Salinger tells a story of a young man named .
Holden Caulfield and the experiences he faces after being dismissed from school. On his .
trip, he meets many different people all of whom he viciously criticizes and complains .
about adult evils. Holden Caulfield consistently condemns adult corruption and the .
“phoniness” in people, but he consistently contradicts himself and therefore is a phony .
and a hypocrite. This can all be proven in the book, by misrepresenting himself to others, .
his self contradictory actions and his own behaviour at certain places. .
Holden is a hypocrite because he enjoys things that he strongly criticizes. Early on .
in the story he says that he hates “movies like prison” (29), but he goes to the movies .
anyway. When he is with Sally he buys tickets to see the Lunts, even though earlier he .
said that he didn’t even like the Lunts; he even admits that “the show wasn’t as bad as .
some I’ve seen” (125) after it was over. Another example of his hypocrisy is evident .
when he criticizes his school, Pencey Prep, but then later praises it for having a good .
academic rating. Clear confirmation that Holden is a phony.
When meeting new people Holden is never honest about anything he discusses. .
For instance, while on the train back to NY, he struck up a conversation with Mrs. .
Morrow and introduced himself as a Rudolf Schmidt. They began to talk and then Holden .
(or Rudolf) explained to her that he was going home early because he had an operation .
for a tiny tumor in his brain. This incident is further, revolting evidence of Holden’s .
hypocrisy.
His behaviour can also be seen as an instance of him being two-faced. Once in his .
room at the Edmont Hotel, Holden quickly becomes a voyeur to the activities of others in .
the hotel. He detests the hotel (which he chose himself) because it “was lousy with .
perverts” (62), yet HE is the one who observes a male transvestite strut around in a .
nearby apartment.
