When the prostitute questions Holden's age, just as others have done during the course of the novel, again proving that however old Holden thinks that he appears, he presents himself as a child to the adult characters around him.
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Holden’s behaviour becomes increasingly self-destructive as this chapter progresses. Although he knows that Maurice and Sunny are threatening him, he persists in arguing with them, even though it is only over a five-dollar charge and he believes that he is in serious danger. During this encounter Holden once again reveals himself to be a child, breaking down into tears as soon as Sunny and Maurice left taking the money with them.
Holden fantasizes about murdering Maurice after they left, but gives this thought only passing consideration. Rather, the more important threat that Holden poses is to himself. His behaviour towards Maurice and Sunny indicates that he is at some level unconcerned that they will hurt him, and he even seems to take some wicked pleasure from the pain Maurice inflicts, as he uses this as a chance for role-playing as a movie gangster. These details build up throughout the chapter to Holden’s final revelation that he is considering suicide. Although he finally dismisses the idea of jumping out the window because of the particular details of his death, this is a clear sign of Holden’s despair. JD Salinger clearly foreshadows that Holden will engage in some suicidal action.
This could possibly be one of the reasons why he is in psychiatric care at the start of the book.
After Holden drops Phoebe’s record he went to Central Park and sits down on a bench. Once again he thought he was going to die but this time he thinks that he will get pneumonia and imagines his funeral. He imagines his funeral as if it is an impending event, yet is curiously ambivalent about the consequences. His only concern is not whether or not he will die, but how Phoebe will react to his death.
Holden views his sister with a sense of wonder: he recounts with a sentimental admiration in each aspect of Phoebe’s life, viewing her as a compete innocent. Of all the characters in “The Catcher in the Rye”, Phoebe is the only one that Holden treats with any degree of tenderness or respect. This is the most obvious sign of Holden‘s idealization of childhood. However, Phoebe does not share her brother’s views. Where Holden is sentimental, Phoebe is realistic. She realizes how angry her father will be at Holden and refuses to listen to Holden when he tells how he will go to a ranch in Colorado. Phoebe confronts Holden with his own immaturity and lack of direction. Even a nine years old child can realize that Holden needs to mature, yet Holden has not come to this revelation himself.
Phoebe realizes that Holden’s major problem is his overwhelmingly negative attitude towards everything and everyone around him. When Holden talks with Phoebe, he once again reveals his insincerity. He complains that everyone at Pencey is a “phonie”. Holden has difficultly finding an answer to the question of what he actually likes. When he does think of a response to that question, his answers are both questionable and disturbing. Holden appreciates the suicide of James Castle and this indicates his own emotional state and gives greater confidence to earlier foreshadowing that Holden’s sentimental feeling about childhood. His dreams of becoming a “catcher” in the rye” show that Holden has affection for childhood. He wishes to save these children from danger so that they may play in the fields; this can be interprets as Holden’s wish to save the children from the difficulties of adulthood.
Holden responds to Phoebe’s confrontation by preparing to leave the house. This continues a pattern for Holden: he escapes responsibility, whether leaving a club early when he sees someone he dislike or running away from boarding school. When Holden faces something that he dislikes, he cannot confront it; instead, he chooses to leave for another random destination.
Mr Antoloni is perhaps the only adult in the story that Holden can trust and respect; Holden even does not sarcastically call him old’ as he does with other adults, instead referring to him by his popper title. However, like all others adults in the story, Holden Feels that Mr.Antolini betray his trust. When Holden awakens to find Mr. Antolini touching his head, he immediately concludes the worst, suspecting him of “fitty” behaviour. However, Holden is particularly unreliable narrator, coming to Mr. Antolini’s apartment naturally suspicious of all adults and perhaps still drunk from the evening’s adventure. It seems unlikely that Mr. Antloini had any nasty intention, yet Holden suspects the worst. Once again Holden must escape from a situation to avoid any sort of difficult disagreement. Holden sees this once-respected teacher as a predator.
Holden becomes increasingly paranoid and delusional towards the end of the book.
He operates under the theory that he will not survive much longer, like when he is convinced that he will not get to the other side of the street. Holden’s comments become increasingly random and disorganized, like when he obsesses over the graffiti on the school. Holden’s obsession with the swear word is important, for it shows his dislike for anything that may corrupt the innocence of children. Holden wishes to shelter children from any adult experiences, revealing his own fear of maturity.