Comparison Between Catcher In The Rye And The Truth About Lying

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What do you believe is the truth about why people lie? Many would believe there are many different ways and reasons to lie. In J.D. Salinger’s novel, Catcher in the Rye, and Jenna McCarthy’s nonfiction article, “The Truth About Lying”, it is shown that one will lie to others to avoid confrontation and unwanted questions.
In the article, “The Truth About Lying” author Jenna McCarthy reveals that people lie to avoid confrontation, much like Holden Caulfield lies to Mrs.Morrow about how her son is a liked and successful person in the school when he encounters her on the train headed to New York City in J.D. Salinger’s novel, The Catcher in the Rye. Stated by McCarthy, people will lie “to avoid confrontation” (3). It is mentioned that “a believable excuse may help someone avoid an uncomfortable talk …show more content…

When one lies this way, they ruin their relationship with the one being lied to, whether if they’re close or not. The Liar then also has to keep track of the lies they’ve told, and possibly live by the consequences. On the train, Holden Caulfield lies to Mrs.Morrow similarly. After Holden leaves Pencey Prep and boards the train heading northbound towards New York, He encounters Mrs.Morrow, the mother of Ernest Morrow. She notices that Holden goes to Pencey and starts to talk to him. During their conversation, Holden decides to “Shoot the Bull” and lie to her several many times. In the beginning of their conversation, Mrs.Morrow asks Holden what her son is like at the school. Holden proceeds to say that “he adapts himself very well to things” and how Ernest is “too shy and modest” (Salinger 55 & 57). Holden tries to avoid the confrontation of talking about Ernest because

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