Lara Wilhelm’s Reviews > The Catcher in the Rye > Status Update

Phoebe wants to join Holden when he says he is going to run away. So they go to the park instead and Holden decides, as he watches her go round on the carousel that he is going to stay. He feels happy.

At first there was this really quite moving speech by Mr Antolini about education and growing up, but then Holden fell asleep and woke up because Antolini was touching his forehead. He really freaked out and said that he had been victim of perverty men before. It somehow really unsettled me. Especially because I was so found of Antolini after his speech.

Tells Phoebe that the only thing he could think of as a future job would be “a catcher in the rye” that prevents children from falling - like in the poem the child sang. When listing what he likes only Allie -his dead brother- and talking with Phoebe come to his mind after a long time of thinking.

His father is angry with him for always flunking out of school and Phoebe -his little sister- notices that Holden does not have something that he really likes, that makes him happy. He can’t think of something and it makes him feel depressed about his life

Holdens sister is great but I still can’t really stand him

Holden is kind of insufferable. The guy is SO annoying it nearly ruins the book. Maybe guys back then just were really annoying, but Dazai Osamus character in No longer Human wasn’t as bad honestly

Talking about hating the war and the Army. Mentions that he wouldn’t mind dying right away, but cannot hold out with the annoying people there. Mentions that his brother D.B. was involved in D-Day.

He wants to run away and start a life without responsibilities - reminds me a little of Esther. He hates what is expected of him and cannot get over the role society has written him up for. For him conversations sound scripted and phoney. I still don’t really like Holden as a person, however, this is something that resonates with me and was a big drama back then for sure. Especially the criticism of guys.