. I asked him what he was doing and he said that he left his bags in the train station. He said he was just going to get them and come back, but I knew he was lying. He left and then never came back and I have not heard from him since. I feel bad for scaring him I never really wanted to. I have always tried to help him and protect him. But after that I felt like I almost let him down. When my wife asked where he went I just made up an excuse and said he left early in the morning because he wanted to be at his parents home for breakfast.
The character that I will be portraying is Sally Hayes: I was so excited to go on my date with Holden Caulfield. I had not seen him in such a long time! When I met him for the movie, he said we were going to go see the Lunt’s. How I love the Lunt’s! They are just so magnificent! So we took a cab to the theater and once we got there he told me he loved me. During the movie I saw one of my old friends from Andover, and we chewed the fat for a little while. After the movie, I had the most wonderful idea! Holden and I should go ice-skating at “Radio City”. I could not wait to wear one of those cute, flippy skirts they give to the girls to wear when they go ice-skating. Jeannette Cultz had gone ice-skating last week and talked about the pretty skirt she got to wear. Oh how I wanted to go ice-skating! Once we got to “Radio City”, Holden and I got some ice skates and I got the skirt. It was so pretty I felt like a movie star in it! I twirled around the ice in the skirt and my ice skates for a while when Holden requested we go inside and get a drink. It was a lovely idea! My feet were really starting to hurt me so we went inside to the bar. Holden ordered me a coke (knowing that I do not drink) and he ordered a scotch and soda for himself. The waiter would not bring him one so he had a coke. He started to light a cigarette when I asked him if he was really going to come and trim my Christmas tree with me. I just had to know! It was a big deal to me but I was not sure if it was to him. He said he was going to. Then he started to ask me how I liked school; he wanted to know if I hated it. I told him I thought it was a terrific bore but I did not hate it. Then he started to go on this rant about everything he hates! It was really weird! He was practically screaming it at the top of his lungs! Then he told me that I was the only reason he stayed in New York. I thought that was very sweet but I wanted to change the subject fast. They he started to act even crazier. He asked me to run away with him; He said we could rent a cabin and use his a hundred and eighty bucks in the bank to live off of and when the money ran out he could get a job. It was a ludicrous idea! I told him there would be plenty of time in the future to do that and he got mad at me and called me “a royal pain in the ass”! I had never been called such an offensive name in my entire life! I was extremely appalled!
The Catcher in the Rye is now one of my favorite books, after reading it in English class. And it is all because of Holden Caufield. He makes the book what it is, a masterpiece, in my eyes.
Holden Caufield is a sixteen year old that never wants to grow up. He hates just about everything and everyone. He complains about most things too. Most of Holden’s confusion about life comes from him not knowing the whole story on things. Holden is right and everyone else is wrong and just can’t see it like he can. This is the way he sees things. Holden likes pure, innocent, beautiful things. He wishes he could capture those things and some how defy time and keep them forever. He lives in the past, and he can’t see the future rushing towards him. He sees the falls many others have taken and never wants it to happen to him. He wants to stay young forever to avoid the inevitable fall of adulthood. This is highly unrealistic and some people might think very childish and immature. In short there is a lot wrong psychologically with Holden.
The realization that I made while getting to know this Holden fellow is that in most ways I am exactly like Holden. I relate to him on so many levels that it’s a bit scary. Holden sees the world from an entire different perspective from others and can’t understand how other people don’t see it. I do this too. There are many things I wonder how people can’t see, or maybe they just don’t care enough. One big thing is people being phony. A lot of people aren’t really real. They aren’t real with themselves or anyone around them. It really frustrates both me and Holden. The list goes on and on in the ways we are similar or the same.
Holden is a very interesting character that you see change throughout the book. Towards the end, you especially start to see the psychological burden, which he has on himself; it starts to completely wear him down to the point of extreme depression. He has mental breakdowns and other crazy things happen to him. One example is when he talks to Allie out loud, as he walks down the street, begging him to not let him fall. Your mind will do crazy things to you like that, when you get that down.
I think the reason I really love Holden is the way it made me reflect upon myself. I realized a lot of my own faults that I couldn’t see before. I realized that some things in life can’t be changed, like the fall of adulthood. I realized that I don’t like the Hollywood ending either. I realized I’m a realist. That is what I like about Holden and what I think about him as a character.
(sorry for the digressions)
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