Step into the restless world of Holden Caulfield. J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye remains a touchstone of teenage angst, alienation, and the search for authenticity in a world Holden sees as overwhelmingly “phony.”
Follow Holden’s journey through New York City after being expelled from Pencey Prep, a few tumultuous days marked by poignant encounters and sharp observations. Need the quotes that define his iconic voice and capture the novel’s themes of innocence, grief, identity, and belonging?
This collection gathers 113 essential quotes, organized by chapter, to help guide your reading and analysis.
*Page numbers reference a common edition; please see the important note at the end.*
Chapter 1 Quotes
The narrative begins with Holden Caulfield recounting events from the previous Christmas, starting with his departure from Pencey Prep after failing multiple subjects. He reflects on saying goodbye and his experience managing the fencing team.
“If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you’ll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like… and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don’t feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Narrative Voice, Authenticity), Chapter 1, Page 3
“I was trying to feel some kind of good-bye. I mean I’ve left schools and places I didn’t even know I was leaving them. I hate that… when I leave a place I like to know I’m leaving it. If you don’t you feel even worse.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Closure, Emotion), Chapter 1, Page 7
“It was that kind of a crazy afternoon, terrifically cold, and no sun out or anything, and you felt like you were disappearing every time you crossed a road.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Alienation, Setting), Chapter 1, Page 8
“I don’t even know what I was running for—I guess I just felt like it.”
~ J.D. Salinger , The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Impulse, Alienation), Chapter 1, Page 8
Holden decides to visit his history teacher, Mr. Spencer, before leaving Pencey.
Chapter 2 Quotes
Holden visits the elderly, ill Mr. Spencer. They discuss Holden’s expulsion, Mr. Spencer’s view of life as a “game,” Holden’s academic failures, and his famous musing about the ducks in Central Park.
“Life is a game, boy. Life is a game that one plays according to the rules.”…”Game, my ass. Some game. If you get on the side where all the hot-shots are, then it’s a game, all right… But if you get on the other side… then what’s a game about it? Nothing. No game.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher In The Rye, (Characters: Mr. Spencer and Holden Caulfield; Theme: Rules, Fairness, Cynicism), Chapter 2, Pages 12, 13
“People never notice anything.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Observation, Alienation), Chapter 2, Page 13
“It’s partly true, too, but it isn’t all true. People always think something’s all true.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Truth, Perception), Chapter 2, Page 13
“I don’t give a damn, except that I get bored sometimes when people tell me to act my age. Sometimes I act a lot older than I am… but people never notice it. People never notice anything.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Age, Perception, Alienation), Chapter 2, Page 13
“Grand. There’s a word I really hate. It’s a phony. I could puke every time I hear it.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Phoniness, Language), Chapter 2, Page 14
“That’s something that drives me crazy. When people say something twice that way, after you admit it the first time.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Annoyance, Observation), Chapter 2, Page 15
“You can’t stop a teacher when they want to do something. They just do it.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Authority, Observation), Chapter 2, Page 16
“I live in New York… I was wondering if it would be frozen over when I got home, and if it was, where did the ducks go?… I wondered if some guy came in a truck and took them away… Or if they just flew away.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Change, Disappearance, Innocence), Chapter 2, Page 18
“I’m just going through a phase right now. Everybody goes through phases and all, don’t they?”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Adolescence, Self-Justification), Chapter 2, Page 21
“I’d never yell, “Good luck!” at anybody. It sounds terrible, when you think about it.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Phoniness, Language), Chapter 2, Page 21
Depressed by the visit, Holden eagerly leaves to return to his dorm, seeking refuge in reading and solitude.
Chapter 3 Quotes
Holden returns to his dorm room, puts on his red hunting hat, and reflects on reading habits. His annoying neighbor, Ackley, interrupts his solitude.
“I’m the most terrific liar you ever saw in your life. It’s awful. If I’m on my way to the store… and somebody asks me where I’m going, I’m liable to say I’m going to the opera. It’s terrible.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Deception, Identity), Chapter 3, Page 22
“I’m quite illiterate, but I read a lot.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Contradiction, Intellect), Chapter 3, Page 24
“What I like best is a book that’s at least funny once in awhile.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Reading, Preference), Chapter 3, Page 25
“What really knocks me out is a book that, when you’re all done reading it, you wish the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it. That doesn’t happen much, though.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Reading, Connection, Loneliness), Chapter 3, Page 25
“I can be quite sarcastic when I’m in the mood.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Personality, Sarcasm), Chapter 3, Page 28
“”This is a people shooting hat,” I said. “I shoot people in this hat.””
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Identity, Symbolism), Chapter 3, Page 30
Holden endures Ackley until his roommate, Ward Stradlater, arrives, leading to further complications.
Chapter 4 Quotes
Stradlater asks Holden to write an English composition for him while he goes on a date with Jane Gallagher, a girl Holden feels protective towards.
“Ask her if she still keeps all her kings in the back row.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield about Jane; Theme: Memory, Innocence, Connection), Chapter 4, Page 44
Holden becomes increasingly anxious about Stradlater’s date with Jane.
Chapter 5 Quotes
Holden goes out briefly, then returns to write the composition for Stradlater, choosing his deceased brother Allie’s baseball mitt as the subject.
“He always had to know who was going. I swear, if that guy was shipwrecked somewhere… he’d want to know who the guy that was rowing it before he’d even get in.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield about Ackley; Theme: Annoyance, Observation), Chapter 5, Page 47
“My brother Allie had this left-handed fielder’s mitt… he had poems written all over the fingers… In green ink… so that he’d have something to read when he was in the field… He’s dead now.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Grief, Memory, Love, Uniqueness), Chapter 5, Page 49
“People with red hair are supposed to get mad very easily,…and he had very red hair.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield about Allie; Theme: Memory, Stereotypes), Chapter 5, Page 50
Holden reflects on Allie’s kindness and intelligence, contrasting sharply with the fight that erupts when Stradlater returns.
Chapter 6 Quotes
Stradlater dislikes the essay about the mitt. An argument about Jane escalates, and Stradlater punches Holden.
“Get your dirty stinking moron knees off my chest.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield during fight; Theme: Anger, Conflict), Chapter 6, Page 57
“All morons hate it when you call them a moron.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Observation, Labeling), Chapter 6, Page 57
“That’s the trouble with all you morons. You never want to discuss anything…”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield to Stradlater; Theme: Frustration, Communication), Chapter 6, Page 58
Distressed, Holden decides to leave Pencey immediately.
Chapter 7 Quotes
Holden talks briefly with Ackley, then impulsively decides to leave Pencey that night for New York City.
“Almost every time somebody gives me a present, it ends up making me sad.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Sadness, Emotion), Chapter 7, Page 67
“Sleep tight, ya morons!”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield yelling upon leaving; Theme: Anger, Alienation), Chapter 7, Page 68
He takes a train to New York, encountering the mother of a classmate onboard.
Chapter 8 Quotes
On the train, Holden lies extensively to Mrs. Morrow about her son Ernest, painting him as sensitive and popular, while using the alias Rudolf Schmidt.
“Women kill me. They really do… They’re always leaving their…bags out in the middle of the aisle.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Observation, Gender), Chapter 8, Page 70
“”May I ask your name, dear?” “Rudolf Schmidt,” I told her. I didn’t feel like giving her my whole life history.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Dialogue: Ernest Morrow’s mother and Holden Caulfield; Theme: Deception, Identity), Chapter 8, Page 71
“Mothers are all slightly insane.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Observation, Generalization), Chapter 8, Page 72
Arriving in New York, Holden checks into the Edmont Hotel, feeling isolated and observing the city’s strangeness.
Chapter 9 Quotes
Holden considers calling people but doesn’t. He observes peculiar scenes from his hotel window and reflects uncomfortably on sex.
“I think if you don’t really like a girl, you shouldn’t horse around with her at all… It’s really too bad that so much crumby stuff is a lot of fun sometimes.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Relationships, Morality, Sexuality), Chapter 9, Page 81
“It’s really too bad that so much crumby stuff is a lot of fun sometimes.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Morality, Fun), Chapter 9, Page 81
“Sex is something I really don’t understand too hot. You never know where the hell you are…”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Sexuality, Confusion), Chapter 9, Page 82
His loneliness prompts him to call Faith Cavendish, leading to an awkward, unsuccessful attempt to arrange a meeting.
Chapter 10 Quotes
Holden thinks about calling his sister Phoebe. He goes to the hotel’s Lavender Room, feels out of place, and awkwardly dances with three tourists.
“She’s quite skinny, like me… Roller-skate skinny… You’d like her.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield about Phoebe; Theme: Family, Affection), Chapter 10, Page 88
“In New York, boy, money really talks – I’m not kidding.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Money, Society), Chapter 10, Page 90
“That’s the thing about girls. Every time they do something pretty… you fall in love with them, and then you never know where the hell you are. Girls…They can drive you crazy.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Attraction, Confusion, Gender), Chapter 10, Page 95
“I thought the two ugly ones were sisters, but they got very insulted when I asked them…”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Observation, Social Awkwardness), Chapter 10, Page 96
“Some people you shouldn’t kid, even if they deserve it.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Social Interaction, Judgment), Chapter 10, Page 96
“There isn’t a nightclub in the world that you can sit in for a long time unless you can at least buy some liquor and get drunk. Or unless you’re with some girl that really knocks you out.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Loneliness, Coping Mechanisms), Chapter 10, Page 98
Feeling lonely after the tourists leave, Holden dwells on memories of Jane Gallagher.
Chapter 11 Quotes
Holden sits alone, preoccupied with Jane Gallagher, recalling memories of playing checkers, her stepfather, and a moment of shared vulnerability.
“I knew her like a book…You don’t always have to get too sexy to get to know a girl.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield about Jane; Theme: Connection, Intimacy, Respect), Chapter 11, Page 99
“She was always reading, and she read very good books.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield about Jane; Theme: Intelligence, Shared Interest), Chapter 11, Page 100
“I wouldn’t exactly describe her as strictly beautiful. She knocked me out, though.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield about Jane; Theme: Attraction, Authenticity), Chapter 11, Page 100
“My mother didn’t think Jane was pretty, even. I did, though. I just liked the way she looked, that’s all.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield about Jane; Theme: Subjectivity, Attraction), Chapter 11, Page 101
“Some girls you practically never find out what’s the matter.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Relationships, Misunderstanding), Chapter 11, Page 103
“She was terrific to hold hands with…All you knew was, you were happy. You really were.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield about Jane; Theme: Connection, Happiness, Innocence), Chapter 11, Page 103
“I don’t exactly know what I mean by that, but I mean it.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Intuition, Authenticity), Chapter 11, Pages 104-105
Still troubled, Holden decides to go to Ernie’s nightclub in Greenwich Village.
Chapter 12 Quotes
Holden takes a cab to Ernie’s, arguing with the driver Horwitz about the ducks. He finds the club full of “jerks” and feels alienated.
“New York’s terrible when somebody laughs on the street very late at night… It makes you feel so lonesome and depressed.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Loneliness, Setting), Chapter 12, Page 106
“”If you was a fish, Mother Nature’d take care of you… You don’t think them fish just die… do ya?” “No, but–” “You’re … right they don’t””
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Dialogue: Horwitz and Holden; Theme: Nature, Survival), Chapter 12, Page 109
“People always clap for the wrong reasons.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Phoniness, Judgment), Chapter 12, Page 110
“I was surrounded by jerks. I’m not kidding.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Alienation, Judgment), Chapter 12, Page 111
“Real ugly girls have it tough. I feel so sorry for them sometimes.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Observation, Pity), Chapter 12, Page 111
“He was one of those guys that think they’re being a pansy if they don’t break around forty of your fingers when they shake hands with you. God I hate that stuff.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Phoniness, Masculinity), Chapter 12, Page 113
“I am always saying “Glad to’ve met you” to somebody I’m not at all glad I met. If you want to stay alive, you have to say that stuff, though.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Phoniness, Social Convention), Chapter 12, Page 114
“People are always ruining things for you.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Disappointment, Cynicism), Chapter 12, Page 114
He encounters his brother D.B.’s ex-girlfriend, Lillian Simmons, whose phoniness drives him away.
Chapter 13 Quotes
Holden walks back to the hotel, contemplating his “yellowness.” The elevator operator, Maurice, offers to send up a prostitute, Sunny.
“Sometimes you get tired of riding in taxicabs… All of a sudden, you have to walk…”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Restlessness), Chapter 13, Page 115
“It’s no fun to be yellow… I think maybe I’m just partly yellow… What you should be is not yellow at all.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Cowardice, Self-Assessment), Chapter 13, Page 117
“I got up and went over and looked out the window. I felt so lonesome, all of a sudden. I almost wished I was dead.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Loneliness, Depression), Chapter 13, Page 118
“That’s the whole trouble. When you’re feeling very depressed, you can’t even think.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Depression, Mental State), Chapter 13, Page 119
“I always pick a gorgeous time to fall over a suitcase or something.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Self-deprecation, Clumsiness), Chapter 13, Page 122
Conflicted and nervous, Holden agrees to the arrangement.
Chapter 14 Quotes
Holden’s encounter with Sunny is awkward and depressing; he just wants to talk. He pays her, but Maurice returns demanding more money and punches Holden.
“I felt like praying or something… but I couldn’t do it… I’m sort of an atheist. I like Jesus and all, but I don’t care too much for most of the other stuff in the Bible…”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Religion, Doubt, Belief), Chapter 14, Page 130
“… movies. They can ruin you. I’m not kidding”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Phoniness, Media), Chapter 14, Page 136
“I felt like jumping out the window… I didn’t want a bunch of stupid rubbernecks looking at me when I was all gory.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher In The Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Depression, Suicide Ideation, Vanity), Chapter 14, Page 136
Left miserable and hurt, Holden fantasizes about revenge before falling asleep.
Chapter 15 Quotes
Holden calls Sally Hayes for a date. He reflects on money causing sadness and his dislike for his former roommate’s cheap suitcases, contrasting them with his own. He goes to Grand Central for breakfast and meets two nuns.
“I used to think she was quite intelligent , in my stupidity… If somebody knows quite a lot about those things, it takes you quite a while to find out whether they’re really stupid or not.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield about Sally; Theme: Judgment, Intelligence, Perception), Chapter 15, Pages 138, 139
“She gave me a pain in the ass, but she was very good looking.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield about Sally; Theme: Annoyance, Attraction), Chapter 15, Page 139
“…money. It always ends up making you blue as hell.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Money, Sadness), Chapter 15, Page 147
He enjoys talking with the nuns and gives them a donation, feeling sympathy for their simple life.
Chapter 16 Quotes
Holden walks towards Broadway to buy a record for Phoebe. He’s cheered by hearing a child singing “If a body catch a body coming through the rye.” He buys the record and tickets for a play, then reflects on the unchanging nature of museum exhibits.
“That’s what I liked about those nuns… they never went anywhere swanky for lunch… it made me sad anyway.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Empathy, Simplicity, Sadness), Chapter 16, Page 149
“If a body catch a body coming through the rye.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Context: A kid singing, overheard by Holden; Theme: Innocence, Misinterpretation), Chapter 16, Page 150
“I hate actors. They never act like people. They just think they do.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Phoniness, Performance), Chapter 16, Page 152
“It always smelled like it was raining outside, even if it wasn’t, and you were in the only nice, dry, cosy place in the world.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield, remembering the museum; Theme: Memory, Comfort), Chapter 16, Page 156
“The best thing, though, in that museum was that everything always stayed right where it was. Nobody’d move… Nobody’d be different. The only thing that would be different would be you.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Change vs Permanence, Nostalgia), Chapter 16, Page 158
“Certain things, they should stay the way they are. You ought to be able to stick them in one of those big glass cases and just leave them alone.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Preservation of Innocence, Fear of Change), Chapter 16, Page 158
His desire for permanence contrasts with his upcoming, messy date with Sally Hayes.
Chapter 17 Quotes
Holden meets Sally at the Biltmore, attends a play he dislikes, and gets annoyed by Sally’s interaction with a phony acquaintance. After ice skating, his impulsive proposal to run away together leads to a fight, ending the date.
“Girls with their legs crossed… you kept wondering what the hell would happen to all of them… You figured most of them would probably marry dopey guys… Guys that are very boring.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Observation, Judgment, Future), Chapter 17, Pages 160, 161
“I don’t know about bores… maybe they’re secretly all terrific whistlers or something. Who the hell knows? Not me.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Judgment, Uncertainty), Chapter 17, Page 161
“If a girl looks swell when she meets you, who gives a damn if she’s late?”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Attraction, Priorities), Chapter 17, Page 162
“I told her I loved her and all. It was a lie, of course, but the thing is, I meant it when I said it. I’m crazy. I swear to God I am.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield about Sally; Theme: Impulse, Deception, Confusion), Chapter 17, Page 163
“If you do something too good, then, after a while, if you don’t watch it, you start showing off. And then you’re not as good any more.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Authenticity, Performance), Chapter 17, Page 164
“Did you ever get fed up?’ I said. ‘I mean did you ever get scared that everything was going to go lousy unless you did something?”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield to Sally; Theme: Desperation, Fear, Action), Chapter 17, Page 169
“If you weren’t around, I’d probably be someplace way the hell off. In the woods or some…place. You’re the only reason I’m around, practically.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield to Sally; Theme: Dependence, Exaggeration), Chapter 17, Page 170
“That’s the terrible part. I swear to God I’m a madman.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Self-Awareness, Mental State), Chapter 17, Page 174
“And I have one of those very loud, stupid laughs. I mean if I ever sat behind myself in a movie or something, I’d probably lean over and tell myself to please shut up.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Self-Criticism, Humor), Chapter 17, Page 174
Regretful but restless, Holden reflects on D.B. and literature before calling Carl Luce.
Chapter 18 Quotes
Holden reflects on girls’ perceptions versus reality and his brother D.B.’s involvement in Hollywood, contrasting it with literature he admires like *The Great Gatsby*. He kills time at Radio City, disliking the show and movie.
“Every time you mention some guy that’s strictly a bastard… and when you mention it to the girl, she’ll tell you he has an inferiority complex… that still doesn’t keep him from being a bastard, in my opinion.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Judgment, Perception, Gender), Chapter 18, Page 176
“The trouble with girls is, if they like a boy… they’ll say he has an inferiority complex, and if they don’t like him… they’ll say he’s conceited. Even smart girls do it.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Gender, Perception, Judgment), Chapter 18, Page 176
“I was crazy about The Great Gatsby. Old Gatsby. Old sport. That killed me.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Literature, Connection), Chapter 18, Pages 182, 183
“Anyway, I’m sort of glad they’ve got the atomic bomb invented. If there’s ever another war, I’m going to sit right the hell on top of it…”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Despair, Apathy), Chapter 18, Page 183
Holden heads to the Wicker Bar to meet Carl Luce, hoping for mature conversation.
Chapter 19 Quotes
Holden meets Carl Luce, who acts superior. Holden’s attempts at mature conversation about sex are rebuffed by Luce as immature.
“If you sat around there long enough and heard all the phonies applauding and all, you got to hate everybody in the world, I swear you did.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Phoniness, Alienation), Chapter 19, Page 185
“These intellectual guys don’t like to have an intellectual conversation with you unless they’re running the whole thing.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Intellectualism, Control), Chapter 19, Page 191
Luce advises Holden to see a psychoanalyst and leaves, abandoning a drunk and lonely Holden.
Chapter 20 Quotes
Holden gets very drunk alone, calls Sally, then leaves. He drops Phoebe’s record. Feeling ill and lonely, he goes to Central Park to see the ducks, then morbidly reflects on Allie’s death and funerals before deciding to sneak home to see Phoebe.
“When you’re dead, they really fix you up… Who wants flowers when you’re dead? Nobody.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Death, Funerals, Phoniness), Chapter 20, Page 201
“When the weather’s nice, my parents go out… and stick a bunch of flowers on old Allie’s grave… It rained on his lousy tombstone… All the visitors could get in their cars… everybody except Allie. I couldn’t stand it.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Grief, Death, Unfairness), Chapter 20, Page 202
“It’s not too bad when the sun’s out, but the sun only comes out when it feels like coming out.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Observation, Mood), Chapter 20, Page 202
Holden successfully sneaks into his family’s apartment to find Phoebe.
Chapter 21 Quotes
Holden enters his apartment and finds Phoebe asleep. He observes her fondly before waking her.
“It’s funny. All you have to do is say something nobody understands and they’ll do practically anything you want them to.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Manipulation, Communication), Chapter 21, Page 205
“It’s funny. You take adults, they look lousy when they’re asleep… but kids don’t. Kids look alright.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Observation, Innocence), Chapter 21, Page 207
Phoebe’s initial joy turns to upset as she realizes Holden has been expelled again.
Chapter 22 Quotes
Holden tries to justify leaving Pencey. Phoebe challenges him to name something he likes. He struggles, mentioning Allie and James Castle, before articulating his “catcher in the rye” fantasy.
“Boy, did he depress me!… But you don’t have to be bad guy to depress somebody- you can be a good guy and do it.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Depression, Observation), Chapter 22, Page 219
“I know he’s dead! Don’t you think I know that? I can still like him, though, can’t I? Just because somebody’s dead, you don’t just stop liking them… especially if they were about a thousand times nicer than the people you know that’re alive…”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield about Allie; Theme: Grief, Love, Memory), Chapter 22, Pages 222, 223
“People never think anything is anything really. I’m getting … sick of it.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Frustration, Authenticity), Chapter 22, Page 223
“Lawyers are alright, I guess… All you do is make a lot of dough and play golf… How would you know you weren’t being a phony? The trouble is you wouldn’t.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Phoniness, Professions, Authenticity), Chapter 22, Page 223
“if somebody at least listens, it’s not too bad”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Connection, Listening), Chapter 22, Page 224
“Anyway, I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye… And I’m standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff… I’d just be the catcher in the rye and all. I know it’s crazy, but that’s the only thing I’d really like to be.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Protecting Innocence, Purpose, Identity), Chapter 22, Pages 224, 225
Holden calls Mr. Antolini to arrange a place to stay.
Chapter 24 Quotes
Holden arrives at the Antolinis’. Mr. Antolini expresses concern, warning Holden about a “terrible fall” and advising him to pursue education to find his direction.
“That’s something that annoys the hell out of me- I mean if somebody says the coffee’s all ready and it isn’t”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Annoyance, Observation), Chapter 24, Page 239
“…I like it when somebody gets excited about something.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Passion, Authenticity), Chapter 24, Page 240
“But what I mean is, lots of time you don’t know what interests you most till you start talking about something that doesn’t interest you most…”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Self-Discovery, Conversation), Chapter 24, Page 240
“People are mostly hot to have a discussion when you’re not.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Social Interaction, Timing), Chapter 24, Page 243
“This fall I think you’re riding for… a special kind of fall, a horrible kind. The man falling isn’t permitted to feel or hear himself hit bottom. He just keeps falling and falling…”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Mr. Antolini; Theme: Warning, Mental State, Crisis), Chapter 24, Pages 243, 244
“The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of the mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Mr. Antolini quoting Wilhelm Stekel; Theme: Maturity, Purpose), Chapter 24, Page 244
“I think that one of these days… you’re going to have to find out where you want to go. And then you’ve got to start going there… immediately. You can’t afford to lose a minute. Not you.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Mr. Antolini; Theme: Direction, Urgency), Chapter 24, Page 245
“Among other things, you’ll find that you’re not the first person who was ever confused and frightened… Many, many men have been just as troubled… You’ll learn from them—if you want to… It’s history. It’s poetry.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Mr. Antolini; Theme: Shared Experience, Education, Wisdom), Chapter 24, Page 246
“Something else an academic education will do for you… it will begin to give you an idea what size mind you have… You’ll begin to know your true measurements and dress your mind accordingly.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Mr. Antolini; Theme: Education, Self-Knowledge), Chapter 24, Page 247
Holden is disturbed upon waking to find Mr. Antolini patting his head and abruptly leaves.
Chapter 25 Quotes
Shaken, Holden spends the night at Grand Central. Feeling ill, he walks the city, fantasizes about escaping West, and is deeply disturbed by profane graffiti. He leaves a note for Phoebe to meet him at the museum.
“I figured I could get a job at a filling station somewhere… I’d pretend I was one of those deaf-mutes… That way I wouldn’t have to have any … stupid useless conversations with anybody…”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Escape, Alienation, Communication Avoidance), Chapter 25, Pages 257, 258
“You hate to tell new stuff to somebody around a hundred years old. They don’t like to hear it.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Age, Communication), Chapter 25, Pages 261, 262
“If you had a million years to do it in, you couldn’t rub out even half the “F*** you” signs in the world. It’s impossible.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Corruption, Innocence Lost, Futility), Chapter 25, Page 262
“when you’re not looking, somebody’ll sneak up and write “F*** you” right under your nose.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Corruption, Inevitability), Chapter 25, Page 264
“You can’t ever find a place that’s nice and peaceful, because there isn’t any… somebody’ll sneak up and write “F*** you” right under your nose… even if I ever die… it’ll say “Holden Caulfield”… and then right under that it’ll say “F*** you.””
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Cynicism, Corruption, Lack of Peace), Chapter 25, Page 264
“That’s depressing, when somebody says “please” to you.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield; Theme: Depression, Social Interaction), Chapter 25, Page 273
“Then the carousel started…All the kids tried to grap for the gold ring, and so was old Phoebe… The thing with kids is, if they want to grab for the gold ring, you have to let them do it… If they fall off, they fall off, but it is bad to say anything to them.”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher In The Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield about Phoebe; Theme: Letting Go, Independence, Risk), Chapter 25, Pages 273, 274
Phoebe’s arrival with a suitcase forces Holden to confront his escape plan. Watching her on the carousel brings him unexpected joy, and he decides not to leave.
Chapter 26 Quotes
Holden concludes his narration from a rest home, reflecting on his experiences and resisting analysis or future plans. He admits telling his story makes him miss everyone.
“Don’t ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody”
~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, (Character: Holden Caulfield, final lines; Theme: Connection, Emotion, Regret?), Chapter 26, Page 277
Conclusion: Holden’s Enduring Voice
Holden Caulfield’s journey through alienation, grief, and the perceived phoniness of the adult world continues to resonate. These 89 quotes capture his unique voice, his vulnerability, and his desperate yearning to protect innocence, including his own. While he ends his story resisting easy answers, his narrative remains a powerful exploration of adolescence and the search for authenticity.
Which Holden Caulfield quote best captures the novel’s essence for you?
Common Catcher in the Rye Quote Questions
“I felt so lonesome all of a sudden. I almost wished I was dead.” page number
This quote appears in Chapter 13, on Page 118.
Catcher In the Rye museum quote page number
Holden’s reflection on the unchanging museum exhibits (“The best thing, though…”) is in Chapter 16, on Page 158.
What chapter is the catcher in the rye quote?
Holden explains his “catcher in the rye” fantasy to Phoebe in Chapter 22, on Pages 224-225.
Important Note on Page Numbers:
Page numbers cited (e.g., Page 3) likely reference a common paperback edition, potentially the **Back Bay Books paperback (ISBN 978-0316769174)**, but this needs verification. Page numbers WILL vary across different editions. Please verify against your specific edition for academic citations.
Cite This Page (MLA):
Mortis, Jeremy. “113 Essential The Catcher in the Rye Quotes With Page Numbers.” Ageless Investing, 27 Jun. 2022, agelessinvesting.com/the-catcher-in-the-rye-quotes/.
Cite This Page (APA):
Mortis, J. (2022, June 27). *113 Essential The Catcher in the Rye quotes with page numbers*. Ageless Investing. Retrieved [Date You Accessed], from https://agelessinvesting.com/the-catcher-in-the-rye-quotes/
Jeremy Mortis, founder of Ageless Investing, applies a rigorous analytical approach (the SPARK framework) to distill timeless wisdom and contextualized quotes from classic literature, saving you time while deepening understanding. Learn more about Jeremy’s unique background and methodology on his author bio page.