Catcher in the Rye

Are one’s actions determined by the company one keeps? The character Holden Caulfield in The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger displays many different aspects of his personality through his interactions with various people, both at his school Pencey Prep and when he leaves school to find a new life style in New York City before leaving home. When Holden is at school, his roommates and he do not bond well together and frequently argue. Holden’s English teacher, Mr. Antolini, and he have the type of relationship that at first comes across as a father-son relationship that goes astray. This is important for Holden at the time, because he is in search of a father- like figure in his life. The interaction becomes more chaotic when Holden falls asleep, and wakes up to find his former teacher stroking his head. When Holden is with his sister Phoebe, the reader gets a sense that they are very close and care greatly for each other. The interactions that Holden Caulfield has with people vary all the time, whether he interacts with schoolmates, teachers, or family members.

While Holden is at Pencey, the way he comes across to his roommates is as if he wants them to think that he is something that he is not by always looking down on them. In one of Holden’s conversations with Ackley, who was one of his roommates, he says, “I call people a “prince” quite often when I’m horsing around. It keeps me from getting bored or something.” (24) Holden is mentioning that he calls people “prince” even though they are not, which indicates sarcasm and makes it seem like they are of a lesser degree then he is. If Holden says that he normally doesn’t call people “prince”, why would he act sarcastically towards Ackley? Holden describes Ackley and Brossard, who are his roommates in a very negative way. “They both laughed like hyenas at stuff that wasn’t even funny. I didn’t even enjoy sitting next to them in the movies.” (37) The way that Holden talks about his peers is very obnoxious. If they were talking about him that way, then he would not enjoy that either. In our class, when someone talks about a peer in a negative way behind their back, it usually turns out as being a sign that the person is not confident about themselves, or wants to prove that they are something that they are not. This is true of Holden’s life, especially when Stradlater and Holden are in a fight, and Holden is on the floor. “That is, he had his goddam knees on my chest, and he weighed about a ton. He had hold of my wrists, too, so I couldn’t take another sock at him. I’d’ve killed him.” (43) Although Holden was in a physical fight with Stradlater, the way he came across in his speech was very nasty and negative, which gives the impression that Holden does not think about his actions beforehand. He is simply acting foolish and looking down on his roommates at the same time.

Mr. Antolini acts as a significant mentor towards Holden at Pencey Prep. During one visit, Mr. Antolini is lecturing Holden about school. “The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of the mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one.” (188) Mr. Antolini is quoting a psychoanalyst named Wilhelm Stekel, and he is relating Holden’s school participation to this quote. By doing so, Mr. Antolini shares his knowledge and helps out Holden who is seeing him while seeking much needed help to renew his thoughts about school. In a lecture period, Mr. Antolini tells Holden, “You’re a student—whether the idea appeals to you or not. You’re in love with knowledge.” (189) Mr. Antolini is giving Holden positive motivation by telling him what kind of a student he is. Later, Holden is about to fall asleep and is thanking Mr. Antolini for everything. “Thanks a lot sir. You and Mrs. Antolini really saved my life tonight.” (191) Holden is speaking in a very respectful manner to Mr. Antolini. He does not show this amount of respect to many other people, even though Mr. Antolini has been stroking Holden’s head while he was sleeping. This reaction, disturbed Holden, and forced him to leave both Mr. Antolini’s house and Pencey Prep.

Throughout the novel, the reader realizes how important Phoebe is to Holden. The two of them share a very special relationship; you can tell this by the way they interact with each other. When Holden considers his sister’s feeling about how she would feel if he were dead. He says, “I started thinking how old Phoebe would feel if I got pneumonia and died.” (156) this shows that Holden cares about what Phoebe feels for him; and he doesn’t express this emotion about any other people. When there is something wrong with Holden, Phoebe reacts very concerned and expresses her worries for him. “Daddy’ll kill you.”(156). Holden replies, ’No, he won’t. The worst he’ll do, he’ll give me hell again, and then he’ll send me to that military school.” (156) Phoebe cares a lot about her brother and acts in a way that is both caring and worrying even though she is his younger sister. She acts like she is much older then she is. This relationship is unique throughout the novel, because there are no other characters that feel the same way that Phoebe does about Holden. When Holden watches Phoebe going around the carousel, he is very happy. “…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.” (213) this shows that the circular motion of the carousel is symbolic to Holden. It represents Holden’s life representing a circular motion by going around and around.

In the Catcher in the Rye, Hold Caulfield has different types of interactions with all kinds of people that he encounters throughout the book. When he is with his school peers, he wants to act tough. With Mr. Antolini, he acts very ready to absorb knowledge, where with other teachers he is not. And with his sister Phoebe, Holden is a very great older brother who shows respect to his younger sister, and she teaches him about himself as well. Despite mixed feelings that you get from Holden, they all combine to make a character that is full of poise, and someone whom we all can relate to no matter what situation we encounter.