The Catcher in the Rye #1

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

"'May I ask your name, dear?'

'Rudolph Schmidt,' I told her. I didn't feel like giving her my whole life story'" (Salinger, 54-5).

Throughout this entire first half of the novel, Holden has made it clear that he does not appreciate or respect people he believes to be phony. There seems to be an irony in what Holden expects out of other people and what he does. After complaining of phony people, Holden lies himself to the people around him. The phoniness that Holden dislikes is coming from himself as he is phony to the people around him when he lies. To follow up Holden lying about who he is, he lies about having a tumor. Holden's complaints of phonies do not seem reliable as he is doing the same to the people around him and then later to the prostitute. Holden seems to be having an issue with himself in the world he is in. He seems to be in denial that he is growing up and becoming just like everyone else. The irony in what he says shows the battle he is having internally with growing up and externally with dealing with the phony world he lives in.