Please compose a letter as Holden to one of the following people:
His Mother
D.B.
Allie
Carl Luce
Mr. Spencer
Ward Stradlater
Jane Gallagher
Sally Hayes
Use this letter as way of expressing Holden's feelings. You can write about Holden's feelings for the person or about his feelings about what he is going through. Perhaps you want Holden to apologize for something or get something off of his chest.
Letters should be a minimum of 250 words in length and are due by Monday, May 23 by 11:59 PM.
I am writing this letter to Carl Luce. So the truth is we go way back we use to be great friends and we haven’t talked in a while. I am so glad that when I called you up to have a drink with me that you agreed to it. I was really looking forward to talking to you when u got her but you seemed as if you didn’t want to hear any of my immature story’s truth is you told me to go see a psychologist for my problems but I have a lot on my mind right now. I have all these feelings going on right now where I want to be old but yet at the same time I want to be young I do immature things but my gray hair makes me seem as if I was older. I am having these feelings for Jane I keep calling her but I end up hanging up before she can answer. I did just go on a date with sally Hayes it was very nice. Also after we were done drinking I left to walk home and as I was walking to the pond to see if there were any ducks I broke phoebe’s record it shattered into pieces. It’s almost like I can relate my life to the record it’s as if I feel like my life is falling apart I’m not sure on how to make any choices. I need something to help me get through all this and make up my mind on everything so I can stop hiding and just come out I’m going to get caught eventually and I’m ready to just stop all this.
ReplyDeleteDear Ms. Jane Gallagher,
ReplyDeleteHey, how are you? Hope school is alright for you. I'm doing good. I heard you hungout with my roommate, Ward Stradlater. How was it? He's all right I guess. Have you been home yet? I called the other day, but no one picked up. Remember when we would play chess, ha. Do you still keep your king in back? I'm home now, got to leave early before my break. Are you thinking about college? My father wants me to go to Ivy League college, I might but haven't descided yet. Remember when your dog would always come over and pee in our yard, and my mother getting all sore about, ha good times. Guess what? my brother, you know D.B, well he said that he knew a friend that got a prositute at a hotel and when she was leaving he didn't pay the amount she wanted, even though that's what he was told. So she got her pimp, and the pimp punched him and grabed the money. But this guy was so fed up, he got a gun i think atomatic, and found the pimp and shot him! Crazy right? Well I hope you write back, or if you remembers my parent's number, I'll be here. I would love to get some drinks with you and catch up on things. You be surprize on what drinks I can get. Due to my height and now i got a patch of gray hair. I miss the old times.
Dear Allie,
ReplyDeleteThough you will never actually read this letter, writing it to you gives me some comfort in a time when I need it most. Writing this will help me to explain things about myself that I could never bear to say to anyone else. I’ve been feeling quite depressed lately, in a slump that I can’t seem to shake. Today, in fact, when I started to get really depressed, I began to talk to you out loud, and it made me feel much better. It helps me to know that you will always listen to what I have to say. That’s all I really need; someone to listen. Sure, I have people I can talk to, but no one listens like you. That’s a thing I hate. People never seem to genuinely care. What annoys me the most is when a person pretends to care, or worse, pretends not to. And yet, look at me; I am a perfect example of this! I put on this front that’s so mature. I act like I don’t care, and people think I don’t, because of my failure at every school I attend. The truth is, I do care, but I can’t seem to handle my feelings. I can’t seem to muster up the courage to call up Jane and simply talk to her, tell her how I feel. And, the day you died, the only way I showed my sorrow was by punching the windows in the garage. I feel as though none of us- Mom, Dad, Phoebe, D.B., and I, have ever truly come to terms with your death. I think what we need, more than anything else, is closure, yet we can’t seem to find a way to do this. It’s as if we go about our day to day lives, carrying on as though nothing really changed, when inside we feel as though our world has fallen apart. Of course you know how important you were to us all, and that losing you has been the hardest struggle any of us has ever had to go through.
I will write to you again soon. Maybe these letters to you will help me to put some closure on your death. Love you, Allie.
Sincerely,
Holden
Dear Jane, How have you been? There is so much that I want to say to you, but I’m not sure I exactly know how to put it into words. Well I’ve known you since we were both young and we were really close then. We were best friends and I felt like you knew me better than anyone. When I was with you it was like nothing else mattered. I loved how you were, and I would like to hope you haven’t changed much. It scares me how much things have changed. I don’t want things to be different though, if I could stop time I would. For the last few years I have been flunking out of schools. This isn’t because I am stupid, I could pass all my classes if I wanted to, but then what happens after I finish high school. Where am I supposed to go, what am I supposed to do with my life. I am honestly terrified by the thought of my future and what I am going to do. What If I fail, and do not live up to what everyone wants me to be. I know I say that everyone is a pony, but that’s mainly because I am tired of being told what I should do or be, can’t I think for myself and do what I want. That brings me back to why I miss you so much. You have always been yourself, an individual. I hope that you have still remained true to yourself and have not given in to the ways of our demoralized society. I would love to see you sometime and catch up pon everything. Yours truly,
ReplyDeleteHolden Caulfield
Dear Allie,
ReplyDeleteI know you’re never going to read this letter but it’s the closest feeling I get to talking to you. I can’t believe you are gone; I haven’t been the same way since you have left. No one has really, moms a paranoid mess. I just got kicked out of school and I am scared to tell mom and dad because they said they would send me to military school next time I get kicked out. Right now I am sitting in a hotel room in New York City. I’m running low on money right now but I am scared to go home. There are a few things that have been ticking me off… Jane Gallagher lost her innocence and I don’t know if I can handle it… I don’t know why but it makes me mad as hell, maybe because she lost it to a real idiot. When I get depressed I talk to you out loud, it helps me a lot, but it feels weird, I want to know if you are listening to what I am saying to you, and if you are reading this letter. Boy, I still want to know what happens to the fish and the ducks when the lagoon freezes over; Hopefully you can give me a clue of what happens to them. Well I have to finish up, I think I am going to call Jane now. Take care Allie. I will see you soon.
Love,
Holden Caulfield – Your dearest brother
Dear mom,
ReplyDeleteI am writing this letter to you cause i am to embarassed to come home and tell you i got kicked out of Pency. Im sorry for the trouble i have caused you and dad i have always tried to do the best i could and make you and dad happy but i cant. That was always allie's job, he always made all of us happy and pheobe makes people happy to i just cant. Im sorry i keep letting you guys down i just dont know how to cope with allies death and i find a problem at every school i go to. I dont have many friends and i dont know how to make many. I always find something wrong in people and they all seem to be like a phony. I know its hard on all of us to deal with allies death and i think we should all be talking about it and try and get through it together. I cant do it by myself and i think i am becoming crazy over this situation. I really didnt mean to get kicked out of pencey and the other schools i got kicked out of but i just dont know how to fix myself. Im trying to be strong for pheobe and i came and visited her the other night cause i missed her and i knew she was easy to talk to and understanding. She always knows the right thing to say and i wish you and dad were like that. Im sorry again that i disappointed you and i didnt mean to let you guys down. I love you
love holden
Dearest Brother Allie,
ReplyDeleteI am writing to you to try to talk to someone and get things off my chest. I know you will never read this but I know you are watching over me and listening to what I have to say. When I found out you had leukemia I was not happy at all. I know there was a chance that you could die and unfortunately it did happened. I miss you greatly and wish you were still here with the family and I. I could not take losing you, so the night we all found out I stayed in the garage and ended up punching the window and walls and breaking my hand. Now I cannot make a tight fist anymore but I will always think of you when I try. Well, anyway I have been going through a lot lately. I got kicked out of another school, Pency Prep and I am not sure what to do now. I am off wondering around New York City before I go home and tell mom and dad. I know they will yell at me again and tell me to try harder in my life. I am dreading telling them because they will just send me to military school. I feel like I let them down but I’m not sure what else to do. I have tried to find other things in New York City to keep me busy but then I just think about mom, dad, Phoebe and D.B. I wish you were here to help me get through and help figure everything out. I have been very depressed and the only thing that could help is drinking and smoking. I have thought about running away with old Sally Hayes and starting a family with her. I just can’t seem to find myself right now. I wish I had more friends to talk to and was closer with mom and dad. I know I can always rely in Phoebe to be there for be because she looks up to be but I wish you were here too. I will always love and remember you Allie.
Your Dearest Brother,
Holden
Dear Allie,
ReplyDeleteAlthough you will never get a chance to read this letter, I feel as though it may help me get over my problems. Maybe if I write this, I won't have to be psychoanalyzed after all. It might really help me to at least think you're reading this. When you were alive, everything seemed to fit in to its place. You were the smart one that seemed to be able to keep the family functioning when we were all together. You brought everyone so much joy, even those who didn't know you that well. You were the only one who seemed to be a truly genuine person, and not just some phony. With you not here, I’ve been feeling pretty lonely lately. Most people just can’t be compared to you. I do care about school, but I haven’t been doing too well recently. I haven’t felt any need to try in any of my subjects. I recently got kicked out of Pencey Prep on account of failing all of my subjects except for English, and I only passed English because I had learned the material at the previous school I went to. Dad is going to most likely send me to military school when he finds out about this, but I have a plan to get away. Right now, I’m in New York City alone. I haven’t gone home yet because they aren’t expecting me home until Wednesday, and I don’t want to see them learn of my failure. I’m out on my own surrounded by all these people, and yet I feel most alone. I guess I just don’t really know what to do with myself. Your Brother, Holden
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ReplyDeleteMr. Spencer,
ReplyDeleteHow have you been lately? In case you were wondering, I have been ridiculously joyful. At the moment, my life is just TEEMING with thrilling adventures. It is impossible to comprehend all that has happened to me these last few days. I am writing this letter in response to the little chat that we had before I left Pencey. I cannot communicate how much I have matured these past few days. I do believe that ever since I have left Pencey, I have become the most proper person you EVER saw. There is ABSOLUTELY no doubt in my mature mind that your teachings at Pencey allowed me to grow into a mature person. You always believed that I was an immature pain when I attended Pencey, but the streets of New York have turned around my immature ways. I am now very, very mature. I must thank you for helping me become more mature since I have left Pencey.
Life is a game. You said that to me once when you were sick and really gross. You said "Life IS a game, boy" to me around fifty times. You would think that it would sink in after having to listen to it that many times. Eventually it did, and I came to the conclusion that you think life is a big fun game. Well, I have decided that you are wrong. Life is not a game. I feel like everyday of my life I walk down this road that doesn't go anywhere. I walk in circles and it is not fun. While other people enjoy their pretty, little houses and their pretty, little cars, I walk....in circles.
So thank you Mr. Spencer.
Holden
Dear D.B.,
ReplyDeleteHey D.B. I’m writing you this letter from a hotel in New York City. I don’t even really know why. I guess I just kind of feel like it. So how are ya’ anyways? I’m kind of confused here. I got kicked out of Pencey. But look before ya’ go criticizing me for it I’ll have ya’ know that I never wanted to be at that goddam school in the first place! The whole campus is just crawling with phonies, not that you would understand.
Why’d ya’ do it, D.B.? Why? How could ya’ go and prostitute yourself out in Hollywood like that?! I remember once you wrote really good stories! Why did ya’ have to go and become a goddam phony? It seems like with everybody around me that the older they get, the phonier they get.
Anyways I don’t know what I’m gunna’ do. I left goddam school early and have been hanging around in New York City. I thought it’d be a great way for me to relax and unwind a bit, ya’ know? Not to mention it’d give Mom and Dad a chance to get over the shock when they find out I got kicked out. It just feels, though, that the more I’m out here on my own the more confused I’m getting. I’m not relaxing like I thought I’d be. Instead I’m just getting more and more confused.
I just don’t understand what’s happening to me! I’m scared that when I get home then everything will change. I really hate change. Ya’ know the worst part of the whole situation? Do you remember old Jane Gallagher? Well she might not still keep her goddam kings in the back row! I guess you wouldn’t understand that, though, either…
Well D.B. I have to get going. If you feel like sending a letter back you best ask Mom and Dad what gaddam military school they’ll have sent me to by then.
I’ll talk to ya’ later.
-Holden
P.S. Lillian Simmons sent her regards.
In response to SarahU...
ReplyDeleteI think that you depicted perfectly what Holden would write in a letter to Jane. I think Holden confides in Jane his true feelings about his life.
In response to Megan T:
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on how Holden feels towards Allie and his inability to deal with his feelings.
In response to EthanS...
ReplyDeleteI think that you really captured the style that Sallinger uses to portray Holden's thoughts. I think that it shows Holden's point of views accurately in regards to how he views D.B., as well as the rest of the things he has been going through in the past few days.
i believe that megan t wrote pretty much exactly what holden would've wrote to his brother, about his feelings etc.
ReplyDeleteResponding to Ethan,
ReplyDeleteHolden would say the exact same words, you wrote! Good job on the detail that is happening to Holden.
In response to Megan T's,
ReplyDeleteI think this letter explains Holdens emotions quite well. I think you did a good job explaining what Holden has been going through and how he feels about things.
In response to Emily HW:
ReplyDeleteI think your use of capitalization really helped to capture Holden's sarcastic nature!
Dear Jane, It is me, Holden Caulfield. I have not talk to you in a long time and thought out of the blue that we should catch up. I have unfortunately been kicked out of Pency, and I am at this moment in New York. I came to New York to enjoy what I had left of my freedom, without my lectures from my parents. I do not fear them, it’s just I don’t really have the time to hear their constant bickering about me. On the other hand I want to go home because I miss my little sister Phoebe. I visited her for a short while which was pleasant but I had to leave because the goddam sun was coming up, and my parents would have caught me. Oh damn, how I miss her, but enough about me, listen, are u in New York, away from your parents? If you are, we should get together real soon. I miss you a lot, and I want to see your face again. Your face always cheered me up and made me feel like my life was worth something in this world. Now, with you nowhere in sight, I always feel down and depressed, waiting for you to come cheer me up. I kind of regret failing Pency and wish I was back so my parents wouldn’t have to kill me, but I also couldn’t stand Ackley and Stradlater for one more minute. Oh lord, Jane, I just want to tell you I miss you, and I want to see you really bad. Please write me back if you get this letter. Thank you. Sincerely Holden Caulfield
ReplyDeletein response to Megan T
ReplyDeleteI think what you said about closure is what holden and his family needs because they all dont know how to keep there feelings in check and their trying to act like allie's death never happened.
In response to Ethan..
ReplyDeleteReading your letter sounds like Holden said it himself. Good work!
Dear sally this is Holden I just wanted to wright to you and tell you how sorry I am for the other day. That was not the right thing to do right then and there especially if we just started talking again. I wasn’t thinking when I said do you want to just go out and get married and run away and live somewhere nice. Like you said we are too young for that we wouldn’t have enough money for a trip like that. I just would like to say sorry just when I saw how beautiful you were I just knew I loved you and wanted to be with you for the rest of my life. I jumped to conclusions fast and that was not the way to start off talking with you again. Hope to hear back from you again maybe we can meet up and have a drink or go out to eat or just go and do something nice and just sit relax not talk about running away and getting married. If you want to go out again just right back to me at this address and we could maybe meet up and have a great time. Have wonderful night I hope to hear from you soon sincerely your friend Holden
ReplyDeleteDear Ward Stradlater,
ReplyDeleteThis is Holden Caulfield I’m only writing you because I would like to apologize for calling you an idiot a few days back. I did not really mean it I was just upset that you went on a date with Jane Gallagher. You see me and her you to be best of friends back when we were kids, and knowing how you are with girls it kind of got me upset knowing you went out on a date with her. But I now realize that it is not any excuse for taking my anger and frustration out on you, and I promise it will not happen again. But can you do me at least one favor? I do not know if you are still seeing Jane or not but if you are can you ask her if she still keeps her king in the back row still? I myself have been too yellow to call her myself, though I did try one time but her mother answer so I hung up. Either way I do not think it would even matter if I did get ahold of her because I already made plan with this girl I know Sally Hayes to go over to her house on Christmas eve and help trim tree and all that phony stuff that girls like to do with phony guys they like a lot.
In response to Ethan’s letter I believe that Holden is the type of guy that would write a letter like this just because he’s “in the mod” but really in some way it’s giving him some kind of closer, Great job.
ReplyDeleteDear Mother,
ReplyDeleteI am writing to you and apologizing for some of my actions. I know I have been a bad son by getting kicked out of the schools that you send me to. And now I am saying I am embarrassed and also kind of scared to come home because I have now been kicked out of Pency. I was doing badly and I was failing 4 out of my 5 classes passing only English. I do not like that school and I feel that I cannot go there. Everyone there is phonies and have pathetic lives. They are all fake and I am not like that. I’m sorry mother but I know you and dad will be mad but I can’t do it. I have recently heard about my old friend Jane Gallagher that used to be our neighbor. My roommate Stradlater went on a date with her. He’s a real moron though I don’t think he deserves to take a girl like Jane out on a date. She is wonderful and I would like to try to catch up with her and see how she’s doing. I have been thinking about coming home to see old phoebe. I really miss her. It seems like she’s really the only person in this world that really understands me and that I can relate to. Well I plan on coming home soon maybe to see you guys but I don’t know I am pretty nervous especially for dad.
Love,
Holden
Dear Mom, I am writing this letting to you to tell you a little bit about what i am doing and what has happened. I will start off by saying i got kicked out of school but i have yet to return or let you and dad find out because i afraid of what dad might do. Right now i am sitting in a hotel room after i just got back from the bar. I am running low on money so i may be stoping home soon.I plan on moving so i can go work on a ranch and get away from this city life and slow things down for awhile. I have been thinking alot about Allie and it puts me in really depressing moods thats why i have been at the bar alot also why i have very little cash. One thing that keeps me a little happy is Phoebe i will be returning home to visit with her. I miss her very much. One day i am planning on going to visit Allie. Its hard to go and see him though. One rainy days when everyone can go home in there nice warm house, he just stays there and it bugs the hell out of me. Well i hope to be seeing you soon when i return home. Let Phoebe know i will be coming home soon and i have a present for her.
ReplyDeleteSincerely Holden
Dear Sally,
ReplyDeleteI’m sorry for going off on you like that. I really didn’t mean to be so rude, no kidding. I’ve been sort of meaning to ask you to go with me, but I was worried you’d reject the offer. I figured it’d just be easier to get it out in the open instead of thinking about it all of the time. What made you think I was yelling at you in the first place? I was really only trying to be nice to you. I mean, who honestly would want to stay in a place like this? People are always coming and going and losing their minds and making other people do things they don’t want to. It’d just be nice to sort of get away, and especially if it were with you. You’re a real nice girl, honest. I figured you’d at least understand that much, ya know? I feel really beat for calling you late the other night, too. I can be a madman when I’m drunk, I really can. I was just sort of feeling under the weather, thinking about what I did and all. I hope you can reconsider my offer, it wouldn’t be half bad. I know we’re young, but that’s just a goddamn label. We should be able to do what we want to do and be who want to be, am I right? We’re young; we might as well act like it. Who wants to give into everyone’s opinions and ways and be something they don’t want to be?
I really hope you think about it. Don’t be a complete pain in the ass by not wanting to.
Holden Caulfield
Dear Allie,
ReplyDeleteLook, I know you’ll never read this, but let’s just pretend you can. Lately things have been going downhill. I mean, I got kicked out of school again, I’m living in anyplace possible, and I got jumped by a pimp. What’s going on? Is this my being of regret that you’re gone? Or is this something completely different? Carl Luce said I should get psychoanalyzed. I think I might just go for it. You know, just for the hell of it. I wonder how they do it. Oh well.
You know, I can’t bend my hand at all after smashing those windows right? It hurt like hell but I don’t think it hurt as much as your death. Hell, I wish it was me rather than you at times. I hope that at my own funeral, Phoebe isn’t there. Knowing mom, she wouldn’t let that happen. I don’t want flowers or phonies at my funeral. I mean I don’t want them to pretend that they really knew me but have no clue who I am. That kind of stuff just rubs me the wrong way. Being surrounded by dead people must suck.
I wonder how Jane is doing. I’m still cheesed off by Ward Stradlater. I tried giving her a buzz, but she never picked up. Maybe some other time I’ll give old Jane a buzz. Did you know that when we used to play checkers, she kept all of her kings in the back row? I wonder why she always did that. Hopefully in time I’ll find that out.
Holden
in respones to Ethan's letter i belive that it states exactly how Holden feels and what he is going through right now.
ReplyDeleteMom,
ReplyDeleteI’m sitting in a hotel room thinking about a lot. There’s so much I have to say and get out in the open. First, I'm sorry for how I've been behaving lately, Getting kicked out of schools, and the fighting. I know you said if i get kicked out of school one more time I'm going to be sent to military school but i think i can change. I have just been thinking about Allie a lot and i have been depressed and I’m having a hard time excepting my feelings and the facing the fact that I need to grow up, i know i need to start becoming an adult but I can’t right now. I'm sorry i keep letting you guys down, and embarrassing you, that's not my intention at all. It's just that it’s hard for me to make friends and be happy all the time when I’m thinking of Allie and thinking about what you and dad are going to say to me when I get home. I don’t think military school is going to help me with my issues. I just need time to get my head together. I’ll be home soon and we can talk more. I love you.
- Holden.
Dear Allie,
ReplyDeleteWhy did you have to leave me in this retched world we are made to live in? I miss you so god dam much, I wish I was in heaven with you. I can’t stand the way life has been going. I don’t know who else to talk to. Everybody is a bunch of phonies, or just won’t listen. I’ve been so confused lately. I’m stuck in-between childhood and becoming an adult. I don’t want to be an adult; once you become an adult you lose your innocence. I’ve been making a lot of mistakes lately Allie, you would be so disappointed in me. I got kicked out of Pency, not like I care though it was filled with a bunch of rich phonies. I failed everything but English. The only reason I didn’t fail English was because I already learned half the stuff already. My teacher Mr. Spencer told me “life is a game that one plays according to the rules (pg80).” Which is complete nonsense? “Game, my ass. Some game. If I get on the side where all the hot-shots are, then it’s a game, then alright I’ll admit that. But if you get on the other side, where there aren’t any hot-shots, then what’s a game about it? Nothing. No game. (page 8)” Life is nothing but disappointment. For instance the kid Stradlater from Pency is one of those handsome, rich snobs, that all he wants to do with girls is fool around with them. He took Jain Gallager on a date and you know who much I always liked Jain. She was different than most girls. Well anyways kid Stradlater probably took away her innocence. I don’t know why but I got so God dam mad about it. I started freaking out, running my mouth and I dam near got killed Stradlater beat me up so bad. This isn’t even the half of it I ran away to NY. Almost lost my virginity to a prostitute, and got beat up by this pimp elevator guy. Than I did the dumbest thing you can do I took Sally Hayes on a date, boy was she looking mighty fine. Than something came over me, I asked her to run away with me. She tweaked on me. My mood switched from happy and in love to mad, upset and then laughing in her face. Man did I piss her off. I have been acting crazy. The way my life has been going Allie I’m thinking of getting evaluated by a psychiatrists. I can’t control my mind anymore Allie and to be honest I just don’t know what I’m going to do with my life. Ever since you left everything had been falling apart. I rather be up in heaven with you. Allie I miss you. Anyways I need to end this letter so I don’t get all sobby. Maybe I will see you soon.
Holden Caulfield
In respones to Ethans letter, it sounded like Holden said it himself.Great job! It's a very impresive post.
ReplyDelete