The Catcher in the RyeThe Catcher in the Rye

Chapter 3-4Chapter 3-4 ““I'm the most terrific liar you ever saw I'm the most terrific liar you ever saw

in your life.” in your life.” ““It's awful. If I'm on my way to the It's awful. If I'm on my way to the

store to buy a magazine, even, and store to buy a magazine, even, and somebody asks me where I'm going, somebody asks me where I'm going, I'm liable to say I'm going to the I'm liable to say I'm going to the opera. It's terrible. So when I told old opera. It's terrible. So when I told old Spencer I had to go to the gym and Spencer I had to go to the gym and get my equipment and stuff, that was get my equipment and stuff, that was a sheer lie.” a sheer lie.”

““I don't even keep my goddam I don't even keep my goddam equipment in the gym.” equipment in the gym.”

Holden gives a few details about Mr. Holden gives a few details about Mr. Ossenburger. He is a former student of Ossenburger. He is a former student of Pencey who became an undertaker.Pencey who became an undertaker.

Holden’s dormitory is named after him. Holden’s dormitory is named after him. He makes a speech at Pencey, telling He makes a speech at Pencey, telling

the students not to be embarrassed to the students not to be embarrassed to pray.pray.

OssenburgerOssenburger

Holden bought a hat in New York. Holden bought a hat in New York. ““It was this red hunting hat, with It was this red hunting hat, with

one of those very, very long one of those very, very long peaks. I saw it in the window of peaks. I saw it in the window of this sports store when we got out this sports store when we got out of the subway, just after I noticed of the subway, just after I noticed I'd lost all the goddam foils.” I'd lost all the goddam foils.”

““It only cost me a buck. The way It only cost me a buck. The way I wore it, I swung the old peak I wore it, I swung the old peak way around to the back--very way around to the back--very corny, I'll admit, but I liked it that corny, I'll admit, but I liked it that way.” way.”

““I looked good in it that way.” I looked good in it that way.”

Then Holden turns his attention to his Then Holden turns his attention to his own reading habits and lists his own reading habits and lists his favorite authors. favorite authors.

His brother D.B. tops the list, followed His brother D.B. tops the list, followed by:by:

Ring LardnerRing Lardner Isak DinesenIsak Dinesen

(Yes, it’s a woman)(Yes, it’s a woman) Thomas Hardy. Thomas Hardy.

ReadingReading

““What I like best is a book that's at least What I like best is a book that's at least funny once in a while.” funny once in a while.”

““What really knocks me out is a book What really knocks me out is a book that, when you're all done reading it, that, when you're all done reading it, you wish the author that wrote it was a you wish the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt him up on the phone whenever you felt like it.”like it.”

AckleyAckley

As he is settling down to read, a As he is settling down to read, a dorm neighbor, Robert Ackley, dorm neighbor, Robert Ackley, interrupts Holden. interrupts Holden.

““He was one of these very, very He was one of these very, very tall, round-shouldered guys--he tall, round-shouldered guys--he was about six four--with lousy was about six four--with lousy teeth.” teeth.”

““The whole time he roomed next to me, I The whole time he roomed next to me, I never even once saw him brush his teeth.”never even once saw him brush his teeth.”

““They always looked mossy and awful, and They always looked mossy and awful, and he damn near made you sick if you saw him he damn near made you sick if you saw him in the dining room with his mouth full of in the dining room with his mouth full of mashed potatoes and peas or something.” mashed potatoes and peas or something.”

““Besides that, he had a lot of pimples. Not Besides that, he had a lot of pimples. Not just on his forehead or his chin, like most just on his forehead or his chin, like most guys, but all over his whole face.” guys, but all over his whole face.”

““And not only that, he had a terrible And not only that, he had a terrible personality. He was also sort of a nasty personality. He was also sort of a nasty guy.” guy.”

I wasn't too crazy about him, to tell you the I wasn't too crazy about him, to tell you the truth.” truth.”

StradlaterStradlater Ward Stradlater is Holden’s Ward Stradlater is Holden’s

roommate.roommate. ““All of a sudden the door opened, and All of a sudden the door opened, and

old Stradlater barged in, in a big old Stradlater barged in, in a big hurry. He was always in a big hurry. hurry. He was always in a big hurry. Everything was a very big deal.” Everything was a very big deal.”

““He came over to me and gave me He came over to me and gave me these two playful as hell slaps on both these two playful as hell slaps on both cheeks--which is something that can cheeks--which is something that can be very annoying.” be very annoying.”

““He was at least a pretty friendly guy, He was at least a pretty friendly guy, Stradlater. It was partly a phony kind of Stradlater. It was partly a phony kind of friendly, but at least he always said friendly, but at least he always said hello to Ackley and all.”hello to Ackley and all.”

He is in the middle of a date and asks He is in the middle of a date and asks Holden to loan him his hound’s-tooth Holden to loan him his hound’s-tooth jacket.jacket.

Holden decides to keep Stradlater Holden decides to keep Stradlater company in the bathroom as he shaves.company in the bathroom as he shaves.

““Stradlater was a secret slob. He always Stradlater was a secret slob. He always looked all right, Stradlater, but for looked all right, Stradlater, but for instance, you should've seen the razor instance, you should've seen the razor he shaved himself with.” he shaved himself with.”

““It was always rusty as hell and full of It was always rusty as hell and full of lather and hairs and crap.” lather and hairs and crap.”

While he is getting ready, he asks While he is getting ready, he asks Holden to write his English composition Holden to write his English composition for him.for him.

““Anything. Anything descriptive. A Anything. Anything descriptive. A room. Or a house. Or something you room. Or a house. Or something you once lived in or something-- you know. once lived in or something-- you know. Just as long as it's descriptive as hell." Just as long as it's descriptive as hell." "Just don't do it too good, is all.” "Just don't do it too good, is all.”

Holden asks Stradlater Holden asks Stradlater about his date, and it turns about his date, and it turns out to be Jane Gallagher, out to be Jane Gallagher, who Holden had known who Holden had known years before.years before.

He tells Stradlater some He tells Stradlater some things about Jane, including things about Jane, including how well she dances and how well she dances and how she keeps the kings in how she keeps the kings in the back row while playing the back row while playing checkers. checkers.

Jane GallagherJane Gallagher

““Her mother and father were Her mother and father were divorced. Her mother was married divorced. Her mother was married again to some booze hound” again to some booze hound”

““Skinny guy with hairy legs. He Skinny guy with hairy legs. He wore shorts all the time. Jane said wore shorts all the time. Jane said he was supposed to be a he was supposed to be a playwright or some goddam thing, playwright or some goddam thing, but all I ever saw him do was but all I ever saw him do was booze all the time and listen to booze all the time and listen to every single goddam mystery every single goddam mystery program on the radio.” program on the radio.”

““And run around the goddam And run around the goddam house, naked. With Jane around, house, naked. With Jane around, and all.” and all.”

Cool Teacher Site

coolteacher.iwarp.com