Reading Circle #3: Catcher in the Rye Reflection Questions

Explain the following quote from the reading selection. How does the museum fit both literally and figuratively into Holden's story?

"The best thing, though, in that museum was that everything always stayed right where it was. Nobody'd move. You could go there a hundred thousand times, and that Eskimo would still be just finished catching those two fish, the birds would still be on their way south, the deers would still be drinking out of that water hole....Nobody'd be different. The only thing that would be different would be you."

Response

Catcher in the Rye (p.135)

While on his date with Sally, Holden decides to walk from Central Park to the Museum of Natural History. During this time, Holden begins to recall all of the memories he had when he visited the museum for school field trips. Holden then begins to realize the life lesson that the museum teaches him. The museum can be likened to a life that is frozen and always remains the same. This is the life that Holden understands and wishes that he could have. He cannot accept the challenges that he encounters day to day. He wishes that life could be like the life of the Eskimo, which is simplicity. It's very manageable and less troublesome. The problem that Holden is facing is that he would rather live in his own fantasy than face life's challenges. He'd rather escape from it than learn after dealing with it. He is too caught up and he just feels that it's too difficult to deal with life's adversities. With this, he decides not to go into the museum. He is aware that each time he visits the museum, he is a different person. That is what's troubling him and he doesn't want to accept that. He wants life to stay the same without any worries. In the book, he points out specific objects, such as the Eskimo, the birds, and the deers. The reason for this is because he is making a reference to himself. Holden is able to judge these things based on his own perspective. He can call them "phony" all he wants, but the fact of the matter is that those objects in the display cases will never judge him back. That's the beauty of the fantasy life he wishes he could have because there wouldn't be any problems in his life. No decision making, nothing at all. Just pure simplicity. In addition, instead of saying me in the book, he uses the second-person point of view, you. I believe that he did this to generalize this situation. It applies to everyone and I believe that was Holden's intent.

Holden has yet to outgrow his immaturity of not being able to deal with life's challenges. Sure, it maybe difficult at first, but it is unavoidable. There's nothing he can do to escape. However, even if he does, he is going to have to come back someday and deal with it anyway. Holden is missing out on the beauty of encountering life's problems and that would be the maturity that is gained after the situation has been tackled. Holden is afraid and he has been through so much that life seems so out of reach to him. It's difficult for him to accept certain things now because he is growing up. In a way, he is forced to go through the challenges that life poses for us. It is natural, but it's not what Holden wants. A life of simplicity is what he wants because it's easy to manage and it requires no effort at all. One of the other reasons I believe Holden treasures his idealistic view of a simple life is that he wants people to stay the same. Perhaps the people around him have changed for the worst and yes, in actuality, things like that do happen. I believe Holden is afraid of losing the most important people in his life, so he would rather keep them the way they are. Maybe that's why he wishes life to be a museum.