Holden has been on-edge ever since he left, wondering what Stradlater was doing with Jane. Hours later, Stradlater returns from his date. The assignment is to write short descriptive essay, so Holden choses to write about his dead brother AllieРІР‚в„ўs baseball mitt. This unnerves Holden, but he doesnРІР‚в„ўt say anything and even agrees to do StradlaterРІР‚в„ўs English homework for him while heРІР‚в„ўs gone. As he speaks, it becomes clear that heРІР‚в„ўs quite attached to his memories of Jane, but Stradlater only cares about whether or not heРІР‚в„ўll be able to have sex with her. As Stradlater prepares for his date, Holden goes on at length about Jane, explaining small details about her personality.

This catches Holden off guard, since he knows Jane Gallagher-he spent time with her when she lived next-door to him two years ago when his family summered in Maine. When Holden asks why heРІР‚в„ўs returned so early from the football game, he reveals that heРІР‚в„ўs on a date with a girl named Jane Gallagher. Later, his conceited and good-looking roommate, Ward Stradlater, bounds into the room. Once heРІР‚в„ўs back in his room, Holden is confronted by his irritating neighbor, Ackley, who interrupts him as he tries to read. Consequently, he lies and says that he has to leave to collect his things, though he simply returns to his dorm room to read. Spencer forces him to read aloud an unsatisfactory essay he wrote about the Ancient Egyptians, and this makes Holden resent him, since he already knows that he didnРІР‚в„ўt put enough effort into the assignment. Spencer, but actually thinks that his teacher is something of a РІР‚Сљphony.РІР‚Сњ As the conversation continues, Mr. As he listens, Holden pretends to agree with Mr. This, Spencer insists, is an important thing to internalize as Holden plans for his future. Thurmer, has already told him-namely, that life is a game which ought to be played by the rules. Spencer lectures Holden by agreeing with what the headmaster, Dr. Instead of going to the game, Holden, who has just been expelled for failing four of his five classes, visits Mr. HoldenРІР‚в„ўs story begins at his school, Pencey Prep, on the day of an annual football game that all of the students normally attend.

Writing from a rest home where heРІР‚в„ўs recuperating from an unidentified ailment, Holden Caulfield says heРІР‚в„ўll tell the story of what happened to him just before the previous Christmas.

Cliff notes the catcher in the rye