User:B.lobo14/Catcher in the Rye

Plot Summary
Holden goes to a hotel to stay for the night in a lonesome "crumby" room. He feels depressed and keeps thinking about Jane Gallagher. He finds different things to do and ultimately walks all the way back to the hotel because he is sick from riding in cabs. Holden gets in trouble when he meets the elevator guy, Maurice, and picks up a prostitute for the night. When she arrives, he just feels like talking to her, and lets her go. But, there is a complication with the payment, and Holden gets beaten up for the cash, leaving him sprawled out on the floor. Holden was left in a financial crisis, but still set up a date with "Old Sally Hayes" to get rid of his loneliness. Holden obsconds to Mr. Antolini's house, and spends the night talking with him about life and his future while helping himself to coffee & cakes. But during the night, Mr. Antolini pulls of a "perverty" move on Holden that startles him, and with that, Holden leaves for Grand Central Station. Holden is extremely tired and sleeps there until morning, and then gets his bags and just walks around New York City. While walking around, he contemplates running away and living in a cottage somewhere isolated. In the midst of his depression, Phoebe comes and cheers him up, asking him to come home. The last sentence, "Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody", shows how he misses people in his life and is still scarred with problems and events throughout the book. Holden exemplifies the quest for self recognition all of us go through as we come of age and search for identity.

Character List
Holden Caulfield - The main protagonist; he is a mid-sized man that is not too strong. He gets beaten down by others sometimes because he has the guts to stand up for himself. Holden can be lazy and not very bright academically. He is easily annoyed by certain behaviors, and has no tolerance for people; he deems "phonies," or "morons."

Ward Stradlater - Holden's roommate at Pencey who is quite popular and good looking. Stradlater is a little conceited and proud, but he is also a nice guy and can be "generous". Stradlater is a "ladies man" and a very laid back type of person.

Mr. Antolini - one of Holden's favorite teachers that is nice and considerate. He lets Holden stay for the night when Holden had no where else to go. Mr. Antolini is an educated man and tries to give advice to Holden about life. He actes a little "flitty" towards Holden, and makes Holden uncomfortable around him.

Maurice - The "pimpy" elevator guy that cheated Holden and beat him up. Maurice is a greedy and deceiving person. He is a big guy and easily muscles out Holden.

Themes
Margaret Svogun's summary of "The Catcher in the Rye," addresses the main characters as a deep, symbolic meaning. Holden Caulfield, with the "Odyssean nature," is captured as a self serving, resentful, and expressive guy, while Phoebe is portrayed as a "confident counselor, and source of insight and knowledge." Phoebe is compared to an oracle in the book because of her important role in Holden's life that is vital to his future. She is a model of guidance and happiness in her family's life.