to go to-(p.198). This reply figuratively represents Holden's isolation from the world.
Holden feels that he has nobody who can relate to his condition. The climax of his .
desperation occurs when Holden decides to run away from society and pretend to be a .
"deaf mute- so he could be literally alienated from the world. His desire to run away .
signifies his refusal to have anything in common with a society full of "phonies-.
Therefore Holden is an alien in society.
.
At the same time, Holden is exactly the same as everybody else he criticizes.
He often does the same things that make him call others "phony-. For instance, he is .
angry with Stradlater because he doesn't even remember if his date's name is Jean or .
Jane. However, Holden himself admits although he doesn't particularly like Sally Hayes, .
he tells her he loves her. He complains that Ackley only stops cutting his nails all over .
the floor when he is shouted at; but later, Holden himself only turns off the light when .
Ackley finally yells at him. Lastly, he always generalizes people, at the same time as .
accusing everybody of it. For example, Holden says that people "think something's all .
true-. Then later, he complains that "people never believe you- and " people never notice .
anything-. Holden contradicts himself all the time by making the same mistakes he .
accuses others of. No matter how much he hates the "phoniness- of society, he is not that .
different from it because he is human. It is human nature to be shallow and to survive in .
this world by adjusting to it. Holden also admits that when he says he is glad when he .
meets someone, he isn't really glad. He claims, "if you want to stay alive, you have to say .
that stuff-(p.114). This shows that Holden himself has adjusted to the rules of society no .
matter how "phony- they are. All of the above proves that Holden is not an alien, but a .
member of this society just like everyone else.
.
Holden is guilty of the same things he accuses others of, yet he is able to .
