The Catcher in the RyeThe Catcher in the Rye

Chapter 5Chapter 5 ““We always had the same meal on We always had the same meal on

Saturday nights at Pencey. It was Saturday nights at Pencey. It was supposed to be a big deal, because supposed to be a big deal, because they gave you steak.” they gave you steak.”

““I'll bet a thousand bucks the I'll bet a thousand bucks the reason they did that was because a reason they did that was because a lot of guys' parents came up to lot of guys' parents came up to school on Sunday, and old Thurmer school on Sunday, and old Thurmer probably figured everybody's probably figured everybody's mother would ask their darling boy mother would ask their darling boy what he had for dinner last night, what he had for dinner last night, and he'd say, "Steak.” and he'd say, "Steak.”

““What a racket.” What a racket.”

Holden and Mal Brossard decided to Holden and Mal Brossard decided to take a bus into Agerstown for a take a bus into Agerstown for a hamburger and a movie. hamburger and a movie.

Holden invited Ackley, who “always Holden invited Ackley, who “always had to know who was going. I swear, had to know who was going. I swear, if that guy was shipwrecked if that guy was shipwrecked somewhere, and you rescued him in somewhere, and you rescued him in a goddam boat, he'd want to know a goddam boat, he'd want to know who the guy was that was rowing it who the guy was that was rowing it before he'd even get in.” before he'd even get in.”

Saturday NightSaturday Night

““Brossard and Ackley both Brossard and Ackley both had seen the picture that was had seen the picture that was playing, so all we did, we just playing, so all we did, we just had a couple of hamburgers had a couple of hamburgers and played the pinball and played the pinball machine for a little while, then machine for a little while, then took the bus back to Pencey.” took the bus back to Pencey.”

““It was only about a quarter It was only about a quarter to nine when we got back to to nine when we got back to the dorm. Old Brossard was a the dorm. Old Brossard was a bridge fiend, and he started bridge fiend, and he started looking around the dorm for a looking around the dorm for a game.” game.”

““Old Ackley parked himself in my Old Ackley parked himself in my room, just for a change. Only, instead room, just for a change. Only, instead of sitting on the arm of Stradlater's of sitting on the arm of Stradlater's chair, he laid down on my bed, with chair, he laid down on my bed, with his face right on my pillow and all.” his face right on my pillow and all.”

““He started talking in this very He started talking in this very monotonous voice, and picking at all monotonous voice, and picking at all his pimples.” his pimples.”

““I dropped about a thousand hints, I dropped about a thousand hints, but I couldn't get rid of him.” but I couldn't get rid of him.”

The CompositionThe Composition After Ackley left, Holden began After Ackley left, Holden began

writing Stradlater’s compostion.writing Stradlater’s compostion. In the composition, he describes In the composition, he describes

the baseball glove that the baseball glove that belonged to his little brother belonged to his little brother Allie, who died from leukemia.Allie, who died from leukemia.

Allie had written poems in Allie had written poems in green ink all over his baseball green ink all over his baseball glove so he would have glove so he would have something to read when he something to read when he played outfield. played outfield.

““It was around ten-thirty, I guess, when I It was around ten-thirty, I guess, when I finished it.” finished it.”

““I wasn't tired, though, so I looked out the I wasn't tired, though, so I looked out the window for a while. It wasn't snowing out any window for a while. It wasn't snowing out any more, but every once in a while you could hear more, but every once in a while you could hear a car somewhere not being able to get a car somewhere not being able to get started.”started.”

““You could also hear old Ackley snoring. Right You could also hear old Ackley snoring. Right through the goddam shower curtains. He had through the goddam shower curtains. He had sinus trouble and he couldn't breathe too hot sinus trouble and he couldn't breathe too hot when he was asleep. That guy had just about when he was asleep. That guy had just about everything. Sinus trouble, pimples, lousy teeth, everything. Sinus trouble, pimples, lousy teeth, halitosis, crumby fingernails.” halitosis, crumby fingernails.”

““You had to feel a little sorry for the crazy You had to feel a little sorry for the crazy sonuvabitch.”sonuvabitch.”

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