Catcher in the Rye Litblog Ch. 19-20

Mary Ann MacDonald
Period 5
5/9/13

 

Chapters 19-20

 

Summary: Holden goes the Wicker Bar at the Seton Hotel to meet up with Luce, a friend from an old school. Luce and Holden drink for awhile and talk about girls. When Luce has to leave, Holden begs him to stay telling Luce that he is lonely. Holden gets drunk after Luce leaves and he calls Sally. Sally figures out he is drunk and tells him to go home. Holden leaves the bar later crying and decides to go to the park and visit the lake. No one was there and afterwards he decides to go home and sneak in the house to talk with Phoebe.

Quotation: "I couldn't stand it. I know it's only his body and all that's in the cemetery, and his soul's in Heaven and all that crap, but I couldn't stand it anyway. I just wish he wasn't there"(156).

Quotation Significance: Holden is really expressing here how much he truly misses Allie and doesn't want him in that cemetery. He wishes Allie is still alive.

Reflection: In these chapters, Holden is becoming very lonely. He goes to have a drink with the boy Luce from one of his old schools and Luce has to leave fairly early and Holden tells him not to leave because he is lonely. Holden has been apart from his family for a few weeks and he is starting to really miss some human interactions. This is why he turns to old friends like Luce and why he finally makes the decision to walk home to sneak in and talk to Phoebe. He really misses Phoebe because she is one of the only people he is close to. Holden has a hard time liking most people because he believes most of them are "phonies". Holden is willing to risk being discovered by his parents to see a member of his family again. Holden still hasn't decided to call Jane but I still believe that he is also close to her and really likes her. Holden also calls Sally when he is drunk because he is still lonely and also why he talks to the bartender about one of the girls that works at the bar. Holden is looking for anyone to talk to him and be with him.

Discussion Question: Why does Holden finally make the decision to go home? Why is Holden lonely and why wont he reach out to Jane?