The Catcher in the Rye
The Catcher in the Rye
by J. D. Salinger
Advertisement

What's going on in the rest of the book?

New!
group rates for schools and districts
ADVERTISEMENT

The Catcher in the Rye Isolation Quotes Page 1

Page (1 of 3) Quotes:   1    2    3  
How we cite the quotes:
Citations follow this format: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote 1

Anyway, it was the Saturday of the football game. […] I remember around three o'clock that afternoon I was standing way the hell up on top of Thomsen Hill. […] You could see the whole field from there, and you could see the two teams bashing each other all over the place. […] You could hear them all yelling. (1.3)

The very first place we see Holden sets the stage for his character throughout The Catcher in the Rye: he's isolated, aloof, and watching people instead of connecting with them.

Quote 2

The first thing I did when I got off at Penn Station, I went into this phone booth. I felt like giving somebody a buzz […] but as soon as I was inside, I couldn't think of anybody to call up. My brother D.B. was in Hollywood. My kid sister Phoebe […] was out. Then I thought of giving Jane Gallagher's mother a buzz […]. Then I thought of calling this girl […] Sally Hayes. […] I thought of calling […] Carl Luce. […] So I ended up not calling anybody. I came out of the booth, after about twenty minutes or so. (9.1)

Holden is clearly trying to reach out to someone – but is for one reason or another unable to do so. His hesitation (itself a result of his judgmental view of others) keeps him in this isolation.

Quote 3

"Well – take me to the Edmont then," I said. "Would you care to stop on the way and join me for a cocktail? On me, I'm loaded." (9.10)

So Holden is pretty desperate for someone to talk to. This is the first in a long string of his attempts to connect with someone – anyone – during his time in the city.

Next Page: More Isolation Quotes (2 of 3)
Previous Page: Youth Quotes