The Catcher in the Rye by J D Salinger

Theme Quote

Holden seeing world as phony You know. One of those stories with a lot of
phony, lean-jawed guys named David in it, and a
lot of phony girls named Linda or Marcia that are
always lighting all the goddam Davids' pipes for
them.

Failure to connect "Life is a game, boy. Life is a game that one plays
according to the rules."

Innocence If you want to know the truth, I’m a virgin. I really

am. I’ve had quite a few opportunities to lose my
virginity and all, but I’ve never got around to it yet.
Something always happens.

Holden’s view of sex Sex is something I just don't understand. I swear

to God I don't.

Depression What I really felt like, though, was committing

suicide. I felt like jumping out the window. I
probably would’ve, too, if I’d been sure
somebody’d cover me up as soon as I landed. I
didn’t want a bunch of stupid rubbernecks looking
at me when I was all gory.

Holden’s view of Allie He was two years younger than I was, but he was
about fifty times as intelligent. He was terrifically
intelligent. His teachers were always writing
letters to my mother, telling her what a pleasure it
was having a boy like Allie in their class. And they
weren't just shooting the crap. They really meant
it. But it wasn't just that he was the most
intelligent member in the family. He was also the
nicest, in lots of ways. He never got mad at
anybody. People with red hair are supposed to
get mad very easily, but Allie never did, and he
had very red hair.

Holden’s view of Allie’s death I slept in the garage the night he died, and I broke
all the goddam windows with my fist, just for the
hell of it. I even tried to break all the windows on
the station wagon we had that summer, but my
hand was already broken and everything by that
time, and I couldn't do it. It was a very stupid thing
to do, I'll admit, but I hardly didn't even know I
was doing it,

Holden’s view of Phoebe I certainly felt like talking to her on the phone.
Somebody with sense and all. But I couldn't take
a chance on giving her a buzz, because she was
only a little kid and she wouldn't have been up, let
alone anywhere near the phone.

Holden’s lies I'm the most terrific liar you ever saw in your life.
It's awful. If I'm on my way to the store to buy a
magazine, even, and somebody asks me where
I'm going, I'm liable to say I'm going to the opera.
It's terrible. So when I told old Spencer I had to go
to the gym and get my equipment and stuff, that
was a sheer lie. I don't even keep my goddam
equipment in the gym.

Holden’s fantasy world "Anyway, I keep picturing all these little kids
playing some game in this big field of rye and all.
Thousands of little kids, and nobody's around--
nobody big, I mean- except me. And I'm standing
on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to
do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go
over the cliff--I mean if they're running and they
don't look where they're going I have to come out
from somewhere and catch them. That's all I'd do
all day. I'd just be the catcher in the rye and all. I
know it's crazy, but that's the only thing I'd really
like to be. I know it's crazy."

Holden contradicting himself Those war movies always do that to me. I don't
think I could stand it if I had to go to war. I really
couldn't. It wouldn't be too bad if they'd just take
you out and shoot you or something, but you
have to stay in the Army so goddam long. That's
the whole trouble….. Anyway, I'm sort of glad
they've got the atomic bomb invented. If there's
ever another war, I'm going to sit right the hell on
top of it. I'll volunteer for it, I swear to God I will.

Holden as an outsider I didn't answer him. All I did was, I got up and
went over and looked out the window. I felt so
lonesome, all of a sudden. I almost wished I was
dead.

Holden’s view of Jane She was a funny girl, old Jane. I wouldn't exactly
describe her as strictly beautiful. She knocked me
out, though. She was sort of muckle-mouthed. I
mean when she was talking and she got excited
about something, her mouth sort of went in about
fifty directions, her lips and all. That killed me.

Holden losing control of his actions This next part I don't remember so hot. All I know
is I got up from the bed, like I was going down to
the can or something, and then I tried to sock
him, with all my might, right smack in the
toothbrush, so it would split his goddam throat
open. Only, I missed. I didn't connect. All I did
was sort of get him on the side of the head or
something. It probably hurt him a little bit, but not
as much as I wanted. It probably would've hurt
him a lot, but I did it with my right hand, and I
can't make a good fist with that hand. On account
of that injury I told you about.
Holden being immature All of a sudden I started to cry. I'd give anything if
I hadn't, but I did. "No you're no crooks," I said.
"You're just stealing five--"

Holden not wanting things to change "I said no, there wouldn't be marvelous places to
go to after I went to college and all. Open your
ears. It'd be entirely different… It wouldn't be the
same at all. You don't see what I mean at all."

Holden being impulsive I was still sort of crying. I was so damn mad and
nervous and all. "You're a dirty moron," I said.
"You're a stupid chiseling moron, and in about
two years you'll be one of those scraggy guys that
come up to you on the street and ask for
a dime for coffee. You'll have snot all over you
dirty filthy overcoat, and you'll be--"

© 2006 www.teachit.co.uk 3502 Page 3

Activity 2

Death of Allie
His brother’s death meant a lot to him. Holden feels guilty that he couldn’t save his brother,
although he wasn't able to do anything to cure his illness, making feel useless. This also
makes him very violent when he remembers it, physically hurting himself by breaking many
things. Also that he hasn’t opened up to anyone about his grief over his brother.

Attending several different private schools

This means that he has to make new friends every time, that’s why he sees every teenager as
a phony because it was difficult for him to have someone to rely on.

Disliking parents
The absence of his parents made him feel alone not having the support of his parents. He
does not have the confidence to talk to his mother. He feels insecure of himself and he
believes that his parents see him as a shame and that they do not see him as a son anymore.

Being alone in New York City

Being alone in New York city is a clear sign of loneliness. When he hears people laughing on
the street, it makes him feel lonesome and depressed.