On the way to a nightclub, Holden keeps asking the cab driver, Horwitz, about where the ducks in the Central Park lagoon go. The driver gets very angry at his question. In the nightclub, Holden listens to Ernie play the piano where he finds very boring. Holden feels depressed when he listens to the phony conversations around him. He meets a girl, whom D.B used to date with, and he feels annoying and leaves. Holden walks forty-one blocks back to hotel. He imagines a conversation with the thief who stole his gloves in Pency. Holden meets a elevator operator who offers a prostitute for him, Holden accepted. Then, the prostitute, named Sunny, comes into his room and starts seduce Holden by removing her dress and sitting on his lap. Holden feels very nervous and tells her that he can't have sex because he just had an operation on his "clavichord". He pays her money and asks her to leave. Sunny demands more money but Holden refuses her.
Relate:
I sometime also feel kind of isolated from the rest of the world, because I couldn't understand the way people act around me. For example, my friend and I went to see a speech made by an excellent graduate from our school. That guy was no more than ten years odder than us. He just acted like he was extremely more mature and superior than us. He lectured us like an adult. Even though I admit that he is a genius especially compared to me, he wouldn't miss any chances that he could show off. The audiences were ridiculous and applauding extremely crazy like he had the highest level of achievement that nobody could reach. People are extremely phony and I certainly had the same feeling as Holden has. "people always clap for the wrong things" (84). Holden thinks people are crazy and phony when they are applauding for the piano player who plays terrifically. I can feel how Holden hates those people when they lose their minds.
Reflect:
Holden's personality gets developed deeply through his interacting with people. Holden's loneliness and alienation become clear in these two chapters. Holden sits alone in the nightclub and listens to the phony conversation around him. These actions make Holden seem lonely and aliened from the rest of the world. He pretends to be an adult when ordering the drinks, but everybody could recognize that he is just a teenager. Holden tries to get involved and interacts with people, but he thinks people are phony and that makes him uncomfortable. As a narrator, Holden's unreliability continues to grow. He takes many strange actions without any explanation, which shows his unreliable character. His physical arouse for girls doesn't match his mental emotion when facing a sexual issue. He has a clear problem with handling the issue in the world, which reveals his deep disconnection and isolation. The language he uses keeps criticized and the tone becomes more cynical.The theme is that Holden's loneliness and isolation from the world contributes to his personality and it also reveals his cracked mental health.
Interesting Questions:
1: Why does Holden care about the ducks in the Central Park lagoon?
Holden thinks the ducks are lonely and homeless as him. He cares about where the ducks go in winter as if he worries about himself about where he belongs in such a depressing time in his life.
2: Why does Holden pretend himself to be an adult in the nightclub?
Holden pretends to be an adult and to be mature so that he can perceptively see details behind everybody. The more he pretends to be mature, the more he is actually immature. He has trouble understanding the world so he tries to hide himself by pretending he knows a lot.
Predict:
I think Holden will keep having trouble interacting with people. His depression and loneliness bring himself severe mental disease. The distinct behavior Holden has will annoy others and it will cause him more isolated from people.
Media Component:
This picture shows a strong feeling of depression and alienation. It makes me feel so depressed. Holden's depression and isolating from the rest of the world give readers a strong impression. People with similar emotions can have more communications by this picture.
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