In the novel, A Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield feels unhappy due to the phonies which create his own misery. Wherever Holden goes he is surrounded by people who he has trouble coping with and relating to. The ones he encounters that do not act genuine or sincere send him spiralling into an abyss of isolation and hatred towards the world.
Holden has left many schools such as Whooton school and Elkton Hills because of his views on the people there being phony. He cannot prosper in an environment where people are not acting genuine and real, but fake and full of themselves. One incident of this is when Holden is talking with Mr. Spencer in his dorm, who is his history teacher. They are discussing his past school drop outs and Mr. Spencer …show more content…
Holden also sees a social hierarchy including movie stars, Ivy-League phonies, and witty men who are waiters and cab drivers. Due to Holden’s grey hair and height he thinks that he is mature and responsible enough to be viewed as an adult, when he is really a teenager who is still growing up. Holden’s perspective on his social appearance is why he addresses many adults as phony and full of themselves, as well as the interactions he has with them. One example of this is when he is watching a movie with his date Sally Hayes at the theater. The first act ends and everyone goes out to smoke their cigarettes, and this is where Holden sees all the phonies talking about the play and trying to sound all smart and interesting. While he walks out he explains, “You never saw so many phonies in your life, everybody smoking their ears off and talking about the play so that everybody could hear and know how sharp they were”(126). This especially demonstrates Holden’s annoyance with phonies because he has to stand near a whole group of them who think they are something special. Holden also has to wait for Sally to talk with this Ivy-League phony outside the theater which makes things things even worse for Holden. He describes that the guy had a snobby and phony voice which again, exhibits his hatred towards scholars who are full of themselves. After …show more content…
While he is in New York City he comes across various perverted people which add to his misery as well as curiosity. One example of this is when Holden is at the Edmont hotel in his room. He looks at the room across from him and sees a man and woman squirting water from their mouths on each others face. Seeing this, Holden knows that the stuff they are doing is crumby and phony, although he also mentions that he would not mind doing it himself. He says, “In my mind, I’m probably the biggest sex maniac you ever saw”(62). This exhibits the interest Holden has for sexual interactions with other girls, and his remembrance of past relationships he had. His encounters which other people engaging in sexual activities provoke his sexual desires that lead to depression and misery. Another time where Holden deals with a perverted and awkward moment is when he is at visiting Mr. Antolini, who was his teacher at Elkton Hills. Holden admires him due to his heart for others and being an easy going guy, as well as being able to give advice for academics and his future. After talking with him about Pencey and his future, Holden goes to sleep and surprisingly wakes up to Mr. Antolini sitting next to him and stroking his head. Holden is shocked by this and embarrassed because he did not know that Mr. Antolini was a perverted
Holden has left many schools such as Whooton school and Elkton Hills because of his views on the people there being phony. He cannot prosper in an environment where people are not acting genuine and real, but fake and full of themselves. One incident of this is when Holden is talking with Mr. Spencer in his dorm, who is his history teacher. They are discussing his past school drop outs and Mr. Spencer …show more content…
Holden also sees a social hierarchy including movie stars, Ivy-League phonies, and witty men who are waiters and cab drivers. Due to Holden’s grey hair and height he thinks that he is mature and responsible enough to be viewed as an adult, when he is really a teenager who is still growing up. Holden’s perspective on his social appearance is why he addresses many adults as phony and full of themselves, as well as the interactions he has with them. One example of this is when he is watching a movie with his date Sally Hayes at the theater. The first act ends and everyone goes out to smoke their cigarettes, and this is where Holden sees all the phonies talking about the play and trying to sound all smart and interesting. While he walks out he explains, “You never saw so many phonies in your life, everybody smoking their ears off and talking about the play so that everybody could hear and know how sharp they were”(126). This especially demonstrates Holden’s annoyance with phonies because he has to stand near a whole group of them who think they are something special. Holden also has to wait for Sally to talk with this Ivy-League phony outside the theater which makes things things even worse for Holden. He describes that the guy had a snobby and phony voice which again, exhibits his hatred towards scholars who are full of themselves. After …show more content…
While he is in New York City he comes across various perverted people which add to his misery as well as curiosity. One example of this is when Holden is at the Edmont hotel in his room. He looks at the room across from him and sees a man and woman squirting water from their mouths on each others face. Seeing this, Holden knows that the stuff they are doing is crumby and phony, although he also mentions that he would not mind doing it himself. He says, “In my mind, I’m probably the biggest sex maniac you ever saw”(62). This exhibits the interest Holden has for sexual interactions with other girls, and his remembrance of past relationships he had. His encounters which other people engaging in sexual activities provoke his sexual desires that lead to depression and misery. Another time where Holden deals with a perverted and awkward moment is when he is at visiting Mr. Antolini, who was his teacher at Elkton Hills. Holden admires him due to his heart for others and being an easy going guy, as well as being able to give advice for academics and his future. After talking with him about Pencey and his future, Holden goes to sleep and surprisingly wakes up to Mr. Antolini sitting next to him and stroking his head. Holden is shocked by this and embarrassed because he did not know that Mr. Antolini was a perverted