Who was your favorite/ least favorite character in Catcher in the Rye?

Question

My favorite was either Allie or Phoebe, because they were calm, innocent, and voices of reason to Holden.. My least favorite was Holden Caulfield (It is funny, since I have a friend named Holden who is not like the character at all!) until he becomes happy at the end, because he is too depressed and promiscuous, and is sort of a hypocrite. Who was yours, any why?

Answer 1

You know, Holden was my favorite. Maybe because when I read it I was depressed and I could kind of identify with him.  

Answer 2

Stradlater was kind of self centered and arrogant. I wasn't too nuts about him.

Sally Hayes got kind of annoying, she was kind of shallow and phony too. And everyone knows how Holden feels about phonies.

Mr. Antolini was a pervey sicko.

Answer 3

My favorite characters were Holden and Phoebe Caulfield.  I believe it was Holden's attitude that kept the narration in the book quite interesting to read; I found myself actually acting out his part as I read it, the image of him talking to the psychiatrist.  A lot of people can understand where he is coming from, in thinking that the adults he encounters don't understand him, kind of like their own thoughts of parents and authority, they say they love and care about what they do, but then they go and do or say something that shows the opposite, like the hypocrites you perceive Holden as.  I like how Phoebe is so smart and seems to worry about Holden and his future.  I agree with you on her.

I thought Ward Stradlater was creepy, the way he handled Jane Gallagher on his date which infuriated Holden, I didn't like that Maurice character, wasn't he the one that beat Holden up for not going with that hooker or paying for it.  And I wanted to like Mr. Antolini, but there was that part in which he handled Holden inappropriately, touching him and that, and I thought that was creepy of him to do that.

Answer 4

In some ways I like Mr. Antolini because he was a little unorthodox and misunderstood.  However, I also like Phoebe because she understands the need to grow up.