The Catcher in the Rye
             by: J. D. Salinger
            
             In results of writing an essay which included, " ...Modern science would still like to know what the secret ingredients were that the Egyptians used when they wrapped up dead people so that their faces would not rot for innumerable centuries...", Holden Caulfield, the main character in the book, failed Pencey Prep, one of a long series of private schools which he attended. He was proud of the fact that he failed every subject except for English. One would find the book The Catcher in the Rye extremely ironic. Salinger used irony to confuse situations. Holden would say one thing, but would do another. Fear adds to the irony of the story, which makes it interesting and enjoyable for the reader. The central theme of the book is Holden's war against phonies and how he deals with them.
             One of Holden's worst phonies is Pencey Prep. He states, "Pencey is strictly for the birds. They don't do any damn more molding at Pencey than they do at any other school." Holden doesn't understand how Pencey can be so strict, especially after writing that essay. He finds himself to exaggerate and lie more than anyone else at Pencey. To impress parents that come to visit on Sundays, Holden says that every Saturday the students have steak for dinner. He believes the school does this so often because the parents are more likely to remember the good things at Pencey, like eating steak for example, rather than all of the bad things that go on during the week. As the reader reads the book, he would realize that Holden is the only one that finds Pencey to be so sinister. Pencey was only a phony to Holden because he didn't belong there in the first place.
             The majority of the people at Pencey were also phonies of Holden's. Ranging from teachers, students, and roommates, Holden could always find something wrong with others. He claimed that his former teacher Mr. Antolini made a "flitty" pass at...