The Catcher in the Rye
Chapter 15 Holden wakes up at around ten o’clock on Sunday morning, surprised not to have slept later.  “ I felt pretty hungry as soon as I had a cigarette. The last time I'd eaten was those two hamburgers I had with Brossard and Ackley when we went in to Agerstown to the movies.”  “ That was a long time ago. It seemed like fifty years ago.”
He is about to call room service, but his fear that Maurice will deliver the food makes him change his mind.  He also thinks about calling Jane Gallagher, but calls a girl he used to know named Sally Hayes instead
Sally Hayes “She went to Mary A. Woodruff, and I knew she was home because I'd had this letter from her a couple of weeks ago.”  “I wasn't too crazy about her, but I'd known her for years.”  “I used to think she was quite intelligent, in my stupidity.”
“The reason I did was because she knew quite a lot about the theater and plays and literature and all that stuff.”  “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.”  “It took me years to find it out, in old Sally's case.”
“I think I'd have found it out a lot sooner if we hadn't necked so damn much.”  “My big trouble is, I always sort of think whoever I'm necking is a pretty intelligent person.”
“ It hasn't got a goddam thing to do with it, but I keep thinking it anyway.”  They make a date for two o’clock that afternoon. He realizes he does not have much money left, so he checks out of the hotel.
Holden takes a taxi to Grand Central Station. He checks his baggage into a locker there and eats breakfast in the cafeteria.
The Nuns Two nuns come and sit near him and he talks to them; one is an English teacher and Holden discusses literature with her.  He notices their cheap suitcases, which make him think of Dick Slagle, whom he roomed with at Elkton Hills.
Dick Slagle Like the nuns, “Dick Slagle had these very inexpensive suitcases.”  “ He used to keep them under the bed, instead of on the rack, so that nobody'd see them standing next to mine.”
“It depressed holy hell out of me, and I kept wanting to throw mine out or something, or even trade with him.”  “Mine came from Mark Cross, and they were genuine cowhide and all that crap, and I guess they cost quite a pretty penny.”
Out of concern for Slagle, Holden decided to put his luggage under his bed, too. Slagle took Holden’s luggage from under the bed and pretended it was his.  The memory of this incident really bothers Holden, and he is not sure why; he thinks it has something to do with inequality and hypocrisy, two things he hates.
The Nuns While they are eating, Holden decides to give the nuns a contribution of ten dollars despite the fact that he is low on funds. He even offers to pay their bill, but they refuse.  “I took their check off them, but they wouldn't let me pay it. The one with the glasses made me give it back to her.”
"You've been more than generous," she said. "You're a very sweet boy."  She certainly was nice.  She reminded me a little bit of old Ernest Morrow's mother, the one I met on the train.  When she smiled, mostly.  "We've enjoyed talking to you so much," she said.
Catholics “I said I'd enjoyed talking to them a lot, too. I meant it, too.”  “I'd have enjoyed it even more though, I think, if I hadn't been sort of afraid, the whole time I was talking to them, that they'd all of a sudden try to find out if I was a Catholic.”  “Catholics are always trying to find out if you're a Catholic.”
“ I knew this one Catholic boy, Louis Shaney, when I was at the Whooton School.”  “ He was quite interested in tennis, and so was I.”  “ He told me he went to the Nationals at Forest Hills every summer, and I told him I did too, and then we talked about certain hot-shot tennis players for quite a while.”
Then, after a while, right in the middle of the goddam conversation, he asked me, "Did you happen to notice where the Catholic church is in town, by any chance?"  The thing was, you could tell by the way he asked me that he was trying to find out if I was a Catholic. He really was.  Not that he was prejudiced or anything, but he just wanted to know.
“He was enjoying the conversation about tennis and all, but you could tell he would've enjoyed it more if I was a Catholic and all.”  “I'm not saying I blame Catholics. I don't.”  “I'd be the same way, probably, if I was a Catholic.”
“When they got up to go, the two nuns, I did something very stupid and embarrassing.”  “I was smoking a cigarette, and when I stood up to say good-by to them, by mistake I blew some smoke in their face.”  “I didn't mean to, but I did it.”  “I apologized like a madman, and they were very polite and nice about it, but it was very embarrassing anyway.”
“ After they left, I started getting sorry that I'd only given them ten bucks for their collection.”  “ But the thing was, I'd made that date to go to a matinee with old Sally Hayes, and I needed to keep some dough for the tickets and stuff.”  “ I was sorry anyway, though.”  “ Goddam money. It always ends up making you blue as hell.”
 
 

Catcher in the Rye Chapter 15

  • 1.
  • 2.
    Chapter 15 Holdenwakes up at around ten o’clock on Sunday morning, surprised not to have slept later. “ I felt pretty hungry as soon as I had a cigarette. The last time I'd eaten was those two hamburgers I had with Brossard and Ackley when we went in to Agerstown to the movies.” “ That was a long time ago. It seemed like fifty years ago.”
  • 3.
    He is aboutto call room service, but his fear that Maurice will deliver the food makes him change his mind. He also thinks about calling Jane Gallagher, but calls a girl he used to know named Sally Hayes instead
  • 4.
    Sally Hayes “Shewent to Mary A. Woodruff, and I knew she was home because I'd had this letter from her a couple of weeks ago.” “I wasn't too crazy about her, but I'd known her for years.” “I used to think she was quite intelligent, in my stupidity.”
  • 5.
    “The reason Idid was because she knew quite a lot about the theater and plays and literature and all that stuff.” “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.” “It took me years to find it out, in old Sally's case.”
  • 6.
    “I think I'dhave found it out a lot sooner if we hadn't necked so damn much.” “My big trouble is, I always sort of think whoever I'm necking is a pretty intelligent person.”
  • 7.
    “ It hasn'tgot a goddam thing to do with it, but I keep thinking it anyway.” They make a date for two o’clock that afternoon. He realizes he does not have much money left, so he checks out of the hotel.
  • 8.
    Holden takes ataxi to Grand Central Station. He checks his baggage into a locker there and eats breakfast in the cafeteria.
  • 9.
    The Nuns Twonuns come and sit near him and he talks to them; one is an English teacher and Holden discusses literature with her. He notices their cheap suitcases, which make him think of Dick Slagle, whom he roomed with at Elkton Hills.
  • 10.
    Dick Slagle Likethe nuns, “Dick Slagle had these very inexpensive suitcases.” “ He used to keep them under the bed, instead of on the rack, so that nobody'd see them standing next to mine.”
  • 11.
    “It depressed holyhell out of me, and I kept wanting to throw mine out or something, or even trade with him.” “Mine came from Mark Cross, and they were genuine cowhide and all that crap, and I guess they cost quite a pretty penny.”
  • 12.
    Out of concernfor Slagle, Holden decided to put his luggage under his bed, too. Slagle took Holden’s luggage from under the bed and pretended it was his. The memory of this incident really bothers Holden, and he is not sure why; he thinks it has something to do with inequality and hypocrisy, two things he hates.
  • 13.
    The Nuns Whilethey are eating, Holden decides to give the nuns a contribution of ten dollars despite the fact that he is low on funds. He even offers to pay their bill, but they refuse. “I took their check off them, but they wouldn't let me pay it. The one with the glasses made me give it back to her.”
  • 14.
    "You've been morethan generous," she said. "You're a very sweet boy." She certainly was nice. She reminded me a little bit of old Ernest Morrow's mother, the one I met on the train. When she smiled, mostly. "We've enjoyed talking to you so much," she said.
  • 15.
    Catholics “I saidI'd enjoyed talking to them a lot, too. I meant it, too.” “I'd have enjoyed it even more though, I think, if I hadn't been sort of afraid, the whole time I was talking to them, that they'd all of a sudden try to find out if I was a Catholic.” “Catholics are always trying to find out if you're a Catholic.”
  • 16.
    “ I knewthis one Catholic boy, Louis Shaney, when I was at the Whooton School.” “ He was quite interested in tennis, and so was I.” “ He told me he went to the Nationals at Forest Hills every summer, and I told him I did too, and then we talked about certain hot-shot tennis players for quite a while.”
  • 17.
    Then, after awhile, right in the middle of the goddam conversation, he asked me, "Did you happen to notice where the Catholic church is in town, by any chance?" The thing was, you could tell by the way he asked me that he was trying to find out if I was a Catholic. He really was. Not that he was prejudiced or anything, but he just wanted to know.
  • 18.
    “He was enjoyingthe conversation about tennis and all, but you could tell he would've enjoyed it more if I was a Catholic and all.” “I'm not saying I blame Catholics. I don't.” “I'd be the same way, probably, if I was a Catholic.”
  • 19.
    “When they gotup to go, the two nuns, I did something very stupid and embarrassing.” “I was smoking a cigarette, and when I stood up to say good-by to them, by mistake I blew some smoke in their face.” “I didn't mean to, but I did it.” “I apologized like a madman, and they were very polite and nice about it, but it was very embarrassing anyway.”
  • 20.
    “ After theyleft, I started getting sorry that I'd only given them ten bucks for their collection.” “ But the thing was, I'd made that date to go to a matinee with old Sally Hayes, and I needed to keep some dough for the tickets and stuff.” “ I was sorry anyway, though.” “ Goddam money. It always ends up making you blue as hell.”
  • 21.
  • 22.