The Catcher in the Rye Group

Question:

cmorinvil
cmorinvil
Student
High School - 10th Grade

What does Holden means when he calls D.B. a prostitute in "The Catcher in the Rye"?

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Posted by cmorinvil on Wednesday May 6, 2009 at 5:42 PM and tagged with characters, db, holden, prostitute.


Answers:


  1. cybil Teacher
    High School - 12th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    Holden doesn't approve of D.B.'s writing for Hollywood instead of being a novelist. When he calls D.B. a prostitute, he means that his brother is selling his art as a writer to the highest bidder just as a real prostitute sells his or her body. Using a term like "prostitute" clearly conveys the depth of Holden's scorn for the kind of writing D.B. is doing. Recall that one of Holden's favorite works is "The Secret Goldfish," which D.B. wrote. He believes that his brother is wasting his talent and his art as a screenwriter.

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    Posted by cybil on Wednesday May 6, 2009 at 5:47 PM