An Analysis Of Holden's Roommate Stradlater

One theme that can be observed throughout the novel The Catcher in the Rye is the idea that oftentimes people are not what they seem on the outside. This lesson is illustrated in many of Holden’s encounters throughout the novel. One person that shows this clearly is Holden’s roommate Stradlater. Stradlater is a stereotypical, slick, “Year Book kind of handsome guy” (Salinger 27). He is extremely vain about his appearance because, as Holden says “he was madly in love with himself” (Salinger 27). At first glance, Stradlater seems a cool, if slightly sleazy, ladies-man. However, Stradlater’s true self is symbolized quite clearly by his razor blade. Holden describes it as being “always rusty as h*** and full of lather and hairs and c***” (Salinger

27). On the outside Stradlater might seem put-together and handsome, but on the inside he is really quite the opposite. For instance, Stradlater considers himself quite a ladies man. He is obsessed with ‘giving the time’ to as many pretty girls as he can, but he could care less about who they are as people. In another instance, Stradlater asks Holden to cheat and write an English composition for him, but then insults Holden’s heartfelt piece of writing when it is not exactly what he asked for. Thus, despite his handsome exterior, it is clear that Stradlater is not nearly as charming on the inside. Another encounter of Holden’s that demonstrates this theme is the hotel he stays at in New York. Holden is given a room with a window that faces the other side of the hotel. He notes that none of the residents across keep their shades down, and the behavior he observes astounds him. For instance, there is one person, an old, respectable-looking man, who is standing in front of the window in just his underclothes. As Holden walks he begins to dress up in a woman’s clothing, including high heels, bra, and a tight black dress. Then the man begins to parade in front of his mirror. There is another room nearby wherein resides a couple, likely drunk, taking turns swallowing what Holden suspects is liquor, and spitting it all over each other’s faces, laughing hysterically. This is a clear depiction of the novel’s theme.

Holden says the man who dressed up like a woman looked like a distinguished, older man. However, as soon as he believes himself out of sight, he is parading about in an evening dress, something that would have been both extravagantly odd and unaccepted in the time of the novel. On the outside he is just an ordinary man, but out of sight he give in to his inner self, who is very different from what society might expect. Both Holden’s experience at the hotel and his association with Stradlater demonstrate the theme of the novel. The idea that people are often different on the inside than how they appear on the outside is also illustrated by the novel’s protagonist, Holden Caulfield himself. On the outside, Holden can seem cynical, arrogant, and even childish at times. This is evidenced in Holden’s sense of humor, which tends towards mocking and jeering even when that ends badly for Holden. He is often sarcastic to the point of contempt, mocking his friends, strangers, and himself. It is also shown in Holden’s life philosophy; he seems to believe that almost everyone is a phony. The movies are phony, every headmaster he has ever had was phony, his brother’s ex-girlfriend is a phony, Ernie, the piano player, is a phony, and the list only goes

on. He sees the entire world around him as fake. Nothing is genuine.

He is incredibly cynical about almost everyone he meets, seeing them all as false. For instance, he will walk into Ernie’s bar, and he immediately assumes everyone around him is a phony, just because they are applauding for Ernie, who is also a phony is Holden’s mind. This cynicism also lends Holden a little arrogance, as he sometimes assumes himself above those around him who he considers to be phony. Sometimes, resulting in a combination of his arrogance and his mocking humor, Holden can come across as a little childish. This trait can be seen clearly in his mocking of Stradlater in the bathroom; Holden tap dances across the tiled floor just to entertain himself, and then proceeds to jump Stradlater, clinging to his back until Stradlater, in a fit of irritation, throws him off. It also shows when, later in New York, Holden meets up with an old school friend who immediately inquires if their talk is “going to be a typical Caulfield conversation” and repeatedly asks when Holden is going to grow up (Salinger 145). Thus, Holden seems to be a somewhat childish, cynical, and arrogant person. However, this is only on the outside. On the inside, it is clear that Holden is a much softer, more caring

person. One thing that evidences this is his friendship with Ackley. Yes, throughout their association Holden mocks Ackley and pokes fun at his unhygienic habits, but at the same time he spends a lot of time with the boy, who is something of a social outcast. When Ackley comes into Holden’s room uninvited, Holden acts irritated, and he later complains that Ackley’s presence is a pain, but Holden almost never tells him to go away. I believe that really he is being Ackley’s friend in his own way, and they both know it. Another instance of Holden’s more caring nature is his encounter with a classmate’s mother on the train to New York. The woman, seeing a Pencey Prep sticker on Holden’s suitcase, inquires if he knows her son. Holden does; however, her son is not a person Holden is glad of knowing. He is a bully simply for the fun of being mean. However, instead of telling the mother how much he dislikes her son and how awful he is, Holden tells her that her son, Ernie Morrow, is a wonderful person. He even fibs that Morrow was almost elected class president, but he would not let the class nominate him. There are two ways to look at this incident. One is that Holden lied blatantly and knowingly to this woman. However, the other is that he did it to spare her feelings. Holden says he is glad he did it, because “you take a guy like Morrow... and they don’t just stay a rat while they’re a kid. They stay a rat their whole life” (Salinger 57). He claims he told Morrow’s mother all those lies so that she will be able to think of him as a sweet, good man, even as he grows up the opposite. I believe this shows a caring nature, rather than any malicious, lying tendencies. A final piece of evidence supporting Holden’s softer nature is his passionate caring about his family. Holden has an older brother, D.B., a younger sister, Phoebe, and he had a younger brother named Allie who died of leukemia when Holden was thirteen. Holden has still not gotten over Allie’s death; it tortures him every day. However, where Allie can send Holden into bouts of depression, his sister Phoebe can pull him out of them like nothing else. Holden adores his little sister. He loves everything about her, from her short red hair, to her intelligence, to her hatred of her middle name. When Holden is with Phoebe, he is a different person. He is not nearly as sarcastic or cynical. He and Phoebe dance and goof around together, or they just talk and enjoy each other’s company. Holden would do anything for his little sister, or his brother. He is tied very tightly to his family. Also, when Holden got kicked out of Pencey, his only concern was that it would be bad for his mother’s nerves, never quite the same after Allie’s death. This familial connection shows a depth and softness of character very different from the caustic, world-weary Holden most of the world sees. Though on the outside Holden Caulfield may seem arrogant and cynical, he is really an extremely caring person. The idea that people are often different on the inside than they first appear outside is one theme that can be drawn from the novel The Catcher and the Rye.