http://i43.tinypic.com/27yzp0k.png
Quotes + Explanations:
Who are we accountable to for our actions?
“The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of the mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one”. P.188
à This quote shows how we are basically accountable for our own actions. The way we live our life reflects who we are, and can only be based upon what we believe and therefore the responsibility falls upon us. In the end, people will only judge us for our actions and see where it took us, to base their own actions upon.
"I'm the most terrific liar you ever saw in your life. It's awful. If I'm on my way to the store to buy a magazine, even, and somebody asks me where I'm going, I'm liable to say I'm going to the opera. It's terrible." P.16
à This quote again shows that we are accountable for our own actions. In this case, Holden takes responsibility for his lying instinct; lying even when it is completely unnecessary and to absolutely no benefit. We are liable for the things we say, and others should not be held accountable or responsible for any false words or even true words that leave our mouth.
How can one balance cultural and societal expectations with one’s own beliefs?
“Anyway, it was the Saturday of the football game […] I remember around three o’clocl that afternoon I was standing way the hell up on top of Thomsen Hill […] You could see the whole field from there, and you could see the two teams bashing eachother all over the place.” P.2
à When things become too overwhelming for us; the expectations from society (school and peers), sometimes we just have to stand back by ourselves and isolate ourselves from others to intake a moment of peace. Sometimes, in order to balance cultural and societal expectations with our own beliefs, is to simple be alone and allow ourselves to recover from the tiring struggle in attempting to please all sides of an inner conflict.
"I don't even know what I was running for - I guess I just felt like it." P.5
àAfter being kicked out of his school (because of not being able to meet the school standards) and not being able to go home (because of being afraid of his parents), Holden decides to simply run. Through this quote, we see that sometimes when our own beliefs cannot match up with the expectations of others (school, friends, and parents) there is no simple way to balance the values. In the end, sometimes all we can do is run from our differences, unable to think logically or sensibly.
How do our relationships with others show our values?
"Most guys at Pencey just talked about having sexual intercourse with girls all the time - like Ackley, for instance - but old Stradlater really did it. I was personally acquainted with at least two girls he gave the time to. That's the truth." P. 48-49
à This quote demonstrates how our relationships with others shows are values. The things we do to interact with other people demonstrate our values. For example, in this quote, Stradlater communicates with females to ‘give them the time’. This shows through his relationships of intercourse, his value of using other people to accomplish his body’s wants. His values do not necessarily reflect respect for other people, but more so the momentary judgement on one’s appearance.
“I roomed with this boy, Dick Slagle… The day after I put mine under my bed, he took them out and put them back on the rack… The reason he did it, it took me a while to find out, was because he wanted people to think my bags were his.” P.108
à The relationship between Holden and his roommate Dick Slagle also shows how relationships reflect peoples’ values. Both people hold a relationship of being friendly roommates. This relationship shows both people's values through their thoughts on why they choose to befriend the other. Holden does not care for the suitcases which shows that he possesses a value of equality and judges a person on their personality itself. However, Dick Slagle, uses Holden to show off his suitcases, pretending to be the possessor of them. This shows that he values much more monetary status, and is more afraid of the judgements of other people on his surface level assets.
"God, I love it when a kid's nice and polite when you tighten their skate for them or something. Most kids are. They really are" P.119
à The way we associate with others will ultimately build the way our relationship looks with them. In this quote, Holden appreciates the child’s politeness and kindness. The value of respect for others and their deeds shows through his relationship with the child: an openness to being with him.
“At the end of the first act we went out with all the other jerks for a cigarette. What a deal that was. You never saw so many phonies in all your life, everybody smoking their ears off and talking about the play so that everybody could hear and know how sharp they were.”P.126
à Through this quote, we see that Holden refuses to hold any positive relationship with the people outside that are talking about the play superficially to demonstrate their ‘superior knowledge’. This demonstrates Holden’s value for honesty and modesty, as he clearly dislikes people who put up a fake prestigious front to seem higher on the social ladder than other people. Holden enjoys people act as themselves, other people who value people who come as they are. This quote shows that the relationship we share with others shows our value as we reveal our thoughts and opinions about others' actions.
