Outline

Outline

Topic: Holden calls others phony, but he is a phony himself.

I. Introduction Thesis: Holden says that everyone in the story is a bunch of phonies all because they act fake all the time. What Holden does not know is that he himself is a phony, but he would never admit it to himself or to anyone else for that matter. He is a phony by lying all the time, associating with people he hates, and acting phony

II. Lying

A. "Holden is telling the truth: he is a liar, people are phony, society is corrupt." B. "He views himself as a liar, but he refuses to acknowledge that this means that he is phony too." C. "Rudolf Schmidt was the name of the Janitor of our dorm." D. "So I told her that I just saw Gary Cooper, the movie star, on the other side of the floor." E. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Jim Steele."

III. Associates with people he hates

A. "He despises Ackley, but he invites him to see a movie; he hates movies, believing them to foster phoniness in society" B. "Like many young people Holden is intolerant of sickness and the debility of old age." C. "I didn't have anything special to do, so I went down to the can and chewed the rag with him while he was shaving." D. "I asked Mal if he minded if Ackley came along with us. The reason I asked was because Ackley never did anything on Saturday night." E. "I thought he might want to have dinner with me somewhere and have a slightly intellectual conversation."

IV. Acts like a phony

A. "Holden is an ironic character who critiques his phony culture but ends up participating in the same phony culture that he condemns." B. "He doesn't follow his proclaimed norms; he is a phony." C. "He hates lies, phoniness, pretense, yet these are often his own sins." D. "The reader must always read between the lines like a detective looking for hints and clues that might help explain which of Holden's insights are valid and which are as phony as the phoniness he condemns." E. "Do you feel like playing a little Canasta?" F. "It was against my principles and all, but I was feeling so depressed I didn't even think." G. "Swell. Well, listen. I was wondering if you were busy today. It's Sunday, but there's always one or two matinees going on Sunday. Benefits and that stuff. Would you care to go?" H. "I went to the movies at Radio City. It was probably the worst thing I could've done, but it was near, and I couldn’t think of anything else."

V. Conclusion