RE: The Catcher in the Rye help with homework Chapter 21

Chapter 21

 

  1. Characterize Phoebe.
  2. In what ways does Phoebe seem older than Holden? Who is more in touch with reality, Holden or Phoebe? Defend your answer.
  3. Why isn’t Holden recognized when he goes to his family’s apartment?
  4. Where does Holden find Phoebe sleeping?
  5. Why does Phoebe become so angry with Holden?
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5 Answers

Why does Phoebe become so angry with Holden?

Phoebe’s significance in the novel is crucial. Despite her youth, she sometimes seems to be Holden’s best friend. He can confide in her and share his dreams. Like a real friend, she does not always agree. She often sees right through her brother, detecting early on that he has been kicked out of Pencey Prep. Her advice frequently is superior to what Holden plans to do. Phoebe is also Holden’s most trusted connection to family and home.

On the other hand, when Holden wakes her (in Chapter 21) and she is overjoyed to see him. She is very bubbly and tells him everything that has happened to her. Suddenly she realizes that he is home earlier than he was expected and surmises that he was kicked out of school. She covers her head with her pillow and doesn’t want to talk to Holden anymore. She has trouble understanding Holden’s darker side. She wonders why he is so self-destructive and why he doesn’t just succeed in school the way she does. She may not quite grasp what he means by being the “catcher in the rye.”

 

Answered on 21.06.2017.
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