The Catcher in the Rye Characters
by J. D. Salinger

Allie Caulfield was Holden’s younger brother. Allie died of leukemia on July 18th, 1946. Holden describes Allie as very intelligent and incredibly kind and notes Allie’s bright red hair as a defining physical characteristic. Allie used to play baseball, and he wrote poems in green ink on his baseball mitt to read while no one was at bat.

Allie’s death negatively affects Holden. After Allie died, Holden smashed all the windows in his parent’s garage, breaking his hand in the process. When Holden is feeling particularly depressed, he tends to talk to Allie out loud. Holden expresses regret over not having invited Allie to join him and a friend on an outing when Allie was still alive. Holden sometimes imagines telling Allie to grab his bike and come along on that outing as a futile attempt to change the past.

Carl Luce was Holden’s older classmate at Whooton. He is three years older than Holden and is considered very intelligent. Holden calls him up out of boredom and loneliness, hoping to have dinner and some “intellectual conversation.” Carl Luce tells Holden he can only meet him at ten o’clock at night at the Wicker Bar.

When Carl Luce shows up, Holden is intent on discussing sex with him, as Holden remembers how Carl would boast to the boys in the dorm about his sex life. Carl is reluctant to have the conversation and repeatedly tells Holden to be more quiet. Holden is unable to read Carl and can’t have a decent conversation with him, because he only wants to discuss topics that Carl deems...