Seminar Questions

Does Holden's future seem better or worse?
I think that Holden's future is unclear. He seems a little more mature since he doesn't run over to save Phoebe when he thinks she might fall of the carousel. 'If they fall off, they fall off." He doesn't seem so stuck on being the Catcher in the Rye. I think Holden will be better off in the long run since he's seeing a psycho-analyst ,get help with Allie, and talking to D.B. who he actually likes. But Holden might not do any better at his new school, so he could end up right in the same place.

What does the carousel mean?
I think seeing all the little kids just being innocent and having fun makes Holden happy. There's nothing that puts them in danger or anything to take their innocence. They are safe in childhood on the carousel. The carousel is kind off like the Museum of Natural History. It goes around and around in the same circle never changing, but everyone else around it still grows up. He isn't as worried here.

Phoebe

Phoebe-
She seems to be the only innocent and real person in Holden's one-sided view of the world so he holds on to her, maybe to stay in childhood a little longer. When Holden goes home, he expects Phoebe to sympathize with him about the phony and superficial people at Pencey and why he left, but she doesn't. Phoebe realizes Holden's in trouble "Daddy's going to kill you". Even though she's 6 years younger than Holden she seems mature; asking him one thing he likes in the world. She knows Holden is the problem not everyone else. She comforts him when he cries and gives Holden her Christmas money. At the end of the book, she doesn't want Holden to go because she realizes he needs her more she needs Holden.

Chapter 16-18 Quote

The trouble with girls is, if they like a boy, no matter how big a bastard he is, they'll say he has an inferiority complex, and if they don't like him, no matter how nice a guy he is, or how big an inferiority complex he has, they'll say he's conceited.
Holden is remembering a time when Jane is out on a date with a guy named Al Pike, how Holden thinks is all muscles and no brain. He askes Jane why she would go out with a bastard like Pike and Jane says she feels sorry for him because he has an inferiority complex. He feels bad that a nice guy like Bob Robinson gets turned down instead.
I think Holden himself has an inferiority complex because of the way that he judges others, to make himself feel better. Holden can probably relates to Bob Robinsion; the nice guy who loses out. Its obvious he feels this way about himself because Holden makes his siblings sound like geniuses and he's the loser. Holden seems to talk about random things, but the main thing they have in common is how depressed the make him feel inside. Holden seems to have an inferiority complex because he feels sad when someone gives him gifts, like the time his mom gave him hockey skates.

Holden Is Stuck in Childhood

Some of Holden's childish behavior reminds me of me and my friends at times. We give off the impression that we're mature and completely in control but really we're still children inside. We still do kid-like things, such as not thinking about the long-term consequences of our actions or blaming other people when we get busted. Holden has to move past these childish behaviors before he can move into adulthood. Holden lies to that boy's mother's face on the train, and just couldn't stop himself. The struggle is obvious when he goes to the lavender room. He tries to buy alcohol and dance with grown women. I think they see through his front and just go along with it to be nice. Holden puts off their disinterest as them being fake and celebrity obsessed.
Holden seems to be in between when it comes to sex. He was terrified to talk to Jane when she was at Pencey and couldn't kiss her. But he randomly calls some female at 3 in the morning to hookup, but backs out. Holden does think thinks that people should only have sex if they care about each other, and spitting on a girl seems wrong. What bothers him is Stradlater's disrespect and casually hooking up with girls, especially Jane. This is more mature and respectful than a lot of boys and grown men.

Chapter 7-9

These chapters further convinces me that Holden has a mental problem. His behavior just seems to get more and more desperate, especially the lonelier he gets. Attacking Stradlater, leaving his dorm in the middle of the night and going to a bar is random sporadic behavior. Even though he claims to hate everyone, the first thing he wants to do when he arrives in New York is call someone. It doesn't matter who it is, his little sister or a random girl he met at a party. If Holden attempted to change is loneliness than I believe many off the problems he sees in the world wouldn't look as bad.

First Impressions of Holden Caulfield

Holden is childish and I really don't like his character. He doesn't care or realize how much his actions now in high school will affect his future. Part of the reason Holden is isolated is because he pushes everyone away and is negative about everyone. In the book he is often pissed off about something but doesn't elaborate on his feelings, he just acts childishly-such as putting Stradlater in a half-nelson. I think one reason he is bitter towards everyone is because he believes life is unfair. His perfect, younger innocent brother dies of leukemia, but all the 'phonies' in the world get to live their lives. If Holden found some friends or went to therapy he'd be much happier.

Hold Caulfied is a Jerk

I think part of the reason Holden feels lonely and angry all of the time is because he isolates himself and criticizes everyone. Even though he's smart, Holden is negative and cusses too much.The only people he cares about are his dead brother Allie and Stradlater's date, Jane. I think if Holden got help from a shrink about Allie's death he'd be better off and happier. Part of the reason he's mad at the world is because someone he thought was innocent died and that 'phony' people get to live.