Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Why does Holden become angry with Ackley?

If you were to ask the character Holden Caulfield why he was angry with Ackley in that particular moment, he would no doubt make a stab at Ackley's phoniness. However, the rage Holden feels in this particular moment is from many different sources and is, in many ways, aimless.
Holden rudely wakes Ackley up in the middle of the night and asks him about joining a monastery. He ends the thought by saying he'd probably join the wrong kind anyway, the kind with all the "stupid bastards." Ackley is angered by this attack on his religion, and his sudden display of annoyance sparks Holden's directionless angst.
In truth, Holden is angry with Stradlater, who just returned from a date with Jane. Holden had been on a double-date with Stradlater before, and was disturbed by his behavior. He could hear Stradlater attempting to coerce his date while she begged him to stop. His anger comes from imagining Jane in the same situation.


In Chapter 7 of The Catcher in the Rye, conflict ensues when Ackley refuses to allow Holden to sleep in Ely's bed. Since it is well-known that Ely typically returns to campus on Sunday evening, Ackley's claim about being unsure of when Ely will return is an obvious lie. Holden is offended by Ackley's refusal to tell the truth, as well as his lack of hospitality; they are indications of the phoniness Holden constantly denounces. Although he is annoyed by Ackley, his anger is primarily directed at Stradlater, who has just returned from a date with Jane. Since Stradlater's frequent sexual conquests and disrespect for women are well known, Holden fears that Jane's honor has been compromised; thus, he first directs his rage towards Stradlater, retreating to Ackley's room only after losing the physical confrontation. Ironically, after chastising his friend for displaying poor manners, Holden demonstrates his own typically inconsiderate behavior by insulting Ackley and interrupting his sleep multiple times.

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