Holdens Definition of "Phoniness" and How He May Be Phony Himself
One of the first things that Holden Caulfield makes clear in The Catcher in the Rye is his hatred for “phonies.” To him, phonies are people that pretend to be someone they're not. Throughout the book, he has a hard time trusting people over small things like going to watch a movie, showcasing their talents, reminiscing about their high school years, or going to an Ivy League, because he sees these things as “performative.” He tends to have very high expectations for people, but as a reader it makes me question: does he even meet his own expectations?
Throughout the novel, Holden demonstrated controversial behaviors, where he criticizes people for doing something, and then judges them negatively for not doing it. One example is when Holden condemns people for putting too much effort into their physical appearance and caring too much about how they look. He observes Stradlater from across the room and goes on to talk about how “he always looked good when he was finished fixing himself up, but he was a secret slob anyway,” he admitted. “The reason he fixed himself up to look good was because he was madly in love with himself. He thought he was the handsomest guy in the Western Hemisphere,” (36). As Holden goes on to talk about his frustration with Stradlater and how he puts too much time into his physical appearance, we are met with many examples of Holden criticizing others for their appearance. As he introduces us to his nextdoor roommate, Ackley, he says “The whole time he roomed next to me, I never even once saw him brush his teeth. They always looked mossy and awful,” he says. “Besides that, he had a lot of pimples. Not just on his forehead or his chin, like most guys, but all over his whole face,” (26). Holden’s hypocritical behaviour makes the reader believe that he has the characteristics of a phony.
As we dive deeper into the book, Holden talks about his hatred for people who are too sentimental and how there is phoniness in being nostalgic. He begins listing things that he doesn't like about Pencey to Phoebe, and he brings up a moment where an alum returned to school on Veterans Day and searched for his name that he carved into the wall back when he was a student. “He said he wanted to see if his initials were still in one of the can doors. What he did, he carved his goddam stupid sad old initials in one of the can doors about ninety years ago, and he wanted to see if they were still there,” (219). He continued to complain about this, saying that “all you have to do to depress somebody is give them a lot of phony advice while you're looking for your initials in some can door–that's all you have to do.” Despite Holden's criticism of others for being sentimental, we see that in the very last page of the book, he begins to reflect on all of the people and experiences he encountered throughout the novel. He himself reveals such sentimentality reminiscing on his conversation with D.B., his days back at Pencey, and even his encounter with Maurice. “Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody,” (277).
Throughout this novel, it gets clearer that Holden Caulfield doesn't live up to the expectations that he sets for other people. His actions show many signs of a superiority complex as he finds normality in his own behavior, but not in others. He is disapproving of people's looks and of dwelling on past experiences, affirming that these actions are what make people “phonies” in his head. Holden addresses readers as if he is confiding in a friend, but the duality of his judgements compared to his behaviors make the reader question if the friendship is even reciprocal.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI would also say that Holden can be kinda phony at times because he also does the things phonies do in conversations. And he is very sentimental and nostalgic, which are things Holden considers to be phony. In addition to the examples that you gave, he also constantly misses Allie, which really feels like something Holden would call another person a Phony for doing something similar.
A lot of what Holden sees as "phoniness" is used within his narrative to bolster his own authority as narrator: like with Stradlater as a "secret slob," he isn't suggesting that Stradlater is behaving in a phony or fraudulent way, at least primarily. He is establishing HIMSELF as the one who sees "behind the facade," who can give us the "real Stradlater," who knows he's not "really" this put-together, handsome guy (he's wearing his roommate's jacket, for starters!). It's more about Holden than Stradlater, in other words--bolstering his image as someone who can't be fooled by these phonies, who sees the underlying reality and isn't afraid to call it out.
ReplyDeleteBut elsewhere he very much DOES condemn phonies for "performativity," which is why he is especially critical of actual *performance*, like the Lunts in the play, or Ernie at the piano. The word "performative," as your generation uses it, only emerged about five years ago (I believe it was around the category of "performative activism"). I think it's totally apt in this context--it's more or less what Holden means by "show-offy."
I agree. Holden is constantly judging Stradlater for caring too much about his appearance and Ackley for not caring enough, yet he never places himself anywhere on that same scale. He doesn’t really reflect on his own actions or question whether he meets the standards he sets for everyone else. That’s part of what makes him unreliable. We hear all his criticisms, but we rarely see true self-evaluation. Instead of confronting his own feelings or insecurities, he projects them onto others. It isn’t until the very end, when he admits he misses everyone, that we see a glimpse of real self-awareness.
ReplyDeleteHi Salma. Indeed, Holden’s resentment towards Ivy League schools and Hollywood movies stems from his dislike for their phony performativeness. I agree that calling out their “phoniness” lets him position himself above the very institutions society admires, giving him a sense of superiority. I also appreciate how you highlight Holden’s hypocrisy. He criticizes alumni for getting sentimental about the prestigious Pencey, yet by the end of the novel he slips into the same nostalgia, admitting he misses the very people there he once mocked. Good post!
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