Chapter 9 Summary + Analysis

This chapter deals with Holden’s inability to call anyone, his fascination with the ducks near Central Park South, and his teenage hormone-driven desire to have sex. Salinger has used a variety of literary techniques to convey how there is a distinct separation between Holden and society.

At the beginning of the chapter, after getting off at Penn Station, Holden feels “…like giving somebody a buzz”. This first person narration emphasises Holden’s careful planning and somewhat desperation which leads him to discover that he has no one to call. This early revelation shows Holden’s detached place in society.

Also, the descriptive language used by Salinger as Holden looks inquisitively out the window of his hotel room “I saw one guy, a gray-haired, very distinguished-looking guy with only his shorts on...” which is later somewhat juxtaposed with Holden’s comment “…that hotel was lousy with perverts”, conveys Holden’s hypocritical nature, which is possibly why he feels alienated from society.

In addition to this, Salinger uses the “…ducks in that lagoon right near Central Park South” as a motif to represent the curiosity Holden possesses as being youthful. Later in the book, the reader understands that just like the pond is in transition between two states, Holden is in transition between childhood and adulthood, which is a major contributor to his separation from society.