Humor In Holden's The Catcher In The Rye
In Chapter in fifteen, Holden’s lavish life and spoiled ways affects the way he understands people in the world because he feels pity towards them. When Holden plans to meet Sally Hayes under the clock at Biltmore, he decides that he would eat on the way, since he had not eaten for a while. He arrives at a sandwich bar and meets two nuns, who he grows fond of. He sees their suitcases, and recalls a moment where his roommate used to pretend that Holden’s expensive suitcase was his. Holden explains that if a person’s suitcase is better than the other person’s they “think if they’re intelligent and all, the other person, and have a good sense of humor, that they don’t give a damn whose suitcases are better, but they do” (142). Since Holden is
used to his spoiled ways of living a lavish life, he understands how people feel somehow and pities them. He stated that it was “one of the reasons why I roomed with a stupid bastard like Stradlater.” Since he does not like seeing people less fortunate, at least with Stradlater he felt equally the same because “at least his suitcases was as good as mine”(142). When the nuns decide to sit with Holden, he sees that “all the two of them were eating for breakfast was toast and coffee” (143) while he was “eating bacon and eggs” (143). The comparisons of food choice shows that since Holden lives off his spoiled ways and is able to buy a good decent meal, the nuns are not very fortunate, and have to eat a less nutritious meal. Since Holden pities them, he wanted to donate money, and describes how “they let me give them ten bucks contribution. They kept asking me if I was sure I could afford it and all. I told them I had quite a bit of money with me. They took it though, finally” (143). Since he knows that he had some money, he was generous enough to give them ten dollars out of pity. This demonstrates when Holden feels pity towards someone, it is because his lavish life and spoiled ways has affected the way he understands people in the world.
used to his spoiled ways of living a lavish life, he understands how people feel somehow and pities them. He stated that it was “one of the reasons why I roomed with a stupid bastard like Stradlater.” Since he does not like seeing people less fortunate, at least with Stradlater he felt equally the same because “at least his suitcases was as good as mine”(142). When the nuns decide to sit with Holden, he sees that “all the two of them were eating for breakfast was toast and coffee” (143) while he was “eating bacon and eggs” (143). The comparisons of food choice shows that since Holden lives off his spoiled ways and is able to buy a good decent meal, the nuns are not very fortunate, and have to eat a less nutritious meal. Since Holden pities them, he wanted to donate money, and describes how “they let me give them ten bucks contribution. They kept asking me if I was sure I could afford it and all. I told them I had quite a bit of money with me. They took it though, finally” (143). Since he knows that he had some money, he was generous enough to give them ten dollars out of pity. This demonstrates when Holden feels pity towards someone, it is because his lavish life and spoiled ways has affected the way he understands people in the world.