Character Analysis

Sally.

I think Sally represents society. Yes, I too ripped this off from a class discussion. But I thought about it, and it makes complete sense. Holden talks about Sally like he does about all the other "phonies." She's fake and puts on an act, but Holden still tries to get with her. He tells her secrets and tells her he loves her, but she rejects him.

This could be seen as a metaphor for how society treats Holden. He tries to understand it (Or really, have it understand him) but in the end he fails.

Marriage Poem

Marriage. Society's expectation.

Marriage. Find a spouse before it's too late.

Marriage: Commit yourself, never stray.

Marriage. Try to stay together, even if you're not happy.

Marriage. Have two kids and a car and a dog and a white picket fence.

Marriage. Til death do you part.

This is a rough draft, I'm thinking of adding a few lines/refining it.

Quote Analysis

Quote:

The best thing, though, in that museum was that everything always stayed right where it was. Nobody'd move. [...] The only thing that would be different would be you.

Meaning:

Holden dislikes change. He fears it, avoids it. He prefers things to stay the same.

Matter:

One of Holden's main problems in the book is his reluctance to become an adult. He doesn't want his life to change. He doesn't want to mature, to become someone else, become phony. He dwells on his childhood much of the time, and hates the change that came from his brother's death.