RE: The Catcher in the Rye help with homework Chapter 13
- Explain Holden’s confusion about his own assertiveness.
- Why does Holden allow Maurice to send the prostitute to his room? How does Holden excuse his agreeing to meet a prostitute?
- Explain what happens between Holden and the prostitute. What does this scene tell us about Holden?
- What does Holden’s pseudonym indicate about his insecurities?
- What comment shows Holden’s sensitivity to language?
What does Holden’s pseudonym indicate about his insecurities?
The names, “Sunny” and “Jim Steele,” are ironic; neither name fits the person. Freudian critics delight in analyzing their significance. Remember that Salinger’s boyhood nickname was “Sonny.” What kind of Freudian slip has Salinger made by naming the prostitute “Sunny”? What has he revealed about himself? “Steele,” some critics suggest, is a strained attempt at phallic superiority.
