Analyzis of Phoebe

 

We first meet Phoebe the bottom of page 161. She displays some qualities and idiosyncrasies that otherwise Holden has found despicable in others such as interest in the new types of gadgets in cars, wanting to direct the conversation without regards to the needs of the person listening, naming people as a conversation, watches and criticizes movies, etc. Why do you believe Holden doesn’t draw the same conclusions about Phoebe that the does about the others he interacts with and accuses of phoniness?

Holden seems to finally be calmed in a conversation, when he isn’t thinking, “ that is phony”, “he is a moron” or in other of the multiple negative aspects that somehow he can find in everyone, from the text we can see how he really appreciates that Phoebe is always listening to him so that she can help him, and she seem to get it all and know exactly what is happening.

            “ Old phoebe didn’t say anything, but she was listening. I could tell from the                                               back of her neck that she was listening. She always listens when you tell her something. And the funny part is she knows half the time what the hell you’re talking about.” (Salinger 167)

Phoebe seems to be the only character that we have met so far that really cares about Holden and completely understands him, we can sense that Phoebe knows a lot about Holden and his problems, that’s why she was able to leave him speechless for a lot of time, not even one of his common used excuses could get him out from that situation. Phoebe shares with Holden the passion for dancing and as Holden said he taught her how to dance so that could have give them a deeper connection.

Phoebe is very mature for her age; Holden likes listening to her advice. If we didn’t know the background content that says that Holden is older than Phoebe we would think she’s his older sister instead of his younger sister.

   

I think that Holden really appreciates that Phoebe is always there for him and that she will listen to him or help him with out any interest behind. For example when she lends her Christmas dough to him, she just does it because she likes him, wants to help him and she is worried abut him. This is something that he rely appreciates therefore he doesn’t call her a phony as he always do.

expanation on book cover

In my book cover I had two images that describe Holden more than the book, however the book is mostly about Holden so I think this would be a good front and back cover.

On my front cover I have a boy representing Holden with a big question mark towards three different doors, this image represents Holden’s life, because he never knows what to do or were to go. As he says when he gets to New York into the cab he is traveling incognito. Which means he doesn’t have a placer were wants to go and doesn’t care much to find a place.  The big question mark on his head also represents the lack of decision he has, he doubts a lot and often he will find himself into a place were he wont know what’s happening.

On my back cover I drew a guy holding a mask, about to wear it. I think this mask can represent the fact that he is really double faced and when he is with his roommates or other people he will “wear this mask” and try to be the tuff guy that doesn’t care about life or the bad moments that he has had to go trough. When he finds himself by his on in the story he takes this mask off and let us see whom he really is. When he opens up to his true character we can see that he is not the negative shameless guy that he tries to be, but he cares and also see good stuff about people, places and objects. For example when he cries because he was leaving pency prep. Or when he was walking in New York saying the “yellow” guy he was.

As I mentioned before my two covers have more to do with Holden than with the them, but I think is a good way to represent the book, because by knowing the main character we know what can we expect from the novel.

web blog post 12 the catcher in the rye disccusion 1-9

Question 3 

a) Why do you think Holden cries before he leaves Pency?

The first chapters of the catcher in the rye talk about the process that Holden is living when he is forced to leave Pency prep his 4th school.

Holden is forced to leave Pency prep because he is falling 4 of his 5 subjects. He got some warnings but he never improved, therefore he got expelled. Holden always critics his school and says that is full with crooks and morons. However something weird happens when he is leaving because he starts crying. 

I think that there are a variety of reasons why Holden cries. First of all I think that Pency prep had become a big part of his live and the fact that he had to leave it behind hurts. Other of my hypothesis would be that he actually liked Pency, although he never says something good about it; this is because he always sees and emphasizes the bad aspects of people, places and things so it would be hard to leave something that you like therefore he was crying.

Although the past reasons are valid and good, personally I tend to lean towards the two following options. The first one is: Holden feels sorry and depressed because he feels he let his mom and family down. He just received a present from home and he said he got depressed. This may be because he feels he let his loved ones down by getting expelled again. The second option and more important from my point of view is that Holden now realizes his lack of accomplishment in life, realizing what a bad life he has lived. Coming back to the First chapter of the book when Holden is having a discussion with his history teacher old Spencer in which he is suggested to take life more seriously and put some effort on it.

Holden is a very special character. Our first impression of him as readers is that he is a negative guy, however if we take a moment and do a close reading will find out that he also states positive aspects about people, places and objects. So this can also apply to his personality, when he tries to be the tuff guy that don’t care about anything he could be a different guy that cares about life and success but wont put effort into it.

In conclusion there is not only one reason but also a variety of them. As I mentioned above personally I tend to lean to the 4^th option but we cant really tell that one was the one. They’re all valid thesis about his moment.