Holden, from The Catcher in the Rye thinks completely different things from what he actually says. In other words, his inner monologue and outer monologue are different. There are many examples of this throughout the book.
I think that the significance of this dissonance is that it reveals how Holden is unable to express his true thoughts and feelings. He feels that he always needs to lie in order to please the people around him. This is especially revealed in his encounter with Mrs. Morrow. He continued to “chuck the old crap” (Salinger 54). Mrs. Morrow is the first person in this novel that Holden seems to actually appreciate and like. The fact that he continues to lie to her shows us readers that Holden thinks that the only way for him to interact and talk to people is by lying. I think that in a way, Holden is afraid to show his true self. He is afraid that people will dislike him more if he tells people his true inner monologue.
Holden also seems to enjoy using sarcasm. During his visit to Ackley’s room, he sarcastically calls Ackley a prince. I think that Holden uses sarcasm to “appear” tough. Instead of showing that he is hurt by Ackley’s lack of care, he continues to call Ackley a “goddam prince” (Salinger 50). Holden’s lying and sarcasm also make him a hypocrite. He is continuously calling other people “phonies” because they are fake. However, Holden it just as fake by always lying to people and not showing his true inner feelings.
In conclusion, Holden’s inner and outer monologues are extremely different. They are almost opposites of each other. A major example of this is when Holden encounters Mrs. Morrow on the train. He cannot stop lying. His lying also makes him a hypocrite. He goes around calling other classmates and people phonies, when in reality, he is a phony as well.
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