When I last stopped reading Holden was finishing Stradlater's composition and was listening to Ackley snore in the next room. Well when Stradlater comes home from his date everything goes wrong; Holden's good day finishes bad. Holden hands Stradlater the composition he wrote for him. Angrily, Stradlater looks at him with disappointment says "You always do everything backasswards." (Salinger 41) Holden then starts to ask about his date with Jane and Stradlater decided to be difficult and not tell him any details. This got him so mad to the point where he got up and starting fighting Stradlater. They wrestled to the floor and Holden got a bloody nose; Stradlater gets insulted and then Holden barges out. He then packs his bags (don't forget his hunting hat) and starts to cry. He yells out to the boys on his floor to sleep tight before stepping outside to leave Pencey forever. On his way back to New York he runs into one of his classmates' mother and when he reaches Penn station he realizes that he has no one to run to. He takes a cab to the Edmont hotel and stays the night. It is revealed to us that the reason why Holden wrote about the glove was because Jane was the only person to whom Holden ever showed Allie’s baseball glove.
Pages 40 - 80
Quote:
"While I was changing my shirt, I damn near gave my kid sister Phoebe a buzz, though. (Salinger 66)
Reaction:
I thought this was an important quote because I believe it shows foreshadowing. I think that his little smart sister is going to be of great importance to him later on in the novel. Also this quote shows the change in Salinger's writing style. Earlier on that same page there was a lot of dialog and it was starting to sound more like a story. Then when chapter 10 gets introduced the narrative distance starts to gets smaller as Holden is starting to talk to us again about what is going on. Also I believe that Holden is going to use clubbing and partying as a way to escape his problems but is going to soon figure out that it is quite impossible to run from your problems (eg: running away from Pencey).
I thought this was an important quote because I believe it shows foreshadowing. I think that his little smart sister is going to be of great importance to him later on in the novel. Also this quote shows the change in Salinger's writing style. Earlier on that same page there was a lot of dialog and it was starting to sound more like a story. Then when chapter 10 gets introduced the narrative distance starts to gets smaller as Holden is starting to talk to us again about what is going on. Also I believe that Holden is going to use clubbing and partying as a way to escape his problems but is going to soon figure out that it is quite impossible to run from your problems (eg: running away from Pencey).
