To Holden, everyone is a "phony", he is an extreamly judgemental character. What does he use to classify one as a "phony"? Is it typical people or insecure people, perhaps overall boring people? I can't really disagree with Holden, people are phony. However, Holden seems like a generally unhappy guy. He may be focusing on putting people and actions in simple catagories rather than getting to know people and giving them an in depth person analysis. For example, many things to Holden are either simply "phony" or "crumby" and these are the things that disgust him.
Throughout the book Holden is trying to separate childhood and adulthood. In chapter 23, Holden says his goodbyes to Pheobe informing her that he is leaving New York to go out west. This greatly reminded my of The Death of a Salesman, when Biff wishes to move from the city to the west. What does this tell us? I suppose that unless you really want to live in a place like The Big Apple, don't. The very cramped big city is not for everyone, and the west is often a symbol for freedom. While saying goodbye to Pheobe she offers him her chhristmas money which causes him to break down. What is the cause for his brekdown? Is it because he wants to isolate himself in the west and even so his sister supported him and even offered him money? Does this help him with his seperation of adult and childhood? Here is a very young person committing a very gratious action, to me Holden may have realized that "phoniness" and "crumbiness" may not be associated with adulthood but with peoples personalitites. Age is only a number. A young child can cause an emotional breakdown in Holden. Pheobe when we first meet her seems angry at his immaturity and stubborness.
One other thing I wanted to point out: Both Allie and Pheobe have red hair, could that be why Holden chose to wear a red hunting cap? Is he perhaps insecure? Or is it just another way for him to express his individuallity.
Focus on my observations of Holden and Pheobe, and any comparissons to death of a salesman. please comment on anything you may disagree or agree with
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I think you make some good observations about Holden and his sister. I like, also, how you've continued here the discussion of the West and its possible connections to freedom that you began with your Death of a Salesman post. You've got me thinking that it would be interesting to structure the teaching of an American literature course around different representations of 'the West' in various works. I think you'll find the Beat writers that we read next year interesting. They too look to the western quarters of the U.S. for a kind of freedom and change. I do think that traditionally (almost by default) the eastern U.S. has been associated with big city, big business ways of life and ideologies. The West has in many ways been seen as a frontier for Americans and a place for new possibilities. At the same time, these new possibilities may actually hearken back to simpler ways of life (e.g. Biff's dream of working with his hands).
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