The Catcher in the Rye: Chapter 14

The color-coded bars in this section make it easy to track the themes throughout the work. Each color corresponds to one of the themes explained in the Themes section of this LitChart. For instance, indicates that all five themes apply to that part of the summary.

Summary Analysis Themes

Holden, alone, remembers a time when he excluded Allie from a game. He still feels guilty about it. He gets into bed, and is surprised that he feels like praying. He says he’s “sort of an atheist,” and dislikes ministers because they speak in a phony tone of voice.

Holden’s rejection of society includes religion. He views ministers as actors, all of whom he considers phonies because they hide their true selves.

A knock sounds on the door. Holden opens it. Maurice demands five dollars, and pins Holden while Sunny takes the money from Holden’s wallet. When Holden calls Maurice a “dirty moron,” Maurice punches him in the stomach, leaving him crying on the floor.

Perhaps the biggest condemnation of adult society in Catcher is not its phoniness, but that rather than protect the fragile Holden, it literally assaults him.

Holden images himself as a movie star shot in the gut by an enemy, and imagines taking his revenge. He then says he feels like committing suicide by jumping out the window. Eventually, he goes to sleep.

Note Holden’s consistent wariness of actors and the movies. Also note how, now incredibly lonely, he begins to fixate on his own death.