2. Chapter 3-4Chapter 3-4
““I'm the most terrific liar you ever saw inI'm the most terrific liar you ever saw in
your life.”your life.”
““It's awful. If I'm on my way to the store toIt's awful. If I'm on my way to the store to
buy a magazine, even, and somebodybuy a magazine, even, and somebody
asks me where I'm going, I'm liable to sayasks me where I'm going, I'm liable to say
I'm going to the opera. It's terrible. SoI'm going to the opera. It's terrible. So
when I told old Spencer I had to go to thewhen I told old Spencer I had to go to the
gym and get my equipment and stuff, thatgym and get my equipment and stuff, that
was a sheer lie.”was a sheer lie.”
““I don't even keep my goddam equipmentI don't even keep my goddam equipment
in the gym.”in the gym.”
3. Holden gives a few details about Mr.Holden gives a few details about Mr.
Ossenburger. He is a former student ofOssenburger. He is a former student of
Pencey who became an undertaker.Pencey who became an undertaker.
Holden’s dormitory is named after him.Holden’s dormitory is named after him.
He makes a speech at Pencey, telling theHe makes a speech at Pencey, telling the
students not to be embarrassed to pray.students not to be embarrassed to pray.
OssenburgerOssenburger
4. Holden bought a hat in New York.Holden bought a hat in New York.
““It was this red hunting hat, withIt was this red hunting hat, with
one of those very, very long peaks.one of those very, very long peaks.
I saw it in the window of this sportsI saw it in the window of this sports
store when we got out of thestore when we got out of the
subway, just after I noticed I'd lostsubway, just after I noticed I'd lost
all the goddam foils.”all the goddam foils.”
““It only cost me a buck. The way IIt only cost me a buck. The way I
wore it, I swung the old peak waywore it, I swung the old peak way
around to the back--very corny, I'llaround to the back--very corny, I'll
admit, but I liked it that way.”admit, but I liked it that way.”
““I looked good in it that way.”I looked good in it that way.”
5. Then Holden turns his attention to his ownThen Holden turns his attention to his own
reading habits and lists his favorite authors.reading habits and lists his favorite authors.
His brother D.B. tops the list, followed by:His brother D.B. tops the list, followed by:
Ring LardnerRing Lardner
Isak DinesenIsak Dinesen
(Yes, it’s a woman)(Yes, it’s a woman)
Thomas Hardy.Thomas Hardy.
ReadingReading
6. ““What I like best is a book that's at least funnyWhat I like best is a book that's at least funny
once in a while.”once in a while.”
““What really knocks me out is a book that,What really knocks me out is a book that,
when you're all done reading it, you wish thewhen you're all done reading it, you wish the
author that wrote it was a terrific friend ofauthor that wrote it was a terrific friend of
yours and you could call him up on the phoneyours and you could call him up on the phone
whenever you felt like it.”whenever you felt like it.”
7. AckleyAckley
As he is settling down to read, a dormAs he is settling down to read, a dorm
neighbor, Robert Ackley, interruptsneighbor, Robert Ackley, interrupts
Holden.Holden.
““He was one of these very, very tall,He was one of these very, very tall,
round-shouldered guys--he was aboutround-shouldered guys--he was about
six four--with lousy teeth.”six four--with lousy teeth.”
8. ““The whole time he roomed next to me, I neverThe whole time he roomed next to me, I never
even once saw him brush his teeth.”even once saw him brush his teeth.”
““They always looked mossy and awful, and heThey always looked mossy and awful, and he
damn near made you sick if you saw him in thedamn near made you sick if you saw him in the
dining room with his mouth full of masheddining room with his mouth full of mashed
potatoes and peas or something.”potatoes and peas or something.”
““Besides that, he had a lot of pimples. Not justBesides that, he had a lot of pimples. Not just
on his forehead or his chin, like most guys, buton his forehead or his chin, like most guys, but
all over his whole face.”all over his whole face.”
““And not only that, he had a terrible personality.And not only that, he had a terrible personality.
He was also sort of a nasty guy.”He was also sort of a nasty guy.”
I wasn't too crazy about him, to tell you theI wasn't too crazy about him, to tell you the
truth.”truth.”
9. StradlaterStradlater
Ward Stradlater is Holden’s roommate.Ward Stradlater is Holden’s roommate.
““All of a sudden the door opened, and oldAll of a sudden the door opened, and old
Stradlater barged in, in a big hurry. HeStradlater barged in, in a big hurry. He
was always in a big hurry. Everything waswas always in a big hurry. Everything was
a very big deal.”a very big deal.”
““He came over to me and gave me theseHe came over to me and gave me these
two playful as hell slaps on both cheeks--two playful as hell slaps on both cheeks--
which is something that can be verywhich is something that can be very
annoying.”annoying.”
10. ““He was at least a pretty friendly guy,He was at least a pretty friendly guy,
Stradlater. It was partly a phony kind ofStradlater. It was partly a phony kind of
friendly, but at least he always said hello tofriendly, but at least he always said hello to
Ackley and all.”Ackley and all.”
He is in the middle of a date and asksHe is in the middle of a date and asks
Holden to loan him his hound’s-tooth jacket.Holden to loan him his hound’s-tooth jacket.
11. Holden decides to keep Stradlater company inHolden decides to keep Stradlater company in
the bathroom as he shaves.the bathroom as he shaves.
““Stradlater was a secret slob. He always lookedStradlater was a secret slob. He always looked
all right, Stradlater, but for instance, youall right, Stradlater, but for instance, you
should've seen the razor he shaved himselfshould've seen the razor he shaved himself
with.”with.”
““It was always rusty as hell and full of lather andIt was always rusty as hell and full of lather and
hairs and crap.”hairs and crap.”
12. While he is getting ready, he asks Holden toWhile he is getting ready, he asks Holden to
write his English composition for him.write his English composition for him.
““Anything. Anything descriptive. A room. OrAnything. Anything descriptive. A room. Or
a house. Or something you once lived in ora house. Or something you once lived in or
something-- you know. Just as long as it'ssomething-- you know. Just as long as it's
descriptive as hell." "Just don't do it toodescriptive as hell." "Just don't do it too
good, is all.”good, is all.”
13. Holden asks Stradlater aboutHolden asks Stradlater about
his date, and it turns out to behis date, and it turns out to be
Jane Gallagher, who HoldenJane Gallagher, who Holden
had known years before.had known years before.
He tells Stradlater some thingsHe tells Stradlater some things
about Jane, including how wellabout Jane, including how well
she dances and how sheshe dances and how she
keeps the kings in the backkeeps the kings in the back
row while playing checkers.row while playing checkers.
Jane GallagherJane Gallagher
14. ““Her mother and father wereHer mother and father were
divorced. Her mother was marrieddivorced. Her mother was married
again to some booze hound”again to some booze hound”
““Skinny guy with hairy legs. He woreSkinny guy with hairy legs. He wore
shorts all the time. Jane said he wasshorts all the time. Jane said he was
supposed to be a playwright or somesupposed to be a playwright or some
goddam thing, but all I ever saw himgoddam thing, but all I ever saw him
do was booze all the time and listendo was booze all the time and listen
to every single goddam mysteryto every single goddam mystery
program on the radio.”program on the radio.”
““And run around the goddam house,And run around the goddam house,
naked. With Jane around, and all.”naked. With Jane around, and all.”