JOURNAL POST 4
Describe a feeling or emotion that you experienced as you were reading this section and what caused this feeling?
“What he was doing was, he was sitting on the floor right next to the couch, in the dark and all, and he was sort of petting me or patting me on the goddam head.” (192)
Essentially, near the end of Holden’s journey, he meets up with Mr. Antolini, the teacher he looks up to the most. Mr. Antolini, like gives Holden solid advice about rethinking his future and considering his actions which makes him seem fatherly. Eventually, his true colors are revealed as the night carries on; Holden is caressed by his teacher’s hand. As immature as this may seem, I feel that it was wrong of Mr. Antolini to touch Holden, even if it was only on his head, it’s nothing short of creepy. At the same time, I’m also wondering, why would Holden see his teacher at such a late hour? Nevertheless it was a great way to educate Holden about the day old saying: NEVER talk to strangers.
The quote is significant to me because I want to avoid that happening to me at all costs. I couldn’t imagine if one of my teachers were to do such a thing. Teachers and students from my perspective should maintain a professional relationship as per the ministry of Education’s standards. The quote is important to the novel because it brings gruesome imagery of what might run through Mr. Antolini’s mind. Perhaps alcohol is to blame in this situation, though it’s still wrong. I felt queasy as I read the section but it transitioned into Holden straightening his initiatives. In the real world, there are countless amounts of perverse individuals, and this quote only goes to show that ANYONE can be a pervert, no matter how stretched the circumstances can be.
