Chapters 2-4 of The Catcher In The Rye

While reading "The Catcher In The Rye" I didn't really know exactly how I felt about Holden Caulfield. During chapter one, I thought I could relate to him a little bit. For example, how he was the manager of the fencing team and I was the manager of the of the basketball team, and how he forgot their fencing equipment and one time I forgot the water bottles on the bus. But what makes us different is that I felt awful about it, but he thought it was funny and it didn't bother him at all. However, as I kept reading, I started realizing that I wasn't much like him at all, and that personally I think he is kind of irritating. I say this because he gets off topic or he repeats himself.

"...Then I got this book I was reading and sat down in my chair. There were two chairs in every room. I had one and my roommate, Ward Stradlater, had one. The arms were in sad shape, because everybody was always sitting on them, but they were pretty comfortable chairs." I don't understand why he has to go into so much detail, like we don't need to know that the arms of the chairs were crappy. Another time when he repeats himself is when he is talking to Stradlater about Jane Gallagher. He just keeps talking about how they played checkers and she always kept her kings on the back line because she liked how it looked, and then he just kept saying "Jane Gallagher, Jesus." Like we get it, you were good friends and you like her.

However, I think is is like the typical teenage because when he was talking about how he didn't feel bad about about leaving the equipment, he could have just been saying that because is didn't want to admit it. I think that I empathize with him sometimes, because I try to say that I am not bothered by something or I don't admit my true feelings because I don't want to be seen as "weak" or whatever. And also feel like I can relate to him when he gets bored and horses around because I get bored a lot and I make up a game or just start dancing randomly. Like how he was acting like a tap-dancer in the restroom. "The leading man can't go on. He's as drunk as a bastard. So who do they get to take his place? Me, that's who. The little ole goddam Governor's son." I would do that same thing, make up a crazy story that has nothing to do with what was going on. I think Holden is an okay guy, but can get a little irritating sometimes, but I am looking foward to finishing the book.