The Catcher In The Rye: Who Is Mr. Antolini?

Who is Mr. Antolini?

We all know that Holden is the catcher in the rye, but who will catch Holden when he falls? In chapter 24 of J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, there is a lot of dispute concerning Mr. Antolini, debate centering mainly around whether the action of patting Holden’s head in his sleep was a misplaced fatherly gesture, or an act of perversion. Perhaps the interaction was neither of these, but rather a symbol for what both Antolini and Holden represent: the catcher in the rye. There are many instances where we see similarities between Antolini and Holden, such as addiction, personal feelings/outlooks on life, and life goals, that indicate that Mr. Antolini and his actions towards Holden are representative of Holden himself,

Antolini, it’s evident that he has some addiction problems that Holden shares. It could be argued that Antolini’s constant intoxication causes him to be perverted, but that doesn’t make sense, as Mr. Antolini is always very composed despite his alcoholism. If his drinking were to make him perverted, then he’d act more vulgar or disorderly in conversation with Holden, which he did not. Mr. Antolini’s addiction is supposed to be seen as negative by Holden, who would reflect on himself and his own vices. Antolini’s addiction serves this very purpose, as we can tell when Holden says, “All old Mr. Antolini had was another highball, though. He makes them very strong, too, you could tell. He may get to be an alcoholic if he doesn’t watch his step.” (P. 186). As a result, this reflection will ultimately save Holden from indulging his own addiction further because he can now see what it will do to him later on in

On page 187, Antolini begins to encourage Holden to get his act together, warning him that “The man falling isn’t permitted to feel or hear himself hit bottom. He just keeps falling and falling.” This is Antolini’s way of trying to save Holden from getting lost in his spiral, and by doing so, Mr. Antolini is in the rye, ready to catch Holden. Many would argue that this is an example of a fatherly act, but Antolini’s goal is to save Holden, rather than give him the constant care that a father does. This is to say that both Holden and Mr. Antolini wish to save, or “catch”, those who are going on a downward spiral because they both embody the catcher in the