Chapters 21
through 25 make mention
ofCaulfield's sister , "old Poebe" as he affectionately calls
her. It is
clear from Holden's descriptions and remarks about his little sister, that he
loves
her.
- Phoebe is an ingenuous child, who
readily and honestly
displays her feelings. When Holden sneaks into the
apartment and wakes Phoebe, she hugs him
immediately.
She always listens when you tell
her
something. And the funny part of it is she knows, half the time, what the hell
you're
talking about. She really does.
- Phoebe is
honest and candid with Holden, not "phony," a
characteristic that he loathes in
people. When Holden tells Phoebe that he
did not like anything that was happening at the school
he has run away from,
Phoebe remarks, "You don't like anything that's
happening." And, she forces Holden to name something he does like, challenging
him.
- Phoebe does not judge Holden; instead, she just
listens. Even if she is
not certain of the meaning of all that Holden says,
she listens. While she scolds her brother
about leaving school, saying "Dad's
going to kill you," Phoebe still does not pass
judgment upon him. - After Holden is with Phoebe for a while, they dance and
Phoebe is
able to follow him well; this gives Holden much pleasure and he is proud of how
well
Phoebe can learn dance steps.
In between
numbers, she is funny as hell. She stays right in
position....
- Holden is
always relaxed with Phoebe; in the stores, "she enjoys
horsing around and
looking at the people." One time in a shoe store, Phoebe tried on all
kinds
of storm shoes, frustrating the salesman; finally, she bought another type of shoe.
Her
antics amuse Holden. - Most of all, Phoebe loves
Holden, kissing him and
wanting to be with him, even willing to run off with
him. In the final chapter, Holden watches
his little sister on a carousel,
feeling happy because "she looked
so...nice."
Holden's and Phoebe's relationship is a close,
loving
one, but, ironically, Phoebe is often more mature than Holden, who is years older
than
she. Certainly, Phoebe is Holden's emotional anchor; for, with his
sister there is no need for
pretense or
embarrassment.
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