The Catcher in the Rye

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   podunc Teacher
   College - Sophomore

   In Chapter 23, Phoebe uses diction that is similar to her older brother Holden's in her dialogue with her mother. She claims that her dinner that night was "lousy" (one of Holden's favorite adjectives) and talks about her disgust with how the cook "breathes on everything" when she serves the food. Holden's disgust with the world runs far deeper, however, than Phoebe's. While Holden believes that most everything in the world is "lousy" and that most people behave in disgusting ways, Phoebe is far more optimistic. She is speaking truthfully about her opinions in this scene, but she does not have the same dark world view as Holden.

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   Posted by podunc on Sunday April 13, 2008 at 3:08 PM