The Catcher in the Rye

“I’m quite illiterate, but I read a lot.” — Holden Caulfield

Chapters 1–4: Holden’s Expulsion and Departure

Holden Caulfield, a disaffected 16-year-old, narrates from a mental facility. He recounts being expelled from Pencey Prep for failing most classes. After a fight with his roommate Stradlater over Jane Gallagher, a girl Holden admires, he impulsively leaves school early and takes a train to New York City.

Chapters 5–7: Loneliness and Conflict

Holden writes a composition for his younger brother Allie, who died of leukemia. He interacts with classmates, including the earnest Ackley and the arrogant Stradlater. After a physical altercation, Holden decides to flee to New York, lying about his age to check into a hotel.

Chapters 8–12: New York City Wanderings

Holden arrives in NYC and attempts to connect with people—flirting with older women at a hotel bar, recalling Jane Gallagher, and hiring a prostitute named Sunny, only to reject her services. He feels increasingly isolated, masking his depression with sarcasm and erratic behavior.

Chapters 13–16: Desperate Connections

Holden meets an old girlfriend, Sally Hayes, but their date ends in disaster when he rants about society’s phoniness. He drunkenly calls Carl Luce, a former mentor, who dismisses him. Holden fantasizes about escaping west and imagines himself as “the catcher in the rye,” saving children from adulthood’s corruption.

Chapters 17–20: Breakdown and Reflection

Holden’s mental state deteriorates. He sneaks into his parents’ apartment to see his younger sister Phoebe, who confronts him about his aimlessness. After a tearful confession, he leaves, wandering the city and symbolically giving away his money. He hallucinates about disappearing, signaling his emotional collapse.

Chapters 21–26: Resolution

Holden takes Phoebe to the zoo, where he watches her ride the carousel, finding fleeting happiness. The novel ends ambiguously: Holden hints at recovery in the mental facility but remains uncertain about his future, still resistant to conformity.

Key Ideas

• Alienation as a shield against societal phoniness.
• The struggle to preserve innocence in a corrupt adult world.
• Mental health crises masked by cynicism and rebellion.
• The search for authentic human connection.
• Nostalgia for childhood contrasted with fear of adulthood.