The Catcher in the Rye

Chapters 23-end

Mr. Antolini

• Scene presented in disarray – After a party– Drinking– Pajamas, Mrs. A’s ugliness – Maybe pertains to Holden’s assumption of Mr.

Antolini touching him • Holden becomes disillusioned with him, skewed

perspective?– Was great teacher ends as a pervert in Holden’s eyes

Mr. Antolini

• “I have a feeling that you’re riding for some kind of a terrible, terrible fall…This fall I think you’re riding for- it’s a special kind of fall, a horrible kind. The man falling isn’t permitted to feel or hear himself hit bottom. He just keeps falling and falling. The whole arrangement’s designed for men who, at some time or other in their lives, were looking for something their own environment couldn’t supply them with. So they gave up looking. They gave it up before they ever really got started” (187).

Mr. Antolini

• Wants to save Holden before he falls– Holden’s fall is saving innocence from ugliness and

danger of adult world– Holden wants to be the protector, not the protected– He is the one who needs to be caught – Mr. A presents what will happen to Holden, once he

has fallen over the cliff

Mr. Antolini

• Holden isolates himself from society to become this idealized savior– Mr. A presents the fall if Holden refuses to

grow up and become part of society

Mr. Antolini

• “What he was doing was, he was sitting on the floor right next to the couch, in the dark and all, and he was sort of petting or patting me on the godamn head. Boy, I’ll bet I jumped about a thousand feet” (192)

– Holden’s perception of scene • Likely mistakes his affection• Pressure and confusion with sex and apparent

homophobia • Holden’s view of a simplified world

– Doesn’t fit with Mr. A, different interpretations

Ugliness • Christmas tree

– Should represent innocence and purity– The men defile Holden’s image with profanity

(child’s image)• Vulgar image of society that man accepts

• Profanity in school and museum» “Somebody’d written ‘Fuck you’ on the wall. It drove

me damn near crazy. I thought how Phoebe and all the other little kids would see it, and how they’d wonder what the hell it meant, and how they’d all think about it and maybe even worry about it for a couple of days. I kept wanting to kill whoever’d written it” (201)

– Wants to protect the innocence of children

Holden’s Breakdown• “Every time I came to the end of a block and

stepped off the goddam curb, I had this feeling that I’d just go down, down, down, and nobody’d ever see me again…Every time I’d get to the end of a block I’d make believe I was talking to my brother Allie. I’d say to him ‘Allie, don’t let me disappear’… And then when I’d reach the other side of the street without disappearing, I’d thank him” (198).

– Prays to Allie to not disappear

– He wants to vanish, disappear from the harshness and the ugliness but is afraid - wants to be saved

– Decides to run away

Phoebe • “All of a sudden I wanted her to cry till her

eyes practically dropped out. I almost hated her. I think I hated her most because she wouldn’t be in that play anymore if she went away with me” (207).

• “I’m not going anywhere. I changed my mind. So stop crying and shut up” (207).

– She has a clear perception of the situation – Holden realizes the affect his actions will have on others,

loved ones– He doesn’t want to ruin her innocence

Phoebe and Holden

• First time Holden shows maturity – Selfless relationship (hat)

• Phoebe represents innocence and purity– “I felt so damn happy all of a sudden, the way old

Phoebe kept going around and around. I was damn near bawling, I felt so damn happy, if you want to know the truth. I don’t know why. It was just that she looked so damn nice, the way she kept going around and around, in her blue coat and all. God, I wish you could’ve been there” (213).

Phoebe and Holden

• Realizes his dream to be “catcher” is unrealistic– “All the kids kept trying to grab for the gold ring, and

so was old Phoebe, and I was sort of afraid she’d fall off the godamn horse, but I didn’t say anything. The thing with kids is, if they want to grab for the gold ring, you have to let them do it, and not say anything. If they fall off, they fall off, but it’s bad if you say anything to them” (211).

• Has to let children experience life and make mistakes

• Reality sets in, healing begins

The End for Holden?

– “I’m sorry I told so many people about it. About all I know is, I sort of miss everyone I told about…It’s funny. Don’t ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody” (214).• Still lonely and confused • Still doesn’t communicate problems • Lacks bitter and cynical tone