Essay Quiz on Chapters 11-20

Submitted by: Jessica Micah Francesca P. Delos Santos (AC2A)

1. What is Holden's most pressing problem?

 Holden actually seems to have a numerous amount of problems in the story basing it on his
point of view. He was highly critical and a pessimist in everything that he encountered, like
how most people see him, he is ‘phony’. However, on top of all those that he problematizes,
his most pressing problem is his emotion. He is so lonely in the story if well-observed.
Although it is with no doubt that he just seems so quick to judge and is really phony but the
reality is behind all those the way he sees things. At the back of his phony attitude, one could
really see the depth where he is going through. He is drowning in loneliness as he only has
himself. He may have his family and peers but he really has no one who could really
understand him fully. He has no one to call in an instant whatever he is facing nor has anyone
to run to when he needs immediate attention where one could understand him. The sadness
that is buried down to his heart is what leads him to his phoniness. He was blinded by the
deception that the world itself was just the problem and not partly because of his phony
attitude. Hence, the most pressing problem that Holden has was the loneliness in his heart.

2. Can you say that because of Holden's loneliness, he became isolated and disconnected from
the real world? 

 Based on critical observation and scrutinization of Holden’s character, I would say that due
to his loneliness, he became isolated and disconnected from the real world. All throughout
the story, one could see how highly critical and pessimist Holden is. Aside from that fact, he
keeps on blaming the happenings and the people around him as to why he thinks that way.
He keeps on justifying his perception as his judgments were just based on the happenings
wounding him. Hence, his narrow perception of the world has led him to isolating himself as
he thinks that everything is a two-faced body. Thus, when he isolated himself, he gradually
 became disconnected from the world to the point wherein he thinks that he is all by himself
in all circumstances regardless of what will happen. He lost his connection from the real
world due to his lack of empathy and understanding. He was so confined with his perception
to the point wherein he thinks that all his ideas were pure harsh facts as the world is. He did
not even give the world itself a chance to showcase how different people and circumstances
are and how relevant it is to be different as this is what builds up the world. Hence,
confinement is what led him to his phony attitude and this attitude of his has led him to
isolation and disconnection from the real world.

3. Have you ever become disgusted with the horrors of the world which made you think that
almost all people or events are phony?

 At some point in my life, I think that I have once or even twice become like Holden. There
are just circumstances that really lead me to think that those people or events are undeniably
phony. One example of this is the current happenings with our government. Every day, I get
to read or even hear the news and it is just excruciating to know that no changes have been
made. It is just the same old corruption and pointing fingers at their co-officials. They act so
inappropriately not even minding the citizens. At first, of course I thought that it would
change and I thought that as a kid it would somehow improve over time but then I thought
wrong. It even became worse when a pandemic hit our country. Millions of Filipinos were
greatly affected, including me. Hence, whenever I see news or another statement from some
news, I just automatically can’t help but feel disgusted even before I hear the news itself
because I thought that like the usual, it will be a negative one and even there is something
positive to hear, I could not help myself sometimes that it is just for a fact to cover up their
wrong doings that ha been once shown in the news. In terms of a much more personal story, I
think that I have once felt that way too. Back when I transferred schools, I had to adjust to a
different environment and people. To cut the story short, I have mingled with the wrong sort
of people. They gave me nothing but negativity. It came to the point where whenever I would
interact with them, I would think of phony thoughts in my mind. I may not be as interactive
when I am with them but at the back of my head, there are dozens of thoughts that are going
 on and I could not help but be disgusted with the phoniness that there is to face. Then again,
like Holden, I think that I have also justified well as to why I have thought in that specific
manner. It is just that the difference is that I was able to grow and mature and did not allow
myself to permanently be and think like that.

4. What is the symbolism of the Museum of Natural History to Holden's pressing problem?
What is its implication to Holden's character?

 Prior to reading the explanation of Holden’s perspective on the museum, I thought that he
was going to be phony in that place as well when he heard that his sister was there. However,
when I was able to read the full content of Holden’s perception, I was able to feel a sense of
accomplishment as I was able to track down the primary reason for his phoniness. I felt like I
was able to understand him on a different level as the Museum of Natural History represents
his most vulnerable side-his true self. Holden has recalled his past at the mention of the said
museum. He has mentioned how they were as kids. It was very simple and full of love,
certainly not the sort of life that he has right now where he thinks so complex yet confined
with his phoniness. When he was a kid, he recalls how they would go there every Sunday and
would line up in two lines to go around the museum to admire the pictures and everything in
there. If one would observe, the way Holden has taken a look back to his childhood signifies
the loneliness within him as he has once been capable of feeling love towards his
surroundings and loved by the people around him. He may have been highly critical all the
time but when he has thought of the museum, it is as if he has forgotten his phoniness and
has described it with so much longingness. He was even able to remember how the museum
is divided into the pictures and the Indian room. Those small details that he was able to recall
were the memories that he hoped for. It shows how he was once able to see the smallest
detail with so much love and not criticisms. In addition to that, when he has mentioned Miss
Aigletinger-their teacher, it signifies the person that he once had. It symbolizes how he has
lost so many people along the way when he was becoming phony and disconnected from the
people and the world. Hence, the Museum of Natural History really does uphold not only the
history of the country but also the history of Holden. The way he sees it showcases how this
 has contributed to his pressing problem and as a character in general. It was the loneliness
and emptiness in heart brought by his phoniness. Hence the aforementioned museum is really
relevant to Holden’s life.