How Does Holden Use Language
With close reference to pages 183-186 analyse Salinger’s use of language and structure, exploring Holden’s contradictory view of the world.
On Page 183 Holden says ‘you could tell the two hot- shots I was with weren’t enjoying it too much. They stayed close as hell to me, and the one that didn’t talk at all practically was holding onto my sleeve’. Holden calls them ‘hot shots’ because they acted phony by bunking school and then lying about there being no school. (P182). Throughout the novel, Holden seems to have a problem with the whole idea of ‘phoniness’, yet at times, he himself acts phony. Holden considers movies to be extremely phony and criticises his brother because he moved to Hollywood. Holden emphasises his hatred for Hollywood and movies throughout the novel.
Holden …show more content…
He makes up a whole false persona in order to look better in front of Ernest’s mother. His false persona has a different name, and likes Ernest, even though Holden himself doesn’t have a high opinion of him. If somebody else were to do the same thing in front of Holden, he would undoubtedly call them ‘phony’. In chapter 17, when Holden goes on a date with Sally Hayes, he speaks just as posh as Sally does. This is shown when he says ‘swell to see you too’. Again, Holden is putting on a false persona in order for Sally to like him more. Throughout this whole chapter, Holden constantly criticises Sally on the way she speaks and acts, yet speaks and acts just like she does. By doing this, Holden is contradicting himself. He doesn’t seem to realise that he is acting just as ‘phony’ ads Sally is.
Holden seems to act this way in front of most girls. I think he does this because he sees other guys acting the same way with girls and he naturally copies them because he doesn’t know how else to act. As a result, he contradicts himself often, but he just doesn’t realise
On Page 183 Holden says ‘you could tell the two hot- shots I was with weren’t enjoying it too much. They stayed close as hell to me, and the one that didn’t talk at all practically was holding onto my sleeve’. Holden calls them ‘hot shots’ because they acted phony by bunking school and then lying about there being no school. (P182). Throughout the novel, Holden seems to have a problem with the whole idea of ‘phoniness’, yet at times, he himself acts phony. Holden considers movies to be extremely phony and criticises his brother because he moved to Hollywood. Holden emphasises his hatred for Hollywood and movies throughout the novel.
Holden …show more content…
He makes up a whole false persona in order to look better in front of Ernest’s mother. His false persona has a different name, and likes Ernest, even though Holden himself doesn’t have a high opinion of him. If somebody else were to do the same thing in front of Holden, he would undoubtedly call them ‘phony’. In chapter 17, when Holden goes on a date with Sally Hayes, he speaks just as posh as Sally does. This is shown when he says ‘swell to see you too’. Again, Holden is putting on a false persona in order for Sally to like him more. Throughout this whole chapter, Holden constantly criticises Sally on the way she speaks and acts, yet speaks and acts just like she does. By doing this, Holden is contradicting himself. He doesn’t seem to realise that he is acting just as ‘phony’ ads Sally is.
Holden seems to act this way in front of most girls. I think he does this because he sees other guys acting the same way with girls and he naturally copies them because he doesn’t know how else to act. As a result, he contradicts himself often, but he just doesn’t realise