Who is Ernie in The Catcher in the Rye?
3 min read
Asked by: Tek Stone
Ernie is a talented piano player who has his own bar in New York City. Holden has been to this bar with D.B. in the past, so he decides to visit once more when he reaches the city after leaving Pencey.
How does Holden feel about Ernie?
Ernie is an extremely skillful piano player, but Holden thinks that he has become too slick. Ernie has a huge mirror in front of him and a spotlight on his face so that the crowd won’t miss an expression. In a way, Ernie is like Holden’s brother, D.B.
Who is Ernie Morrow?
Captain Ernest Morrow was a Canadian flying ace during World War I. He was credited with seven aerial victories while flying a Bristol F. 2 Fighter. His military career was cut short by a severe wounding that cost him his left lower leg, while earning him a Distinguished Flying Cross for valour.
What are Holden’s criticisms of Ernie?
The Catcher in the Rye
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is implied in Holden’s criticism of Ernie? | He thinks he is a phoney and a sellout, similar to D.B. |
| Why does Holden scorn the “Ivy League” boys he sees? | He also sees them as phoneys. Fake, materialistic, shallow, and only concerned about themselves. |
What does Ernie do that irritates Holden?
At Ernie’s, Holden listens to Ernie play the piano but is unimpressed. He takes a table, drinks Scotch and soda, and listens to the conversations around him, which he finds depressing and phony.
Why did Holden lie about Ernie?
He dislikes Ernest immensely but tells extravagant lies about him to his mother, claiming that he is the most popular boy on campus and would have been elected class president if he’d let the other boys nominate him. Holden tells her his own name is Rudolph Schmidt, which is actually the school janitor’s name.
Why is Holden attracted to Mrs Morrow?
That guy Morrow was about as sensitive as a goddam toilet seat.” Holden feels such affection and attraction towards Mrs. Morrow that he wants to make her feel good about her son.
Why did James Castle suicide?
James Castle is a student Holden knew when he was still attending Elkton Hills. Holden has an odd respect for Castle because Castle committed suicide by jumping out of his window after refusing to submit to a group of bullies who locked Castle and themselves with in Castle’s room.
Why is Holden happy at the end?
When Holden watches Phoebe go around and around on the carousel, he finds himself deliriously happy as he participates in a scene of childhood joy and innocence. With Phoebe, he seems to have found the human contact he was looking for.
Why does Holden kiss Jane?
He kisses her all over her face, but he wants us to know that she wouldn’t let him kiss her on the mouth; they weren’t really “necking.” Jane is very young but has a terrific figure, and Holden wonders if maybe her stepfather has tried to “get wise” with her, but she says that the man has not.
Who is Allie and what caused his death?
Allie died of leukemia at the Caulfields’ summer home in Maine on July 18, 1946. He was 11 years old; Holden was 13. Holden, distraught over the loss of his brother, broke his hand punching the windows out of the garage of their summer home.
What do the ducks symbolize in Catcher in the Rye?
In the classic novel, The Catcher in the Rye, Salinger uses the concept of ducks, a hunting hat, and a young man named Stradlater, to symbolize Holden’s struggle between the innocence of childhood and the phoniness of adulthood.
