"Life is a game, boy. A game one plays according to the rules" Sallinger (8). Old Spencer suggests this to Holden Caulfield in J.D. Sallinger's The Catcher in the Rye, expecting he would listen. Even though Holden might hear what people say, it goes in one ear and out the other and he never actually listens. In this book, Holden depicts the three days of events happening after he gets kicked out of Pency Academy. Although Old Spencer and Mr. Antolini aren't major characters in the book, their perspectives of Holden are that he is a troubled, yet gifted and talented, teenager.
             Proof for Holden being disturbed in different forms is expressed in many ways during the three days. Mr. Antolini is one who puts it real well, "You're a very, very strange boy" Sallinger (193). Holden sometimes yells at people and all they do is try and help. He pushes everyone away from him that is close and everyone that he is not close to is a phony. There is an old saying that goes "pushing everybody away will eventually push those close to you away too". This is what happens to Holden. He expresses anger in an uncontrollable manner, even fighting with his roommate, showing everyone that he does not want them, when the truth is different. Holden is crying out to everyone, showing everybody that he has problems that need to be dealt with. "Somebody'd written 'Fuck you' on the wall. It damn near drove me crazy" Sallinger (201). Holden does have feelings he just needs to express them more and get help which Mr. Antolini and Old Spencer understand.
             Even though Holden might be troubled, he is extremely gifted. The feeling given when Holden describes his relationship with his English teachers is that he does well but does not apply himself. A specific time being when Mr. Antolini says, "I'll show you the door in short time if you flunked English...you little ace composition writer" (182). If Holden ap
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