Saturday, November 12, 2011

How does Holden categorize people in The Catcher In the Rye?

Holden Caulfield classifies many people as being "phony"; others he calls "prostitutes," a name he uses for those who sell themselves in some way.
In the opening pages of the novel, Holden alludes to his brother D.B. who wrote "terrific" short stories that were published in a book entitled The Secret Goldfish. But, now, Holden calls him "a prostitute" because he lives in Hollywood and writes screenplays for movies. Holden feels D.B. has sold himself to Hollywood, because he has abandoned his real talent. Later Holden also disparages actors, whom he finds are inauthentic and exaggerated in their performances: "They never act like people. They just think they do" (Ch.16). Also in Chapter 1, Holden alludes to the headmaster's daughter, Selma Thurber, whom he likes because she knows her father is phony. Holden says she does not "give you a lot of horse manure about what a great guy her father was. She probably knew what a phony slob he was."
Also, Holden describes Mr. Haas, the headmaster at Elkton Hills, as "the phoniest bastard I ever met in my life." When parents visit the school, if someone's father is not dressed as though he has position and money, then "old Hass" just shakes his hand and gives him "a phony smile." But, he talks for nearly half an hour with another parent who appears to have a prominent position (Ch.2).
Further, in Chapter 18, Holden goes to the movies at Radio City. Before the movie, there is a stage show. First, the Rockettes come out; then a man in a tuxedo comes on stage, wearing roller skates. When he skates and tells jokes as he skates around the stage, Holden finds his act contrived. Then, there is a Christmas show in which people come out of boxes and men carry crucifixes and other things. While on the surface it appears to be religious, Holden finds the program superficial and even sacrilegious.
As Holden watches the movie that eventually is shown, there is a woman near him who is very emotionally involved in the movie, but she cruelly refuses to take her child to the bathroom because she selfishly wants to watch the film.

She was about as kindhearted as a ...wolf. You take somebody that cries their ...eyes out over phony stuff in the movies, and nine times out of ten they're mean bastards at heart. I'm not kidding. (Ch. 18)

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