The Catcher in the Rye Group

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swang1
swang1

Holden often uses the word “phony” to express his criticism in The Catcher in the Rye. What would you say he is critical of?

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Posted by swang1 on Friday October 2, 2009 at 5:34 PM and tagged with characterization, characters, literature, the catcher in the rye.

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  1. kimfuji Teacher
    College - Freshman

    eNotes Editor

    In J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, the main character of Caulfield views the world as a place where valuable human qualities such as love and kindness have been overridden by the middle class version of “success," which is based chiefly on money and power. Holden Caulfield is an idealist clinging desperately to the notion that basic human kindness is far more vital to a happy existence than material wealth. Salinger continuously portrays Holden as a cynical character, particularly in regards to issues surrounding wealth and corruption, as can be seen in the following passage which describes the character’s opinion of lawyers like his father:

    “Lawyers are all right, I guess – but it doesn’t appeal to me," I said. "I mean they’re all right if they go around saving innocent guys’ lives all the time, and like that, but you don’t do that kind of stuff if you’re a lawyer. All you do is make a lot of dough and play golf and play bridge and buy cars and drink Martinis and look like a hot-shot. How would you know you weren’t being a phony? The trouble is, you wouldn’t." (172)

    He belives that people are phony because they accept middle class values. He is critical of all middle class values.

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    Posted by kimfuji on Friday October 2, 2009 at 7:36 PM

  2. ophelious
    ophelious Teacher
    Vocational

    eNotes Editor

    An easier question to answer is "what was Holden not critical of"...there would be a lot fewer things!

    Anyhow, look at that word: phony.  Loosely, this means someone (or something) that is not acting genuinely, or in a fraudulent way. Holden finds many people in the story guilty of violating this code of conduct.  He has in his head a set of behaviors that he feels are genuine and when people don't act according to them they become, in his head, a phony.

    The interesting point is trying to determine where Holden draws that "line" for people to cross.  There is no universal code for "non-phonyness," so he invents one of his own.  It appears to include people, like Stradlater, who:

    1. Put a false face on in public
    2. Think highly of themselves
    3. Tell exaggerated stories
    4. Think they are better than others
    5. Act immodestly
    6. Are suave with women
    7. Are hypocritical
    8. Have hidden, disgusting habits.
    9. "Sell out" to money, power, etc.

    This is not an all-inclusive list, but it gives you an idea.

    It is also useful to look at the kind of people that Holden does not call phony, like his sister Pheobe, his brother Allie, and Jane.  These people all share some common characteristics that Holden seems to think of as "genuine":

    1. They are sympathetic and friendly toward him
    2. They are intelligent
    3. They are fun to be around
    4. They are talented
    5. (in some cases) they have come to tragic ends, or have suffered through some tragedy in their lives
    6. They are modest

    So there you go.  He is critical of any person or institution that violates his inner code of what makes a person "genuine."  Unfortunately for the world, that includes most things.  I suppose we should be glad for this fact or else Catcher in the Rye would have been one heck of a dull read!

     

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    Posted by ophelious on Friday October 2, 2009 at 7:46 PM