In chapter 17, Holden goes on his date with Sally. Holden arrives at the Bitlmore early so he has to wait for Sally to arrive. While he waits Holden tells us that he doesn't understand boring guys and remembers Harris Macklin, an old roommate from Elkton Hills. He talked about how he was the best whistler too and said that he shouldn't really care about boring guys because maybe they all have their own hidden talents. Once Sally arrives, Holden says he falls in love with her and tells how stunning she looks. Once they get in the Cab to go see the play Holden "seduces" her and they start hooking up in the cab. While they were playing tonsil hockey, he says things like he loves her. But his explanation for him saying it is what interests me. He says it was a lie but at the time he meant it, then he says "I'm crazy. I swear to God I am." Once they got to the theatre they see the play the Lunts. After the first act, Sally goes and talks to some phonie which makes Holden jealous. After the second act, they talk more which just makes Holden more jealous. They get back in the cab and Holden tells us about how he just wants to take Sally home now, but he agrees to go ice skating with her at Radio City.
Once they ice-skate for a little bit they go sit down inside and this is when Holden goes off the rails. Holden begins to rant about how terrible all boy schools are and Sally might keep politely reminding him to stop yelling. Holden then asks to run away with him somewhere Massachusetts and Vermont and live away in a log cabin. After she declines him Holden asks to leave because she is a "royal pain in the ass". Sally begins to cry and Holden begins apologizing, but she does not accept his apologizes. Then Holden oddly enough begins to laugh. And he leaves her just to cry. Holden then explains to us that he probably wouldn't have taken her, even if she wanted to go. Insinuating that he didn't really mean what he said. But then at the end he tells us, that when he said it he meant it at the time and says at the end. "I swear to God I'm a madman." This chapter increases our suspicion that Holden is telling this from a mental institue. But, do y'all think Holden is actually mentally insane? Or do you think he is just depressed? Or maybe just immature?
I think that Holden is not necessarily a "madman", however he does have issues in many cases with decision making. One day in Mrs. Fleming's class we discussed how in some cases, difficulty with decision making can be traced back to a tough depression. From my own experience, decision making was something very difficult when I entered an existencial crisis. Therefore, I believe that Holden is going through a depression that perhaps was brought upon, like me, by an existencial crisis.
ReplyDeleteEvan, what a great response! You summed up the chapter very well. Holden's out-of-the-blue comments and attitude towards Sally was quite surprising. I think that this chapter has given us some good insight on Holden's mental state, insane. I believe Holden is insane and not depressed or immature. I don't think Holden is either of those because sometimes those are genetic traits, but the rest of his family doesn't seem to be anything like that. Maybe I think he is clinically insane just because I have already finished the book (oops), but I still believe that we would see hints of depression or immaturity from his family members if he were either of those two things. Overall great job, Evan! ;)
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