Catcher in the Rye- Chapter 8

Holden walks to the train station and gets on a late night train. An older, attractive woman sits next to him. She turns out to be the mother of Ernest Morrow (class mate). Holden does not like Ernest, but he tells plenty of lies, making Ernest seem like the most popular guy in school. The lady asks Holden why he is leaving school and Holden tells her another lie, stating that he has to go home for brain tumor operation.

Holden was hitting on a 40 year old! Thats a little weird..... If I was Ernest I would be very upset.

Catcher in the Rye- Chapter 7

Holden and Ackley talk for a while then they go to sleep. Holden is in Ackley's roommate's bed (the roommate is gone for the weekend). Holden tries to sleep, but is uncomfortable with the thought in his head. He keeps thinking about Jane and Stradlater fooling around. Holden decidees to leave for New York that night. He packs his bags and says "Sleep tight ya morons!" as he walks out the door.

I wonder if Holden will ever go back to Pencey. Just to visit...?? Where is he going to go late at night?

Catcher in the Rye- Chapter 6

Stradlater returns from his date with Jane and is upset about the paper Holden had written. He says the paper had nothing to do with the assignment. Holden is upset and throws it away. Holden decides to smoke in the room because he knewit would annoy Stradlater. Holden tries to ask about the date, but Stradlater refuses to tell him anything. They get in a fight and Holden leaves with a bloody nose. Stradlater goes next door to Ackley's.

I wonder if this is the first time Holden and Stradlater had a problem. They seemed to get along pretty well before the date. Does something little like that upset Stradlater that much?

Catcher in the Rye- Chapter 5

Holden and his friend, Mal Brossard, decide to go to a movie. Holden convinced Brossard to let Ackley come along with them because he doesnt do anything on Saturday nights. Holden says he isnt a big fan of movies so he isnt upset when they decide to skip the movie because Brossard and Ackley had already seen it. Instead, they have a burger, play a little pinball and go back to Pencey. When they got back to Holden's room Ackley is laying on Holden's bed, popping zits and teling stories of a girl he supposedly had sex with. Holden has heard this story before and each time Ackley tells it, he changes it. After a while, Ackley leaves because Holden has to work on Stradlater's paper. Stradlater said to write about a something descriptive like a house or a room, but Holden writes about a baseball glove. The glove was Allie's. Allie died of leukemia. Holden is really bothered by the loss of his brother. When he finished the paper, he stared out the window.

Holden must have been really close to his brother. He might be feeling guilty about something. I still dont understand why he would write a paper for someone else.

Catcher in the Rye- Chapter 4

When Stradlater goes to get ready for his date, Holden goes along too because he didnt have anyhing better to do. While they are in the "can" Stradlater asked Holden to write a composition paper for him. Holden doesnt really answer to the question. As Stradlater continued to get ready for is date, Holden asks about the girl he is going out with for the night. The girl turns out to be Jane Gallagher. A girl he had lived by and spent a summer with her. When they were young they played checkers a lot.

Its kind of funny the way things work out. Holden's roommate is going to date a girl that he used to spend a lot of time with. I dont understand why Holden would want to say hello, but he didnt. Is he going to try to find her later in the book or start having feelings for her?

Catcher in the Rye- Chapter 3

Holden turns out to be a very good liar. He leaves Spencer's and goes straight home. He didnt have anything in the gym. He gets to the dorm and starts reading a book he has already read. While reading, he is disturbed by his neighbor, Ackley. In the dorms, there is a shower in between every two rooms. Ackley is a senior nobody really likes. He has terribele pimples and weird teeth. He asks Holden if his parents knew he was being kicked out of school and Holdne says no. Holden's roommate, Stradlater, walks in the saying he had a date and wanted to wear Holden's jacket for the night. Stradlater needed to go shave before he went on his date so he left the room.

Stradlater seems like the guy who could be very nice, but could also be very mean. He seems like he could take people for granted. Ackley seems like an annoying person, but I think he could an ok guy. Why doesnt Ackley get along with Stradlater? Did something happen in the past?

Catcher in the Rye- Chapter 2

Holden goes to talk to Spencer. Spencer asks what Dr. Turmer had to say last time Holden went to see him. Spencer talks about Holden's parents. He calls them grand people. Holden notes that he hates the word grand because its a phony word. Holder also hates it when people repeat themselves after the person has already agreed or admitted to their point. Spencer starts asking if Holden really cares about his education. He says Holden knows absolutely nothing about history. Spencer starts reading Holden's essay aloud. The "essay" was about two paragraphs long with a note to Spencer saying it was ok if he flunked him. Spencer was trying to knock some sense into Holden but Holden didnt want to hear that speech and decided he should leave because he had to pick up equiptment in the gym.

Spencer is trying to help Holden but Holden wont stay long enough to listen. He doesnt want to hear the whole "education is important and you should try to straighten up" speech. Why doesnt Holden listen to what people are trying to tell him?

Catcher in the Rye- Chapter 1

Holden is very straight forward. He starts telling the story and makes it very clear that he is not going to start from the very beginning. He starts where he wants to start. He begins on the day of the football game... when he is saying good by to old Spencer because he is leaving Pencey Prep. Holden is very welcomed in the Spencer's home. Mrs. Spencer welcomes Holden and says that Mr. Spencer is in the other room.

The Spencers seem like his second family. I think its good that he has somebody he really likes to talk to since he doesnt see his family much. He seems like a very nice kid. Why is he being kicked out?