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In The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield encounters one “phony” after another. But author J. D. Salinger lavishes the most attention on someone who is definitely NOT a “phony”—Holden’s 10-year-old sister, Phoebe. Phoebe’s innate goodness gives Holden reason for hope. Hope for deliverance from “phoniness.”

Video Transcription:

What if I were to tell you that if you remembered only two characters in this book, you’d be way ahead of everyone else? Would you be willing to stick out the next 60 seconds?

There are actually a ton of characters in this book: the boys at Pencey, Holden’s friends from other schools, various girls, Holden’s family members, even an old teacher.

But block all those out for a minute, will you? I want you to focus on two names.

Holden
and
Phoebe

To refresh: Holden is a 16-year-old boy and the main character in this story. Phoebe is his 10-year-old sister.

So why are these two soooo important?

Maybe I’m a sucker for redemption, but Holden and Phoebe’s relationship is the only redeeming aspect of this book.

For example, Holden is lonely and self-centered for most of the novel. But with Phoebe, he actually shows concern for someone other than himself. He buys her a record he thinks she’ll like. He tries to do right by her.

Another thing: Phoebe is the only character with whom Holden has any kind of give and take. Everyone else in the book just takes advantage of him—even when he’s nice. But when he promises Phoebe he’s not going to run away, she reciprocates: she gives him back his special hat.

Want to know more? Holden and Phoebe’s relationship also brings out one of the themes in Catcher.

And you can hear more about that in the next Recap.