The Game Of Life In The Catcher In The Rye

In the novel The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, Holden, the protagonist, goes on a challenging journey to finally understand the game of life. Holden believes that life is a game. The game is all about advantage and the different paths you can take. Some may be on the side with the hot-shots or some may be on the opposite side, without all the privileges. Either someone conforms to the game and becomes a phony or does not play the game and suffers unfairly. Holden hates phonies, even though he himself is a phony. Stradlater, Holden 's roommate at Pencey Prep, is an example of a phony who participates in the game. Holden abhors Stradlater and thinks it is unfair how because he can play the game he gets unlimited rewards. Similar to Holden, …show more content…
Holden sees that Stradlater represents the game. He is a phony who plays the game to his advantage, along with receiving the benefits. As the text says, “If you get on the side where all the hot-shots are, then it’s a game… if you get on the other side, where there aren’t any hot-shots, the what’s a game about it”. Stradlater competes as the center in the basketball game which allows him to win and retrieve the prize. Stradlater comes back from his date with Jane which irritates Holden. Holden explains, "Old Stradlater was one of his pets, because he was the center on the team, and Ed Banky always let him borrow his car...It wasn 't allowed for the students to borrow faculty guys ' cars" (p.43). Stradlater takes Jane out, a girl Holden truly cares about, on a date in the back of his coaches car, which is another benefit of playing the game. He gets the prize of Jane even though he does not truly love her, he is just a phony in it for the relationship. Stradlater is everything Holden wishes he can be, but never can be. Holden hates Stradlater because he gets the reward Holden has always desired just by playing the center of the game. Stradlater is a phony who unfairly participates in the …show more content…
Antolini teaches Holden the correct approach to dealing with the game of life. He teaches Holden the better approach is to live in the world and how sometimes playing the game is allowed. Mr. Antolini explains how it is not appropriate to die for a cause. It is important to deal with life and try to help the situation become better, not ignore it. Holden goes to spend the night with his teacher after visiting Phoebe because he refuses to stay at home. Mr. Antolini quotes, "The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of the mature man is he wants to live humbly for one" (p.188). James Castle dies for the cause of not being a phony. He escapes dealing with society by jumping out of the window to his death. Although it might seem heroic, Mr. Antolini explains the proper approach is to live for a cause. Firstly, if there is a situation it must be deal with. He explains how the world is not a perfect place, but society must be faced to help resolve the problem. It is easy to look around the world and to see all the bad, but continue to try and live to change it for the future. Secondly, Mr. Antolini explains how sometimes it is acceptable to participate in the game. Mr. Antolini continues to explain to Holden, “What it’ll fit and, maybe, what it won’t. After a while, you’ll have an idea what kind of thoughts your particular size mind should be wearing” (p.190). It is acceptable to play the game and sometimes is even